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The club was founded in 2005 as Hockey Club Kolbiko-Donetsk and took part in the [[XIV Ukrainian Championship]] by competing in the First League. After 3 years of competing only in tournament play, the club returned to the [[Ukrainian Hockey Championship]], and ascended to the [[Ukrainian Major League]]. In its 4 seasons of national competition beginning in 2008, the franchise won its first [[XIX Ukrainian Championship|national title in 2011]], before joining the [[Russia]]n [[Russian Major League|Major Hockey League]] (VHL). The team also won the [[2012–13 IIHF Continental Cup]], becoming the first team from [[Ukraine]] to do so.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iihf.com/competition/326/news/news-singleview-club-continental-cup/recap/7491.html?tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=7028&cHash=213b662f3e |title=Donbass dethrones Dragons |publisher=Iihf.com |date= |accessdate=2014-02-13}}</ref> Following the 2010–11 season, Donbass split into two teams with their affiliate, [[HC Donbass-2|Donbass-2]], representing the organization in the [[Professional Hockey League]] of Ukraine. Donbass-2 won its first title in 2012 during the [[XX Ukrainian Championship|inaugural PHL season]], and its second title the following season for the organization. In 2013, [[Bilyi Bars]] began acting as HC Donbass' PHL affiliate, dissolving Donbass-2.<ref name=dissolving>{{cite web|title=В чемпионате Украины хоккейный клуб "Донбасс" будет представлен фарм-клубом|url=http://hcdonbass.com/news/phl/v_chempionate_ukrainy_khk_donbass_budet_predstavlen_farm_klubom/|publisher=HC Donbass|accessdate=31 May 2013}}</ref>
The club was founded in 2005 as Hockey Club Kolbiko-Donetsk and took part in the [[XIV Ukrainian Championship]] by competing in the First League. After 3 years of competing only in tournament play, the club returned to the [[Ukrainian Hockey Championship]], and ascended to the [[Ukrainian Major League]]. In its 4 seasons of national competition beginning in 2008, the franchise won its first [[XIX Ukrainian Championship|national title in 2011]], before joining the [[Russia]]n [[Russian Major League|Major Hockey League]] (VHL). The team also won the [[2012–13 IIHF Continental Cup]], becoming the first team from [[Ukraine]] to do so.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iihf.com/competition/326/news/news-singleview-club-continental-cup/recap/7491.html?tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=7028&cHash=213b662f3e |title=Donbass dethrones Dragons |publisher=Iihf.com |date= |accessdate=2014-02-13}}</ref> Following the 2010–11 season, Donbass split into two teams with their affiliate, [[HC Donbass-2|Donbass-2]], representing the organization in the [[Professional Hockey League]] of Ukraine. Donbass-2 won its first title in 2012 during the [[XX Ukrainian Championship|inaugural PHL season]], and its second title the following season for the organization. In 2013, [[Bilyi Bars]] began acting as HC Donbass' PHL affiliate, dissolving Donbass-2.<ref name=dissolving>{{cite web|title=В чемпионате Украины хоккейный клуб "Донбасс" будет представлен фарм-клубом|url=http://hcdonbass.com/news/phl/v_chempionate_ukrainy_khk_donbass_budet_predstavlen_farm_klubom/|publisher=HC Donbass|accessdate=31 May 2013}}</ref>


==History==
==Franchise history==


===Origins===
===2001—2009===
In June 2001 the decision to make a professional hockey club mostly from “NORD” ex-players, was made. Players from Kharkov and Kiev were invited to the team, among them there were D. Pashinsky, D. Gnyt’ko, A. Kalitka, D. Klyuchko, O. Timchenko. Having got a right to participate in two championships – in Belarus (the 1st Division) and Ukraine, Donetsk team has won the bronze in both. Little by little people were talking about the big hockey is going back to [[Donetsk]]. But no one know why the team was closed down.
The Donbas Hockey Club founded as a successor to the original Donbass team formed in June 2001 in [[Sievierodonetsk]].<ref name=donbasshistorygn>{{cite web|title=ХК "ДОНБАСС" (ДОНЕЦК, УКРАИНА). Вехи истории.|url=http://www.sokol.kiev.ua/plug-e-weblogs-m-page-id-3006.html|publisher=Hnezdo|accessdate=16 January 2009}}</ref> This original team, in turn, was a spiritual successor to previous Donetsk teams ''KOOPERATOR'' (from 1990) and ''NORD'' (from 1993).<ref name=donbasshistorygn /> The original Donbass club made its first appearance in 2001, participating in Belarus' entry division and the Major League of the [[Ukrainian Hockey Championship]], earning bronze medals in each league's finals. However, shortly thereafter, the team would dissolve.<ref name=hcdbhistory>{{cite web|title=Club History|url=http://old.hcdonbass.com/home/club/history?lang=en|work=HCDonbass.com|accessdate=30 September 2013}}</ref> Following the team's dissolution, most former Donbass players would go on to join [[Khimik Sievierodonetsk]] of the Ukrainian Major League.<ref name=donbasshistorygn />


