HC Donbass-2
Encyclopedia
Hockey Club Donbass also known as Donbass-2, is a Ukrainian Professional Hockey League club based in Donetsk
. They are a founding member of the Professional Hockey League of Ukraine
. The team takes its name from its geographic location in the heart of the Donets Basin
(Donbas). Donbass-2 is an affiliate of the Russian Major League (VHL)'s HC Donbass
.
In 2005 the team was reformed, reapplying for participation in the 1st division of the Ukrainian Major League. A lack of artificial ice in Donetsk
forced the team to practice on Lake Yasinovataya. On only three weeks of practice, the team still managed to win goal in its respective division. Donbass would lose to ATEK Kyiv the following March, failing to earn promotion to the top national division. In the years that followed, though the team was promoted, it remained near the bottom of the standings on an annual basis.
gained full control of the team, making them the most financially secure team in the history of Ukrainian hockey. The first influential addition to the club was former Sokil Kyiv head coach, Aleksandr Kulikov. Under Kulikov, the team would extend a record 27-game win streak in the Ukrainian Hockey Championship on their pace to winning the national championship for the first time. With the win, Donbass became the first non-Kiev based team to win the national title. The win also secured the club entry to the 2011-12 IIHF Continental Cup, the third round of which Donetsk will host.
Following the 2011 Ukrainian League season, Donbass applied for and was given membership to the Russian Major League. A vast majority of championship winning roster from the 2010-11 season were cut from the roster as the team rebuilt for its freshman year in the VHL. While the primary team would compete in Russia, Donbass also iced a team in the newly formed Professional Hockey League of Ukraine.
In July, 2011, Donbass trained for the upcoming season in Ontario
and held an exhibition game against the Ontario Hockey League
all-star team. Donbass won the fight-filled game 4-1 and was reported to have garnered overwhelming fan support from the local Ukrainian diaspora
, accounting for approximately 500 of the 550 in attendance.
, with a hockey stick
overlain. On November 14, 2008 the club changed their logo and team colors to the current scheme of red, black, and white. As part of this change, the team's name was changed from the Ukrainian spelling (Хокейний Клуб Донбас, Khokeinyi Klub Donbas) to Russian (Хоккейный Клуб Донбасс, Khokkeynyi Klub Donbass). The team again altered its logo in 2010, where it remains currently. The modern Donbass logos feature prominently two spoil tips, which represent the city's strong ties to the steel and coal mining industry. The change from a metallic script to white is meant to symbolize "a blank page".
Donetsk
Donetsk , is a large city in eastern Ukraine on the Kalmius river. Administratively, it is a center of Donetsk Oblast, while historically, it is the unofficial capital and largest city of the economic and cultural Donets Basin region...
. They are a founding member of the Professional Hockey League of Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
. The team takes its name from its geographic location in the heart of the Donets Basin
Donets Basin
Donbas or Donbass , full rarely-used name Donets Basin , is a historical, economic and cultural region of eastern Ukraine. Originally a coal mining area, it has become a heavily industrialised territory suffering from urban decay and industrial pollution.-Geography:Donbas covers three...
(Donbas). Donbass-2 is an affiliate of the Russian Major League (VHL)'s HC Donbass
HC Donbass
Hockey Club Donbass is a Ukrainian professional ice hockey team based in Donetsk. They are members of the Russian Major League , and are the reigning Ukrainian national champions. Following the 2010-11 season, Donbass split into two teams with their affiliate, HC Donbass-2, representing the club...
.
Origins
Donbass made its first appearance in 2001, participating in Belarus' and Ukraine's respective entry divisions, earning bronze medals in each league's finals. The team would be dissolved shortly thereafter, however.In 2005 the team was reformed, reapplying for participation in the 1st division of the Ukrainian Major League. A lack of artificial ice in Donetsk
Donetsk
Donetsk , is a large city in eastern Ukraine on the Kalmius river. Administratively, it is a center of Donetsk Oblast, while historically, it is the unofficial capital and largest city of the economic and cultural Donets Basin region...
forced the team to practice on Lake Yasinovataya. On only three weeks of practice, the team still managed to win goal in its respective division. Donbass would lose to ATEK Kyiv the following March, failing to earn promotion to the top national division. In the years that followed, though the team was promoted, it remained near the bottom of the standings on an annual basis.
Kolesnikov era
Fortunes for the club changed in 2010 when owner Borys KolesnikovBorys Kolesnikov
Borys Viktorovych Kolesnikov is the Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine - Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine, Ukrainian politician, statesman, responsible for preparation and hosting European Football Championship in 2012 , philanthropist....
gained full control of the team, making them the most financially secure team in the history of Ukrainian hockey. The first influential addition to the club was former Sokil Kyiv head coach, Aleksandr Kulikov. Under Kulikov, the team would extend a record 27-game win streak in the Ukrainian Hockey Championship on their pace to winning the national championship for the first time. With the win, Donbass became the first non-Kiev based team to win the national title. The win also secured the club entry to the 2011-12 IIHF Continental Cup, the third round of which Donetsk will host.
Following the 2011 Ukrainian League season, Donbass applied for and was given membership to the Russian Major League. A vast majority of championship winning roster from the 2010-11 season were cut from the roster as the team rebuilt for its freshman year in the VHL. While the primary team would compete in Russia, Donbass also iced a team in the newly formed Professional Hockey League of Ukraine.
In July, 2011, Donbass trained for the upcoming season in Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
and held an exhibition game against the Ontario Hockey League
Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League is one of the three Major Junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 15-20.The OHL also operates under the Ontario Hockey Federation of Hockey Canada....
all-star team. Donbass won the fight-filled game 4-1 and was reported to have garnered overwhelming fan support from the local Ukrainian diaspora
Ukrainian diaspora
The Ukrainian diaspora is the global community of ethnic Ukrainians, especially those who maintain some kind of connection, even if ephemeral, to the land of their ancestors and maintain their feeling of Ukrainian national identity within their own local community.-1608 To 1880:After the loss...
, accounting for approximately 500 of the 550 in attendance.
Logo
The team's original colors of 2001 were blue and grey and featured a logo representing a hockey puckHockey puck
A puck is a disk used in various games serving the same functions as a ball does in ball games. The best-known use of pucks is in ice hockey, a major international sport.- Etymology :The origin of the word "puck" is obscure...
, with a hockey stick
Hockey stick
A hockey stick is a piece of equipment used in field hockey, ice hockey or roller hockey to move the ball or puck.- Field hockey :Field hockey sticks have an end which varies in shape, often depending on the players position...
overlain. On November 14, 2008 the club changed their logo and team colors to the current scheme of red, black, and white. As part of this change, the team's name was changed from the Ukrainian spelling (Хокейний Клуб Донбас, Khokeinyi Klub Donbas) to Russian (Хоккейный Клуб Донбасс, Khokkeynyi Klub Donbass). The team again altered its logo in 2010, where it remains currently. The modern Donbass logos feature prominently two spoil tips, which represent the city's strong ties to the steel and coal mining industry. The change from a metallic script to white is meant to symbolize "a blank page".