Israel men's national ice hockey team

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Israel
Shirt badge/Association crest
AssociationIce Hockey Federation of Israel
General managerFelix Kozak
Head coachBobby Holík
AssistantsDušan Králík
Ran Oz
CaptainEliezer Sherbatov
Most gamesSergei Frenkel (79)[1]
Top scorerSergei Frenkel (47)
Most pointsSergei Frenkel (109)[1]
Team colors     
IIHF codeISR
Team colours
Team colours
Team colours
Team colours
Home colours
Team colours
Team colours
Team colours
Team colours
Away colours
Team colours
Team colours
Team colours
Team colours
Third colours
Ranking
Current IIHF34 Steady (6 June 2021)[2]
Highest IIHF32 (2014)
Lowest IIHF40 (first in 2011)
First international
Spain  23–4  Israel
(Johannesburg, South Africa; 22 March 1992)
Biggest win
Israel  26–2  Greece
(Cape Town, South Africa; 15 April 2011)
Biggest defeat
Latvia  32–0  Israel
(Ljubljana, Slovenia; 15 March 1993)
IIHF World Championships
Appearances26 (first in 1992)
Best result28th (2006)
International record (W–L–T)
53–72–8[3]

The Israel national ice hockey team (Hebrew: נבחרת ישראל בהוקי קרח) is the national men's ice hockey team of Israel. Since 2015, the team's Captain has been Eliezer Sherbatov. Israel was ranked 35th as of May 2017 by the International Ice Hockey Federation.[4] In 2019, the team won the gold medal in the 2019 IIHF World Championship Division II Group B tournament in Mexico City.

Ranking[]

Date Rank Movement
2002 34 –
2003 35 Decrease 1
2004 36 Decrease 1
2005 35 Increase 1
2006 33 Increase 2
2007 34[5] Decrease 1
2008 35[6] Decrease 1
2009 36[7] Decrease 1
Feb 2010 38[8] Decrease 2
Apr 2010 39[9] Decrease 1
2011 40[10] Decrease 1
2012 40[11] ±0
2013 39[12] Increase 1
Feb 2014 33[13] Increase 6
Apr 2014 32[14] Increase 1
2015 33[15] Decrease 1
2016 34[16] Decrease 1
2017 35[4] Decrease 1

World Championships record[]

Eliezer Sherbatov drew international attention when he first played in the 2005 IIHF World U18 championship Division III, in Bulgaria, at the age of 13, becoming the youngest player to step on the ice in an under-18 ice hockey world championship.[17][18] He scored 9 points (4 goals + 5 assists) in 5 games, as the team won a bronze medal, Israel's first in hockey in a championship tournament.[18][19][20]

The team was promoted to the IIHF World Championship Division I in 2005 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships.[21] The following year the team was relegated again to Division II.[22] In 2010, Israel was relegated to Division III.[23]

However, in 2011 the team finished first in Division III Group B, earning a promotion back to Division II.[24] Israel won all five of its games by a combined score of 57–9, and was promoted to the IIHF Division II WHC to be played in 2012.[18] Sherbatov led the tournament in points, goals, assists, and +/-, earning 26 points (14 goals + 12 assists) in just four games.[25] He was named the best forward of the tournament.[25][26]

At the 2012 IIHF World Championship Division II tournament in Bulgaria, the Israeli team was able to stay in the second division.[26] Beginning in 2015 and still as of 2020, Sherbatov was captain of the national team.[27][25]

In 2019, the team won the gold medal in the 2019 IIHF World Championship Division II Group B tournament in Mexico City, Israel's first gold medal in hockey.[28][20] With the win, the team qualified for the World Championships Division 2A.[29] Sherbatov was named Best Forward, and had the best +/- rating, was the top goal scorer, and was the top scorer with 15 points (7 goals + 8 assists) in 5 games.[26]