The new count-down in HC “Donbass” history has started in 2005. In winter this year new team made an application for Ukrainian championship among the 1st League teams participation and started to train. As far as there was no artificial ice in [[Donetsk]], trainings were taking place on the frozen pond in Yasinovataya. After three weeks of trainings the team won the gold in the tournament. But according to regulations, the team had to conduct play-off matches against “ATEK” ([[Kiev]]) in March 2005. Careful preparation was needed, but the ice on the pond had melted away. The process of trainings has restarted due to the help of management of “Gorodok” Entertainment Park, who gave a skating-rink for trainings. Both games against “ATEK” were held in Kiev and the host team had won in both matches (6:5 and 3:2).
===Founding and competition (2005–2009)===
In December 2005 the team was re-founded by a group of local Donetsk players, then playing in Sievierodonetsk, who wanted to represent Donetsk within the league. The club was created under the name HC Kolbiko-Donetsk ({{lang-ru|Колбико-Донецк}}),<ref name=donbasshistorygn /> (after the team's sponsor, Kolbiko Meats),<ref>{{cite web|title=Championship of Ukraine 2005/06. FIRST LEAGUE|url=http://www.hockey.dp.ua/indexi.php?action=1liga_0506|publisher=HC Dnepr|date=January 2006}}</ref> and applied for participation as an amateur team in the First League, a division of the annual [[Ukrainian Hockey Championship]]. A lack of artificial ice in [[Donetsk]] forced the team to practice on a lake in [[Yasynuvata]].<ref name=hcdbhistory/> The two-game competition took place between January 31 and February 3, 2006, and on only three weeks of practice,<ref name=hcdbhistory/> the team still managed to top its respective division, and win the finals match against the [[Kharkiv]] Olympic Reserve Sports School ([[SDYuSShOR]]). Donbass would lose to [[ATEK Kyiv]] in the following playoff, failing to earn promotion to [[Ukrainian Major League|Major League]].<ref name=hcdbhistory/> Between 2006 and 2008, First League play was cancelled, but the team did compete in a series of tournaments and re-adopted the original ''Donbass'' club name, crest, and colours.


In September 2007 the membership of the team includes more than 20 players. In autumn new ice arena “Leader” was built in Donetsk. The team had theirs trainings and home games there. Under the guidance of G. Kravchenko (later D. Gordyushin) children’s sports school restarted its work. This year HC “Donbass” took part in Ukraine Hockey Cup and took up the 5th place among 6 teams. The same year in May HC “Donbass” got the invitation to take part in “Trade Point” tournament, which was held in Dnepropetrovsk. The backbone of the collective consisted of I. Ivanov, V. Bychkov, S. Ruchko, Y. Hardikov, A. Artyuhov, E. Suhopara, I. Kapustin, A. Ivlev, I. Polischuk, D. Syrenko, S. Shakurov, V. Blakytniy, A. Kalinichenko, A. Verhoday, I. Filatov, D. Gordyushin and to made the membership stronger, goalkeeper V. Selivyorstov, and players R. Yuldashev and E. Sychenko were invited. The main coach was K. Butsenko. HC “Donbass” won the Cup bet the host team “Meteor”.
In [[XVII Ukrainian Championship|2008]] the team returned to competition in the Ukrainian Hockey Championship, participating in the Eastern Division of the Ukrainian Major League; finishing 1st and leading the division in all offensive categories.<ref name=hclviv09>{{cite web|title=2008-2009 Ukrainian Championship|url=http://hc.lviv.ua/cat/archive120/|publisher=HC.Lviv.ua|accessdate=7 May 2012}}</ref> Donbass was able to sweep [[HC Verony]] in the qualifying round, and [[Ekspres Lviv]] due to forfeiture, but were themselves swept by [[HC Kharkiv]] 2-0.<ref name=hclviv09/>


