HC SLOVAN Bratislava announce a preliminary agreement with Czech defenceman Martin Škoula to sign for the club when free agency begins on May 1st.
The club have made the step to sign Škoula, a Stanley Cup Champion in 2000/2001, to a one year contract valid until April 30th 2014. The 33-year old Czech native from Litoměřice has extensive experience in the NHL, KHL and the Czech national team, and should be a key defenceman for the club.
Martin Škoula started his hockey career in Litvinov, but at the tender age of 19 he headed abroad, moving to the Barrie Colts in the Ontario Hockey League, and then quickly to the NHL, where he became a key component of the Colorado Avalanche team, winning the Stanley Cup with them in his second season with the club. The rugged defenceman (190cm, 101kg) has also played for the Anaheim Ducks, Dallas Stars, Minnesota Wild and Pittsburgh Penguins. In total he laced up his skates 859 times in the NHL, scoring 210 points in the process. After the 2009/2010 season, the Czech defenceman headed to the KHL, where he was a Gagarin Cup finalist as a part of Avangard Omsk in 2011/2012. He is also a double medallist at the World Championships, winning silver in 2006 and bronze in 2011.
HC SLOVAN Bratislava are delighted to welcome Martin to the club, and look to him to be a leader on the team next season.
| P | Tím | Z | B |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | CSKA Moscow | 38 | 81 |
| 2. | Jokerit Helsinki | 38 | 68 |
| 3. | Lokomotiv Yaroslavl | 40 | 77 |
| 4. | Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod | 39 | 67 |
| 5. | HC Sochi | 39 | 65 |
| 6. | Dynamo Moscow | 39 | 65 |
| 7. | SKA St. Peterburg | 38 | 62 |
| 8. | Dinamo Minsk | 38 | 56 |
| 9. | Medvescak Zagreb | 40 | 56 |
| 10. | HC SLOVAN Bratislava | 40 | 55 |
| 11. | Spartak Moscow | 39 | 50 |
| 12. | Vityaz Podolsk | 39 | 46 |
| 13. | Dinamo Riga | 37 | 46 |
| 14. | Severstal Cherepovets | 38 | 40 |
