Players evaluate the season

ADDED: 17.3.2020

The duel of seventh pre-playoff round at home against the team from Zvolen was eventually the last game of the season for our players. Significantly younger cadre of the Steelers made sure to be called victorious. Unfortunately, the unpleasant worldwide pandemic forced leagues to cancel the games and close all stadiums and deprived fans of the most awaited part of the season. This year too, a great group of guys determined to fight for the brand HC Košice met in the cabin of Steel Arena and once again made sure that fans could enjoy goals, hockey tricks as well as moments in which they had their blood running cold. Before the players dispersed, we asked them to evaluate the season and give their perspective.

Dávid Skokan: “If I am to evaluate the season from the beginning, I first have to say that a great group of people met in the cabin. The summer was amazing, preparation was great as well. We won the tournament in Pardubice and ended up third at Tatra cup in Poprad. First match of the season, which was full of expectations, we sort of screwed up, but then we got on a victorious note and played very good hockey throughout the season. A little crisis came along in January which we manage to overcome. We were looking forward to the play-off. We could rest a little bit during the pre-playoff games as the younger players got an opportunity to play. We didn’t play the pre-play off with a full team, but we believed that we could achieve something this year. We are all very sorry, that we won’t be able to make it up to our fans this season. “

Andrej Košarišťan: “I think, that from the team’s perspective, the season was quite successful, and we are kind of satisfied with it. Third place is nice if we consider the fact, that we didn’t get to play the play-off. I would definitely see many positives in this season which, for sure, outweigh negatives.”

Václav Čížek: “I would evaluate the season positively, from the beginning until the end. Unfortunately, what happened at the end is hard to comment on because we couldn’t do anything about it. We are all sorry, we have been preparing for the play-off the whole season and now it’s gone. “

Michal Chovan: “I think that this season wasn’t bad, guys on the team are great as well as our coaches and management, everything worked at 100%. We surely had some ups and downs, but we were all concentrating on the play-off, we looked forward to it. We are all sad how the season ended, but we know that health comes first!”

Marcel Haščák: “I have to say that this year, I’ve got to know great guys. The whole cabin was good, we were cooperating and helping each other, and I think that we gave good performances throughout whole season. Personally, I enjoyed our hockey and the season, that’s why I am very sad about how it ended.”

Martin Belluš: “We were on our way towards victory, and the whole season had been developing in a good direction. Of course, there were some hesitations, but loss of form didn’t last long. The cadre wasn’t changing, so that was positive. We held together until the end and that makes me happy. I evaluate the season positively, shame it was brought to end the way it did.”

Pavel Klhůfek: “I assess the season as positive even though I think that there were moments were we could have played better, but on the other hand, we managed to perform really well in some games and attracted many people to the arena – the proof of that was our 16-games point series. I can only evaluate the regular part of the season, there were number of good fights and we completed our task – we ranked among top 3. Of course, there were moments when we were struggling, losing matches at home against opponents we shouldn’t have lost to, but it happens, that’s sport. Overall, I must say the season was well. We ended up third, but sadly, the play-off had to be canceled due to force majeure.”

Stanislav Škovránek: “We had number of phases as a team – some were better, some were worse. But a group of good people met here, we helped each other on ice and outside the rink for which I am grateful. It was valuable experience, but due to the way it ended, we don’t know what to think, it came so unexpectedly, we must deal with it and prepare as best as we can for the next season. This season, however, I evaluate positively, I am satisfied!”

Koch: “I think about this ending of the season all the time. It is very sad. I really don’t know how to evaluate it.”

David Růžička: “Great people met here, good hockey players, and we all worked together to achieve the goal. Everything was working from person number one to the last person who took care of the club, so I will happily recall this season. I mean, at least the regular part. When it comes to the way it ended, for me, it is sort of a small sport tragedy. A person is excited throughout the whole season and suddenly it’s gone.”

Martin Bučko: “The season was progressing as expected, we won many matches, it’s a shame we couldn’t finish it. We are very sorry. I think that we could have got very far in the play-off, even reach the finals.”

David Květoň: “Season progressed well for us, we had a good starting position and the final position at the end was good as well. Unfortunately, it ended the way it did. We are sad about it, but this is happening everywhere around the world, not only in Slovakia. The season ended and we must respect it.”

Filip Vrábeľ: “I evaluate this year as a good one, the only and the biggest negative is that it was stopped. No-one expected this, we were all preparing for the play-off as best as we could.”

Jakub Sukeľ: “I have been in Košice for two months, so I can only evaluate that period. We had a great team who would fight also in the play-off. I am happy that I could be a part of it. It’s a shame that we couldn’t finish it. For the time I spent in Košice, I evaluate the season very positively; it was great.”

Žiga Pavlin: I think we were in a good position before the play-off, unfortunately, this happened. The season is over. We are a little disappointed, but never mind. We have to move on!”

Vojtech Zeleňák: “I assess the season positively. A group of great guys met here. Everything went fine as it was supposed to. The final ranking was also relatively good.”

Christián Michalčin: “My evaluation of the season is very similar to the one of the guys. I must say the season was okay and I view it positively. There were moments when it didn’t go as planned, but that’s normal in sport. We had a very good players in the team who got along well. That’s very important.”

Rastislav Eliáš: “I am satisfied with the season. I am glad I got an opportunity to be on the roster of the A-team, at least to practice with it. In the junior category I played well, I am satisfied! “

Oliver Jokeľ: “The beginning of the season was great. We played very well, we had good winning streak, but as it happens in hockey, the hesitations came along. Personally, I think that it was a good season except the end of it. Everyone was looking forward to the play-off, and at the end, it didn’t come.

Juraj Eliáš: “I think that the season went okay. Third place is quite decent if we take into account the fact that we focused on the play-off, that’s why our best and the most experienced players got some rest. It is sad, we all have been looking forward to the most important phase of the league. We play hockey mainly for the play-off, it is a new kind of competition. But what can we do now? We have to accept it.”

Jakub Cibák: “The season was long, but not so long as we expected it to be. We started off very well – the preparation in Pardubice, the other preparation games went also well. The regular part before the play-off was quite okay, we ended up third, the only shame is that it ended prematurely.”

A big thankyou goes to you, dear fans of HC Košice, for your constant support and encouragement without which the atmosphere during the matches wouldn’t be so great. We will see each other again in the next season!

 

<HCKE Media team : SB>