In 2009 the club’s management invited Andrey Ovchinnikov (ex-player of “Sokol”, Kiev) to the position of the main coach. But the team finished Ukrainian championship being at the 5th place, and the contract with Ovchinnikov wasn’t prolonged.
===Kolesnikov ownership and the Major League (2009–2011)===
[[File:Serhiy Varlamov 2012 Continental Cup.jpg|thumb|right|250px|[[Serhiy Varlamov]] was named to the 2012 All-Ukrainian All Star Team for his play with Donbass]]
The [[XVIII Ukrainian Championship]] for the first time saw Donbass compete at the highest level of the nation; this time, competing in the "A" Division of the Major League against the likes of repeat national champions, [[Sokil Kyiv]]. However, the rise in competition meant the team would only place 5th, and lose in the quarterfinals to [[Bilyi Bars]].
Fortunes for the club changed in 2010 when owner and prominent Ukrainian businessman [[Borys Kolesnikov]] gained full control of the team,<ref name="Leshchenko"/> making them the most financially secure team in the history of Ukrainian hockey.<ref name=isport119>{{cite news|last=Hapshenko|first=Serhiy|title=PHL. Introducing the team. HC Donbass|url=http://isport.ua/hockey/ukraine/news/163448.html|accessdate=11 September 2011|newspaper=isport|date=26 August 2011}}</ref> The first influential addition to the club was former [[Sokil Kyiv]] head coach, [[Aleksandr Kulikov (ice hockey)|Aleksandr Kulikov]]. Under Kulikov, the team would extend a record 27-game win streak in the [[Ukrainian Hockey Championship]]. This year, Donbass was capable of sweeping HC Kharkiv, and would also in an upset victory sweep Sokil to win the national championship for the first time.<ref name=hclviv11>{{cite web|title=2010-2011 Ukrainian Championship|url=http://hc.lviv.ua/cat/archive137/|publisher=HC.Lviv.ua|accessdate=7 May 2012}}</ref> With the win, Donbass became the first non-Kiev-based team to win the national title and began a new era of Donetsk as the epicentre of Ukrainian hockey.<ref name=hcdbhistory />


===2010===
The win also secured the club's entry into the [[2011–12 IIHF Continental Cup|2011–12]] [[IIHF Continental Cup]], the third round of which was hosted in Donetsk. Donbass secured a berth in the Super Final, falling to the host [[Dragons de Rouen]] in the final game 5-2.<ref name=iihf2>{{cite web|title=2011-12 Continental Cup Super Final|url=http://www.iihf.com/fi/channels1112/cc/statistics.html|publisher=IIHF|accessdate=11 May 2012}}</ref> [[Vladimir Malevich]] of Donbass took home honors as the best defenseman of the tournament.<ref>http://stats.iihf.com/Hydra/301/IHM301000_85I_1_0.pdf</ref>
In 2010 [[Boris Kolesnikov]] became an owner of HC “Donbass”. On summer the famous specialist Alexander Kulikov was invited to the club. He came with his Kiev’s partner from “Sokol” Anatoliy Dyomin and Sergey Viter from Donetsk. Just exactly under the leadership of these coach trio HC “Donbass” started to play in a new way. Brightly, interestingly and unpredictably, showing the record-breaking series of wins in Ukrainian championship.


Also in 2010 [[Donetsk]] got the rights to hold world hockey championship among juniors – 2011 of the 2nd Division. HC “Donbass” was as co-organizer of this tournament. Afterwards the Ukraine national team won the gold, scored the maximum 15 points in 5 matches and climbed to the 1st Division.
===Russian Major League (2011–12)===
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, [[HC Donbass-2|Donbass-2]]. Like its parent club the year prior, Donbass-2 secured the second consecutive national title for the franchise, again defeating Sokil in the final.


===2011===
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.<ref name=ohl>{{cite news|title=HC Donbas won the first match at the training camp in Canada|url=http://news.sevrugin.com/node/26566|accessdate=16 September 2011|date=23 July 2011}}</ref>
The series of 27 won games brought to HC “Donbass” the win as in [[Ukrainian regular championship]] so as in play-off, where the team’s competitor in final was HC “Sokol” (Kiev). Donetsk club has won in both decisive games with a score of 1 goal to nil and 3 to 2. They won the gold first time in the history. Supreme Hockey League accepted HC “Donbass” to non-commercial partnership of “SHL” on May the 31st 2011. First time in independent Ukraine history domestic club had been spending full-fledged days-long trainings abroad. Being in Canada at the training center “Tin Ranch”, HC “Donbass” has twice won the national team of Ontario HL, and after a month, in Donetsk, the club organized and held an international tournament “Donbass Cup”, where [[KHL]] 3 clubs took part.


===2012===
On September 23, 2011, owner Borys Kolesnikov elevated his role to that of team president over Serhiy Shakurov, who had held the role with the club since its inception in 2006.<ref>http://www.hcdonbass.com/home/club/founders?lang=uk</ref>


On the 23d of April, Slovakian specialist [[Julius Shupler]] became the leader of HC “Donbass”. In July 2012 the management of the KHL accepted HC “Donbass” to the most powerful European hockey league. Because of lockout NHL-2012, Ukrainian players [[Ruslan Fedotenko]], [[Alexey Ponikarovsky]] and [[Anton Babchuk]] replenished the club’s membership.
===Kontinental Hockey League (2012–2014)===