Year Place Division Division place Group GP W T L GF GA
1992 30th Group C2 4th 5 1 1 3 22 42
1993 31st Group C1 6th 7 2 0 5 30 97
1994 34th Group C2 7th 5 1 0 4 19 36
1995 35th Group C2 6th 6 3 0 3 39 23
1996 35th Group D 7th 7 3 1 3 34 35
1997 33rd Group D 5th 5 2 0 3 22 28
1998 35th Group D 3rd 5 3 0 2 39 19
1999 33rd Group D 2nd 4 3 0 1 21 5
2000 34th Group D 1st 4 3 0 1 31 7
2001 32nd Division II 2nd Group B 5 4 0 1 21 11
2002 34th Division II 3rd Group A 5 3 0 2 14 22
2003 37th Division II 3rd Group B 5 1 2 2 11 19
2004 38th Division II 5th Group A 5 0 1 4 3 28
2005 30th Division II 1st Group B 5 4 1 0 21 11
2006 28th Division I 6th Group A 5 0 0 5 3 47
2007 34th Division II 3rd Group B 4 2 0 2 6 24
2008 36th Division II 4th Group A 5 2 0 3 16 28
2009 38th Division II 5th Group A 5 1 0 4 9 38
2010 39th Division II 6th Group B 5 0 0 5 11 55
2011 41st Division III 1st 5 5 0 0 57 9
2012 39th Division II 5th Group B 5 2 0 3 19 22
2013 35th Division II 1st Group B 5 4 0 1 30 14
2014 34th Division II 6th Group A 5 1 0 4 19 37
2015 39th Division II 5th Group B 5 1 0 4 11 20
2016 37th Division II 3rd Group B 5 2 0 3 22 33
2017 37th Division II 3rd Group B 5 3 0 2 24 14
2018 37th Division II 3rd Group B 5 3 0 2 24 14
2019 35th Division II 1st Group B 5 5 0 0 32 16
2020 Division II Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic[30]
2021 Division II Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic[31]
Total – – – – 142 64 6 72 610 754

Olympics[]

Israel has tried to qualify for the Olympics three times. In 1996 they advanced past Greece, and were eliminated by Yugoslavia before the main qualification rounds, in trying to advance to the 1998 Olympics.

For the 2014 Winter Olympics, Israel attempted to qualify, going 0–3 in the pre-qualifier.[32]

For the 2018 Winter Olympics, Israel again attempted to qualify.[33] However, they were unable to, going 1–2 in the pre-qualifier.

Team[]

Roster[]

Roster for the 2019 IIHF World Championship.[34]

Goaltenders
# Player Catches Height Weight Date of birth Club
1 Nir Tichon R 178 cm 80 kg (1993-10-17) 17 October 1993 (age 28) Czech Republic Masaryk University
20 Yehonatan Reisinger L 172 cm 66 kg (2000-07-21) 21 July 2000 (age 21) Austria HC Okanagan Europe
Defencemen
# Player Shoots Height Weight Date of birth Club
12 Tomer Aharonovich L 180 cm 67 kg (1999-02-11) 11 February 1999 (age 23) Israel
22 Dan Hoffman L 176 cm 65 kg (1999-01-28) 28 January 1999 (age 23) Russia Volna Kazan U18
4 Evgeni Kozhevnikov L 187 cm 77 kg (1981-10-29) 29 October 1981 (age 40) Israel HC Bat Yam
10 Michail Kozhevnikov L 188 cm 95 kg (1981-10-29) 29 October 1981 (age 40) Israel HC Bat Yam
11 Shai Maaravi L 175 cm 67 kg (1996-10-29) 29 October 1996 (age 25) United States Duquesne University
2 Kai Malachi R 182 cm 78 kg (1992-12-07) 7 December 1992 (age 29) Israel HC Metulla
5 Itay Mostovoy R 178 cm 74 kg (2001-06-03) 3 June 2001 (age 20) United States Boston Shamrocks U18
17 Yuval Rosenthal R 175 cm 58 kg (1995-08-12) 12 August 1995 (age 26) Canada Bradford Bulls
18 Daniel Spivak L 185 cm 85 kg (1988-08-09) 9 August 1988 (age 33) United States Rochester Americans
Forwards
# Player Shoots Height Weight Date of birth Club
7 Roey Aharonovich L 175 cm 71 kg (1996-07-07) 7 July 1996 (age 25) United States Bryn Athyn College
16 Itay Ben Tov L 180 cm 83 kg (1994-07-24) 24 July 1994 (age 27) Israel Monfort Ma'alot
8 Sergei Frenkel L 179 cm 90 kg (1984-08-06) 6 August 1984 (age 37) Israel HC Bat Yam
19 Avishai Geller R 183 cm 86 kg (1979-05-21) 21 May 1979 (age 42) Israel Holon Ninjas
15 Joshua Greenberg L 180 cm 70 kg (1988-06-03) 3 June 1988 (age 33) Israel HC Bat Yam
24 Yuval Halpert L 171 cm 71 kg (2000-09-20) 20 September 2000 (age 21) United States Southern Oregon Spartans
6 Elie Klein L 187 cm 90 kg (1989-05-20) 20 May 1989 (age 32) Israel
9 Daniel Mazour L 186 cm 86 kg (1992-01-05) 5 January 1992 (age 30) Israel Monfort Ma'alot
13 Eliezer Sherbatov L 174 cm 88 kg (1991-10-09) 9 October 1991 (age 30) Latvia Kurbads Riga
14 Maor Sherf R 175 cm 70 kg (1994-02-21) 21 February 1994 (age 27) Israel HC Bat Yam
3 Artem Vernyy L 180 cm 95 kg (1993-02-20) 20 February 1993 (age 28) Israel HC Bat Yam

