Piešťany enters Slovak Extraliga

24 May 2012 | Petr Polák

Slovan Bratislava is leaving the Slovak Extraliga to play in KHL. ŠHK 37 Piešťany will take its spot in the Slovakian top competition.

Besides Lev Praha and Donbas Donetsk, Slovan Bratislava is one of five confirmed KHL newcomers for the upcoming 2012-13 season. With Slovan's departure, there was a free spot in Tipsport Extraliga. The Slovak Ice Hockey Federation, the league's administrator, decided to fill it with the 1.liga club of Piešťany to keep the amount of league's competitors at ten.

Piešťany has been chosen of the five applicants (Spišská Nová Ves, Liptovský Mikuláš, Prešov, Senica and Piešťany) as the 2011-12 1.liga finalist as the league's champion Bardejov did not apply at all as it is the farmteam of another Extraliga team - HC Košice.

As the only of thirteen 1.liga clubs, Piešťany did not apply for its 1.liga spot at all. The club's management decided to leave the competition after the just finished season in every way. If not accepted to Extraliga, Piešťany wanted to apply for a spot in EBEL.

The candidate for a released place in 1.liga after Piešťany would be Prievidza, even regarding to SME.sk it is not sure how the club will fulfill its budget.

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