Afterwards twice Stanley Cup winner Ruslan Fedotenko became the captain of the team. In January 2013 HC “Donbass” firstly among the Ukrainian clubs won the European tournament under the aegis of [[IIHF]] 2012/2013. Within the super final in Donetsk on the 11th till 13th of January, The champion of Ukraine HC “Donbass” bet “Metallurg” (Zhlobin, Byelorussia) with a score of 1 goal to nil and Italian “Boltsano” with a score of 3 goals to nil and French “Ruan Dragons” with a score of 7 goals to 1 and got 9 points. As a result of its first regular season in KHL the club got the 9th stage in the West and fetched up to play-off.
Donbass played its first KHL game on September 6, 2012 at [[HC Slovan Bratislava|Slovan Bratislava]], winning 4-2. [[Evgeny Belukhin]] scored the first goal in Donbass' KHL history.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hcdonbass.com/news/donbass_1/maksim_kvitchenko_avtor_pervoy_shayby_donbassa_v_kkhl/#2 |title=Данная новость отсутствует в выбранной языковой версии |publisher=Hcdonbass.com |date= |accessdate=2014-02-13}}</ref> Due to the [[2012 NHL lockout]], the team was able to sign Ukrainian NHLers [[Ruslan Fedotenko]], [[Alexei Ponikarovsky]], and [[Anton Babchuk]] during the [[2012-13 KHL season|2012-13]] season,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://hcdonbass.com/news/phl/khk_donbass_dostig_dogovorennosti_o_zaklyuchenii_kontraktov_s_fedotenko_i_ponikarovskim |title=Все новости |publisher=Hcdonbass.com |date= |accessdate=2014-02-13}}</ref> with the team's budget reaching approximately $25 million.<ref>{{cite web|author=Denis Rafalsky |url=http://www.kyivpost.com/content/sport/ukrainian-hockey-making-comeback-313944.html |title=Ukrainian hockey making comeback |publisher=Kyivpost.com |date=2012-10-04 |accessdate=2014-02-13}}</ref> Following the season the team hosted the 2013 KHL junior draft.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://hcdonbass.com/news/klub/draft_v_donetske_otkryli_po_ukrainski/ |title=Драфт в Донецке открыли по-украински |publisher=Hcdonbass.com |date=2013-05-25 |accessdate=2014-02-13}}</ref>


===2013===
In the 2013-14 KHL season, Donbass moved from the Bobrov to the Tarasov division.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hcdonbass.com/news/khl/divizion_bobrova_popolnili_minskoe_dinamo_i_medveshchak/ |title=ХК "Донбасс" переведен в дивизион Тарасова |publisher=Hcdonbass.com |date=2013-06-17 |accessdate=2014-02-13}}</ref>
Before the 2013/14 season Russian specialist Andrey Nazarov was in charge of Donetsk team. On the 10th of September 2013 Alexey Braga was assigned to the position of the HC “Donbass” director-general. Having held 54 games, HC “Donbass” completed the first part of the championship at the fourth place of the Western Conference ([[KHL]]).
At that moment HC “Donbass” became the KHL record breaker on let-through-a-goal minimum number - 99. During this season on the 7th – 8th of March 2014 Arena “Druzhba” was playing host to [[KHL]] play-off, first time at the history of the Ukrainian hockey. “Dynamo” (Riga) became the first rival of Donetsk team. During the 7 games series players under Nazarov’s charge appeared to be stronger than Latvia’s players.


During the Western Conference semifinal “Donbass” met “Lev” (Prague). During 6 games series, “Donbass” only once could play at home Arena. Because of hot political situation in Ukraine the KHL management prohibited to lead games at Arena “Druzhba” in Donetsk. During the game against “Lev”, “Donbass” made a record on match duration – 126 minutes and 14 seconds was continued the second game, in which decisive puck was thrown by “Donbass’” defender Andrey Konev. This game got the catchphrase “marathon of Prague”. The series finished with a score of 2 goals to 4 to Czech team.
At the end of the [[2013–14 KHL season|2013–14 KHL regular season]] Donbass finished 4th in the [[Western Conference (KHL)|Western Conference]], and qualified to the playoffs of the [[Gagarin Cup]] for the first time. Donbass also set a [[KHL]] record for the fewest number of goals against in a regular season with 99.<ref>http://www.sports.ru/hockey/158398176.html</ref> In the first round, Donbass defeated [[Dinamo Riga]] 4 games to 3 before falling to [[Lev Prague]] in the Western Conference Semi-Finals 4 games to 2. In the second game of the series with Lev, the teams set a record for the longest game in the history of the [[Kontinental Hockey League]]. The game was won 4-3 by Donbass, and lasted for 126 minutes and 13 seconds before [[Evgeny Belukhin]] scored the winning goal.<ref>http://www.sports.ru/hockey/158830045.html</ref> Due to political events occurring in Ukraine at the time, the third and fourth games of the series, scheduled for Donetsk, were played in [[Bratislava]]. The series returned to Donetsk for Game 6, which Lev won 1-0 to finish Donbass's season. At the end of the season HC Donbass was named the 2013 Best Sports Club of Ukraine at the [[Heroes of Sports Year (Ukraine)|Heroes of Sports Year]] awards.<ref>http://hcdonbass.com/news/klub/boris_kolesnikov_komanda_goda_zasluga_vsekh_igrokov_i_trenerov_donbassa/</ref>


