The Slovenia men's national ice hockey team is the ice hockey team representing Slovenia internationally. It is governed by the Ice Hockey Federation of Slovenia. As of June 2026, Slovenia is ranked 13th in the world by the IIHF World Ranking. The team's biggest success is reaching the quarter-finals at the 2014 Winter Olympics. Their best record at the Ice Hockey World Championships is 13th place, achieved in 2002, 2005, 2025 and 2026.
Seven players from Slovenia have been drafted into the National Hockey League (NHL) since 1998; Anže Kopitar and Jan Muršak have played in the league.
History
Before Slovenia's independence, Slovenian hockey players played for the Yugoslavia national team. From 1939, when Yugoslavia took part in its first World Championship, to 1991, when the country disintegrated, 91% of all Yugoslav national team members were Slovenes, including the entire squad that represented Yugoslavia at the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo.
Slovenia declared independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, and joined the International Ice Hockey Federation the following year. They first played as an independent nation at the 1993 World Championship, hosting the Group C tournament, the lowest tier. They played in the elite division for the first time in 2002, and at their first Winter Olympics in 2014.
Tournament record Olympic Games YearRoundPosition1964–1991Part of Yugoslavia 1992Did not enter 1994 1998Did not qualify 2002 2006 2010 2014Quarter-finals7th520031016 2018Playoffs9th40211914 2022Did not qualify 2026Total 0 Titles922141930
World Championship +KeyPromoted to higher divisionRelegated to lower division
Championship Coach Captain Position1920 – 1992 Part of Yugoslavia 1993 Bled and Ljubljana, Pool C7500027816 Rudi HitiDrago Mlinarec4th in Pool C 1994 Poprad and Spišská Nová Ves, Pool C6200042627 Rudi HitiMarjan Gorenc5th in Pool C 1995 Sofia, Pool C4200022815 Rudi HitiTomaž Vnuk7th in Pool C 1996 Jesenice and Kranj, Pool C7500024119 Vladimir KrikunovNik Zupančič3rd in Pool C 1997 Tallinn and Kohtla-Järve, Pool C530101258 Pavle KavčičTomaž Vnuk2nd in Pool C 1998 Ljubljana and Jesenice, Pool B7501012815 Pavle KavčičBojan Zajc2nd in Pool B 1999 Odense and Rodovre, Pool B7201041417 Pavle KavčičTomaž Vnuk5th in Pool B 2000 Katowice, Pool B7002051631 Rudi HitiNik Zupančič7th in Pool B 2001 Ljubljana, Division IB540100446 Matjaž SekeljTomaž Vnuk1st in Division IB 2002 Gothenburg, Karlstad, Jönköping6300031826 Matjaž SekeljTomaž Vnuk13th 2003 Helsinki, Tampere, Turku6001051237 Matjaž SekeljTomaž Vnuk15th 2004 Gdańsk, Division IB550000335 Kari SavolainenTomaž Vnuk1st in Division IB 2005 Vienna, Innsbruck6200041232 Kari SavolainenRobert Ciglenečki13th 2006 Riga6002041426 František VýbornýDejan Varl16th 2007 Ljubljana, Division IB550—00295 Ted SatorMarcel Rodman1st in Division IB 2008 Quebec City, Halifax500—14622 Mats WaltinMarcel Rodman15th 2009 Vilnius, Division IA540—01217 John HarringtonTomaž Razingar2nd in Division IA 2010 Ljubljana, Division IB541—002910 John HarringtonTomaž Razingar1st in Division IB 2011 Bratislava, Košice610—141524 Matjaž KopitarTomaž Razingar16th 2012 Ljubljana, Division IA550—00179 Matjaž KopitarTomaž Razingar1st in Division IA 2013 Stockholm, Helsinki700—251227 Matjaž KopitarTomaž Razingar16th 2014 Goyang, Division IA540—01156 Matjaž KopitarTomaž Razingar1st in Division IA 2015 Prague, Ostrava710—06922 Matjaž KopitarTomaž Razingar16th 2016 Katowice, Division IA540—01188 Nik ZupančičJan Urbas1st in Division IA 2017 Cologne, Paris700—161336 Nik ZupančičJan Muršak15th 2018 Budapest, Division IA520—031515 Kari SavolainenJan Urbas5th in Division IA 2019 Nur-Sultan, Division IA520—032112 Ivo JanAnže Kopitar4th in Division IA 2020 Ljubljana, Division IACancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic 2021 Ljubljana, Division IACancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic 2022 Ljubljana, Division IA440—00225 Matjaž KopitarMitja Robar1st in Division IA 2023 Tampere, Riga700—07927 Matjaž KopitarJan Urbas16th 2024 Bolzano, Division IA530—02148 Edo TerglavRobert Sabolič2nd in Division IA 2025 Stockholm, Herning710—15929 Edo TerglavRobert Sabolič13th 2026 Zürich, Fribourg711—141325 Edo TerglavRobert Sabolič13th 2027 Düsseldorf, Mannheim—
Team Current roster Roster for the 2026 IIHF World Championship.
Head coach: Edo Terglav
No.Pos.NameHeightWeightBirthdateTeam 6 D SK Horácká Slavia Třebíč 8 F HK Olimpija 10 F HK Olimpija 12 F HK Olimpija 13 F Augustana Vikings 15 D – A HK Olimpija 17 D Blainville-Boisbriand Armada 18 F Steinbach Black Wings Linz 21 F HK Olimpija 23 F HK Olimpija 24 F – A HC Pustertal Wölfe 25 F Steinbach Black Wings Linz 26 D HC Slavia Praha 29 D Gothiques d'Amiens 30 G HK Olimpija 33 G HDD Jesenice 41 D HK Olimpija 44 D HK Olimpija 46 F – A Ilves 49 F RPI Engineers 55 F – C HK Olimpija 61 G HK Olimpija 86 D HK Olimpija 91 F EV Lindau Islanders 92 F Fehérvár AV19
Coaching history Rudi Hiti (1992–1995) Vladimir Krikunov (1995–1996) Pavle Kavčič (1996–1999) Rudi Hiti (1999–2000) Matjaž Sekelj (2001–2003) Kari Savolainen (2003–2005) František Výborný (2005–2006) Ted Sator (2006–2007) Mats Waltin (2007–2008) John Harrington (2009–2010) Matjaž Kopitar (2010–2015) Nik Zupančič (2015–2017) Kari Savolainen (2017–2018) Ivo Jan (2018–2019) Matjaž Kopitar (2019–2023) Edo Terglav (2023–present)
NHL entry draft
Players from Slovenia selected in the NHL entry draft. Year Name Overall Team 1998 Edo Terglav 249th overall Buffalo Sabres 2000 Jure Penko 203rd overall Nashville Predators 2001 Marcel Rodman 282nd overall Boston Bruins 2005 Anže Kopitar 11th overall Los Angeles Kings 2006 Jan Muršak 182nd overall Detroit Red Wings 2017 Jan Drozg 152nd overall Pittsburgh Penguins 2024 Jan Goličič 118th overall Tampa Bay Lightning
References
External links
IIHF profile