Notable players[]

Coaches[]

Period Name Nationality
1992 Gideon Lee[35]  Israel
2001–2004 Boris Mindel[36]  Israel
2005–2009 Jean Perron[37]  Canada
2010 Boris Mindel[36]  Israel
2011 [38]  Israel
2012, 2018 Semyon Yakubovich[39]  Israel
 Russia
2012–2014 Jean Perron[37]  Canada
2015–2016 Derek Eisler[40]  United States

References[]

  1. ^ a b "Sergei Frenkel profile - Сергеи Френкел Профиль - Eurohockey.com". www.eurohockey.com.
  2. ^ "IIHF Men's World Ranking". IIHF. 6 June 2021. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  3. ^ "Ice Hockey in Israel".
  4. ^ a b "2017 Men's World Ranking".
  5. ^ "2007 Men's World Ranking".
  6. ^ "2008 Men's World Ranking".
  7. ^ "2009 Men's World Ranking".
  8. ^ "2010 Men's World Ranking (after Olympics)".
  9. ^ "2010 Men's World Ranking".
  10. ^ "2011 Men's World Ranking".
  11. ^ "2012 Men's World Ranking".
  12. ^ "2013 Men's World Ranking".
  13. ^ "2014 Men's World Ranking (February)".
  14. ^ "2014 Men's World Ranking (April)".
  15. ^ "2015 Men's World Ranking".
  16. ^ "2016 Men's World Ranking".
  17. ^ Alex Di Pietro. "Sherbatov a Montréal Junior". The Suburban. Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 14 January 2013.
  18. ^ a b c Sammy Hudes (22 July 2011). "Israeli hockey player shocks world; (Video) Eliezer Sherbatov scores unbelievable, made-for-YouTube goal". Ynet.
  19. ^ Mike G. Morreale (18 July 2011). "Sherbatov scored amazing D-III Worlds goal". NHL.com.
  20. ^ a b Marty Klinkenberg (21 August 2020). "Israeli-Canadian Eliezer Sherbatov on his Jewish heritage and playing hockey in Poland". The Globe and Mail.
  21. ^ "2005 IIHF World Championship Div II Group A".
  22. ^ "Final rankings" (PDF).
  23. ^ 2010 IIHF World Championship DIV II Group B
  24. ^ 2011 IIHF World Championship DIV III
  25. ^ a b c Murray Greig (24 August 2020). "Israeli's Auschwitz switch causes stir". China Daily.
  26. ^ a b c "Eli Sherbatov profile - Ели Шербатов Профиль". Eurohockey.com.
  27. ^ Cramer, Philissa (9 August 2020). "Captain of Israel's hockey team signs to play in Oswiecim, otherwise known as Auschwitz". Cleveland Jewish News.
  28. ^ Joshua Halickman (3 May 2019). "Gold-medal celebration on ice for Israel hockey". The Jerusalem Post.
  29. ^ Abigail Klein Leichman (5 May 2019). "Israeli national ice-hockey team wins gold medal". ISRAEL21c.
  30. ^ "Men's Division II, III cancelled". IIHF. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
  31. ^ "Men's Division II, III cancelled". IIHF. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
  32. ^ "Here are the 32 hockey teams asking to be a part of 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics". sports.yahoo.com.
  33. ^ "IIHF Error page". www.iihf.com.
  34. ^ "2019 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championships Division II, Group B – Team Israel Roster. (Men)". International Ice Hockey Federation. Retrieved 21 April 2019.
  35. ^ Lee Gideon career statistics at EliteProspects.com
  36. ^ a b Boris Mindel profile at Eurohockey.com
  37. ^ a b Jean Perron profile at Eurohockey.com
  38. ^ Sergei Belo career statistics at EliteProspects.com
  39. ^ Semyon Yakubovich career statistics at EliteProspects.com
  40. ^ Derek Eisler career statistics at EliteProspects.com

External links[]

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