In 2013 HC “Donbass” created the biggest in KHL school’s fan sector, with the total quantity of more than 1500 fans from 22 schools of Donetsk and Lugansk regions. The participants of this fan-association together with the club have been to different cities of Russia, France, Czech, Slovakia, Latvia and Croatia.
On the night of May 26, 2014 Druzhba Arena was ransacked by pro-Russian militants of the [[Donetsk People's Republic]] as part of the ongoing wave of [[2014 pro-Russian conflict in Ukraine|violence in Ukraine]]. The men looted the arena, stealing televisions, safety deposit boxes, equipment and a company car before destroying surveillance equipment – after which they set the arena on fire. The team's statement was issued to the public, condemning the so-called Donetsk Republic as "a real gang of Somali pirates."<ref>{{cite news|last=Babiak|first=Mat|title=Pro-Russian Gunmen Loot & Torch HC Donbass Arena|url=http://euromaidanpress.com/2014/05/27/hc-donbass-arena-fire-terrorists/|newspaper=Euromaidan Press|date=27 May 2014}}</ref> HC Donbass initially expected the arena to be operational within 90 days and fully restored by the start of the KHL season,<ref>http://hcdonbass.com/news/klub/obrashchenie_prezidenta_khk_donbass_borisa_kolesnikova/</ref> which never happened.


====Kalmius Arena====
===2014===
On the 26th of May 2014, at the night, against the background of the armed conflict in the East of Ukraine, home arena of the club was looted and set on fire. The president of the club [[Boris Kolesnikov]] said: “The club has all the powers and opportunities to restore Arena during ninety days, working around-the-clock. Young hockey players and figure skaters will be able to begin classes on September the 1st. In technically, the Arena will be fully restored till the beginning of [[KHL]] Championship”. But the situation got worse and the club had to refuse of the [[KHL]] 7th season participation. The main club team was send to a “sabbatical”. The same destiny was prepared for [[“Molodaya Gvardiya”]] and “Donbass-98” teams.
Donbass's new home, Kalmius Arena,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kalmius-arena.com/ |title=Кальмиус Арена (Донецк): Веб-камеры, фото |publisher=Kalmius-arena.com |date= |accessdate=2014-02-13}}</ref> will seat 12,800 for hockey.<ref>http://www.hcdonbass.com/home/news/news/18563?lang=ru</ref> It was initially expected to be operational by the 2014-15 season, although the project is currently on hold.<ref name="Hc.lviv.ua">{{cite web|url=http://hc.lviv.ua/newsukr/4963.htm |title=Борис Колесников: "Хоккею в Украине нужно еще 5-7 лет" &#124;&#124;&#124; Хокейний клуб Леви (Львів) - офіційний сайт |publisher=Hc.lviv.ua |date= |accessdate=2014-02-13}}</ref>
On Summer 2014 the management of the club decided to preserve Ice Hockey Children Sports School, having moved it to Druzhkovka, to the training base of “Altair” Ice Arena. And the School began to work according to a new format – figure skating group was opened. The admission of children from [[Druzhkovka]], [[Konstantinovka]], [[Slavyansk]] and [[Kramatorsk]] was held. In September 2014 there were 920 children who were going for hockey and figure skating. It was the biggest sports school in Ukraine. On its base four teams were made: “Donbass 2003”, “Donbass 2004”, “Donbass 2005” and “Donbass 2006”.


===2015===
=== 2014-15 suspension of operations ===
HC “Donbass”, now based in Druzhkovka, submit a preliminary application for participation in the Ukrainian hockey championship in 2015/2016 season. Donetsk Regional State Administration reported that it is no restrictions for sports events in Druzhkovka (Donetsk region), where “Altair” ice arena is situated. On the 31st of July The Ice Hockey Federation of Ukraine ([[FHU]]) and HC “Donbass” signed the contract about the participation of the team in Ukraine championship in 2015/2016 season.
On June 18, 2014, the KHL President [[Alexander Medvedev]] met with the leadership of Donbass to discuss the team's situation. The parties agreed that HC Donbass would take a one-year "sabbatical" from operations.<ref name="Sabbatical">{{cite web|url=https://au.sports.yahoo.com/news/article/-/24270450/east-ukraine-ice-hockey-team-to-skip-season-over-unrest/|title=East Ukraine ice hockey team to skip season over unrest|publisher=Agence France Presse via Yahoo! 7 Sports|date=2014-06-18}}</ref> The team bought an equity stake in the league and, as a result, would theoretically be guaranteed a place in the competition for the 2015-16 season, although the ongoing [[War in Donbass]] combined with the league's financial situation leave the future uncertain. In order to ensure the team's ability to compete upon its return, all rosters and contracts have been frozen. Players and coaches affected by the suspension were permitted to sign one-year contracts with other clubs but otherwise remain under contract to Donbass.<ref name="KHL">{{cite web|url=http://www.khl.ru/news/2014/06/18/224977.html|title="Донбасс" берет "академический отпуск"|publisher=KHL|date=2014-06-18}}</ref>


[[Anatoliy Stepanischev]] became the main coach of HC “Donbass”. The contract with 54-years-old Ukrainian specialist was made for a period of one year. Evgeniy Brul’ – the coach of goalkeepers, became the main assistant of the Stepanischev, and Sergey Petrov became a general manager of the team.
=== Resumed operation 2015-16 ===

Instead of rejoining the KHL, the club joined the [[Ukrainian Hockey Extra League]] from the 2015-16 season,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hel.net.ua/|title=www.hel.net.ua |accessdate=8 January 2016 }}</ref> playing their home games at the Altair Arena, in [[Druzhkivka]], 90 km from Donetsk.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eliteprospects.com/team.php?team=4209|title=Donbass Donetsk, eliteprospects|accessdate=8 January 2016}}</ref>
21 Ukrainian ice-hockey players arrived to the first training session of the team. After pre-season training session in Svyatogorsk (Donetsk region), the team arrived to [[Druzhkovka]], where, within the scope of Ukrainian championship 2015/16 preparation, the 4th in the club history pre-season tournament [[Donbass Open Cup]] was organized. 22 hockey players entered into “Donbass” team during the pre-season tournament, among them there were such names as Sergey Varlamov, Denis Kochetkov and Viktor Zaharov. Due to such team stuff, “Donbass” secondly won the Cup, outclassed such teams as “Beliy Bars” from Belaya Tserkov, “Vityaz’” from Kharkov and HC “Kremenchuk” from Poltava region.

Before 2015/2016 Ukrainian championship season, “Donbass” had conducted three sparrings in Latvia having played with local teams MOGO, HC “Zemgale” and “Kurbads”, and won two of three games. On the 26th of September HC “Donbass” held its first match within the scope of the national championship, which also involved another 7 teams. Before the New Year Anatoliy Stepanichev’s team also held two unofficial games abroad in Belorussia and finished that year being in the lead of the Ukrainian championship table.

===2016===
HC “Donbass” continues to lead in regular championship, at the same time having renew club’s record of the greatest wins. Within the scope of away game, HC “Yunost” from [[Kharkov]] was beaten with a score of 27 goals to 1. [[Donetsk]] team finished the regular championship being in the lead, having left behind the nearest competitors with a difference in 7 points. Semifinal playoff series against the Kharkov “Vityaz”, “Donbass” has completed for the minimum - 3 games (5:2, 6:1 и 3:1). In the final of season Donetsk team had to play against the second team of the regular season – HC "Dzheneralz" Kiev.

==Ice Hockey School==
Children’s ice hockey and figure skating sports school was opened on the 22d of September 2008, after Ice Sports Complex “Leader”. On the 29th of December 2011 Ice Sports Complex “Almaz” was opened.
The mail goals of the Children’s ice hockey and figure skating sports school are to attract children and youth to winter’s kinds of sport activity, to hold the sports events and to train high rank sportsmen for different teams.
On the 19th of June 2013, “Donbass” youth team “Molodaya Gvardiya” was admitted into the Junior Hockey League and, starting from 2013/14 season the team plays in Junior Hockey League Championship. Due to the aggravation of a conflict in the East of Ukraine, [[“Molodaya Gvardiya”]] went on vacation, which lasted at least for one year.
In 2014/2015 season HC “Donbass” children’s sports school has started work in “Altair” ice arena (Druzhkovka). Since the 1st of September 2014 more than 900 children from 5 to 12 years old from [[Slavyansk]], [[Kramatorsk]], [[Druzhkovka]] and [[Konstantinovka]] have been involved to the sports school. They started to go in for figure skating and ice hockey without payment. The club provided each of the young sportsmen with the necessary equipment, qualified coaching staff and club comfortable buses that bring and take away children to ice arena “Altair” and backwards to theirs communities. The intake of children was going on in 2015.
In 2015/2016 season three teams of HC “Donbass” children’s sports school were moved to “Terminal” ice arena base to Brovary. Such a change in the permanent training places was due to the participation of the "Donbass 2003", "Donbass 2004" and "Donbass 2005" teams in Belarus championships and respective budget reduction for visiting the out matches of the tournament. The biggest part of Ice hockey school continuing its activity in Druzhkovka, with adding more than 300 pupils to the hockey and figure skating groups.


==Team identity==
==Team identity==

Revision as of 15:44, 29 March 2016

HC Donbass
NicknameThe Red & Black
Donbas Donetsk
LeagueUkrainian Hockey Extra League
FoundedDecember 2005
Home arenaAltair Arena
(capacity: 400)
Owner(s)Ukraine Borys Kolesnikov
General managerUkraine Serhiy Shakurov
CaptainUkraine Ruslan Fedotenko
AffiliatesBilyi Bars (PHL)
Molodaya Gvardia (MHL)
Donetsk Bears (junior)
WebsiteHCDonbas.com

Hockey Club Donbas (Ukrainian: Хокейний Клуб Донбас; Russian: ХК Донбасс, tr. Hokeinyi Klub Donbas) is a Ukrainian professional ice hockey team based in Donetsk, playing in the Ukrainian Hockey Extra League.

The team was a member of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) during the 2012–13 and 2013–14 seasons,[1] and was the sole representative from Ukraine competing at the elite international level. Due to the War in Donbass, the team did not compete in the 2014–15 KHL season.

Borys Kolesnikov, a prominent Ukrainian politician and businessman, purchased the team in 2010,[2] and from then until 2014 it was the most successful hockey club in Ukraine. The team takes its name from its geographic location in the heart of the Donets Basin (Donbas).

The club was founded in 2005 as Hockey Club Kolbiko-Donetsk and took part in the XIV Ukrainian Championship by competing in the First League. After 3 years of competing only in tournament play, the club returned to the Ukrainian Hockey Championship, and ascended to the Ukrainian Major League. In its 4 seasons of national competition beginning in 2008, the franchise won its first national title in 2011, before joining the Russian Major Hockey League (VHL). The team also won the 2012–13 IIHF Continental Cup, becoming the first team from Ukraine to do so.[3] Following the 2010–11 season, Donbass split into two teams with their affiliate, Donbass-2, representing the organization in the Professional Hockey League of Ukraine. Donbass-2 won its first title in 2012 during the inaugural PHL season, and its second title the following season for the organization. In 2013, Bilyi Bars began acting as HC Donbass' PHL affiliate, dissolving Donbass-2.[4]

History

2001—2009

In June 2001 the decision to make a professional hockey club mostly from “NORD” ex-players, was made. Players from Kharkov and Kiev were invited to the team, among them there were D. Pashinsky, D. Gnyt’ko, A. Kalitka, D. Klyuchko, O. Timchenko. Having got a right to participate in two championships – in Belarus (the 1st Division) and Ukraine, Donetsk team has won the bronze in both. Little by little people were talking about the big hockey is going back to Donetsk. But no one know why the team was closed down.

The new count-down in HC “Donbass” history has started in 2005. In winter this year new team made an application for Ukrainian championship among the 1st League teams participation and started to train. As far as there was no artificial ice in Donetsk, trainings were taking place on the frozen pond in Yasinovataya. After three weeks of trainings the team won the gold in the tournament. But according to regulations, the team had to conduct play-off matches against “ATEK” (Kiev) in March 2005. Careful preparation was needed, but the ice on the pond had melted away. The process of trainings has restarted due to the help of management of “Gorodok” Entertainment Park, who gave a skating-rink for trainings. Both games against “ATEK” were held in Kiev and the host team had won in both matches (6:5 and 3:2).

In September 2007 the membership of the team includes more than 20 players. In autumn new ice arena “Leader” was built in Donetsk. The team had theirs trainings and home games there. Under the guidance of G. Kravchenko (later D. Gordyushin) children’s sports school restarted its work. This year HC “Donbass” took part in Ukraine Hockey Cup and took up the 5th place among 6 teams. The same year in May HC “Donbass” got the invitation to take part in “Trade Point” tournament, which was held in Dnepropetrovsk. The backbone of the collective consisted of I. Ivanov, V. Bychkov, S. Ruchko, Y. Hardikov, A. Artyuhov, E. Suhopara, I. Kapustin, A. Ivlev, I. Polischuk, D. Syrenko, S. Shakurov, V. Blakytniy, A. Kalinichenko, A. Verhoday, I. Filatov, D. Gordyushin and to made the membership stronger, goalkeeper V. Selivyorstov, and players R. Yuldashev and E. Sychenko were invited. The main coach was K. Butsenko. HC “Donbass” won the Cup bet the host team “Meteor”.

In 2009 the club’s management invited Andrey Ovchinnikov (ex-player of “Sokol”, Kiev) to the position of the main coach. But the team finished Ukrainian championship being at the 5th place, and the contract with Ovchinnikov wasn’t prolonged.

2010

In 2010 Boris Kolesnikov became an owner of HC “Donbass”. On summer the famous specialist Alexander Kulikov was invited to the club. He came with his Kiev’s partner from “Sokol” Anatoliy Dyomin and Sergey Viter from Donetsk. Just exactly under the leadership of these coach trio HC “Donbass” started to play in a new way. Brightly, interestingly and unpredictably, showing the record-breaking series of wins in Ukrainian championship.

Also in 2010 Donetsk got the rights to hold world hockey championship among juniors – 2011 of the 2nd Division. HC “Donbass” was as co-organizer of this tournament. Afterwards the Ukraine national team won the gold, scored the maximum 15 points in 5 matches and climbed to the 1st Division.

2011

The series of 27 won games brought to HC “Donbass” the win as in Ukrainian regular championship so as in play-off, where the team’s competitor in final was HC “Sokol” (Kiev). Donetsk club has won in both decisive games with a score of 1 goal to nil and 3 to 2. They won the gold first time in the history. Supreme Hockey League accepted HC “Donbass” to non-commercial partnership of “SHL” on May the 31st 2011. First time in independent Ukraine history domestic club had been spending full-fledged days-long trainings abroad. Being in Canada at the training center “Tin Ranch”, HC “Donbass” has twice won the national team of Ontario HL, and after a month, in Donetsk, the club organized and held an international tournament “Donbass Cup”, where KHL 3 clubs took part.

2012

On the 23d of April, Slovakian specialist Julius Shupler became the leader of HC “Donbass”. In July 2012 the management of the KHL accepted HC “Donbass” to the most powerful European hockey league. Because of lockout NHL-2012, Ukrainian players Ruslan Fedotenko, Alexey Ponikarovsky and Anton Babchuk replenished the club’s membership.

Afterwards twice Stanley Cup winner Ruslan Fedotenko became the captain of the team. In January 2013 HC “Donbass” firstly among the Ukrainian clubs won the European tournament under the aegis of IIHF 2012/2013. Within the super final in Donetsk on the 11th till 13th of January, The champion of Ukraine HC “Donbass” bet “Metallurg” (Zhlobin, Byelorussia) with a score of 1 goal to nil and Italian “Boltsano” with a score of 3 goals to nil and French “Ruan Dragons” with a score of 7 goals to 1 and got 9 points. As a result of its first regular season in KHL the club got the 9th stage in the West and fetched up to play-off.

2013

Before the 2013/14 season Russian specialist Andrey Nazarov was in charge of Donetsk team. On the 10th of September 2013 Alexey Braga was assigned to the position of the HC “Donbass” director-general. Having held 54 games, HC “Donbass” completed the first part of the championship at the fourth place of the Western Conference (KHL). At that moment HC “Donbass” became the KHL record breaker on let-through-a-goal minimum number - 99. During this season on the 7th – 8th of March 2014 Arena “Druzhba” was playing host to KHL play-off, first time at the history of the Ukrainian hockey. “Dynamo” (Riga) became the first rival of Donetsk team. During the 7 games series players under Nazarov’s charge appeared to be stronger than Latvia’s players.

During the Western Conference semifinal “Donbass” met “Lev” (Prague). During 6 games series, “Donbass” only once could play at home Arena. Because of hot political situation in Ukraine the KHL management prohibited to lead games at Arena “Druzhba” in Donetsk. During the game against “Lev”, “Donbass” made a record on match duration – 126 minutes and 14 seconds was continued the second game, in which decisive puck was thrown by “Donbass’” defender Andrey Konev. This game got the catchphrase “marathon of Prague”. The series finished with a score of 2 goals to 4 to Czech team.

In 2013 HC “Donbass” created the biggest in KHL school’s fan sector, with the total quantity of more than 1500 fans from 22 schools of Donetsk and Lugansk regions. The participants of this fan-association together with the club have been to different cities of Russia, France, Czech, Slovakia, Latvia and Croatia.

2014

On the 26th of May 2014, at the night, against the background of the armed conflict in the East of Ukraine, home arena of the club was looted and set on fire. The president of the club Boris Kolesnikov said: “The club has all the powers and opportunities to restore Arena during ninety days, working around-the-clock. Young hockey players and figure skaters will be able to begin classes on September the 1st. In technically, the Arena will be fully restored till the beginning of KHL Championship”. But the situation got worse and the club had to refuse of the KHL 7th season participation. The main club team was send to a “sabbatical”. The same destiny was prepared for “Molodaya Gvardiya” and “Donbass-98” teams. On Summer 2014 the management of the club decided to preserve Ice Hockey Children Sports School, having moved it to Druzhkovka, to the training base of “Altair” Ice Arena. And the School began to work according to a new format – figure skating group was opened. The admission of children from Druzhkovka, Konstantinovka, Slavyansk and Kramatorsk was held. In September 2014 there were 920 children who were going for hockey and figure skating. It was the biggest sports school in Ukraine. On its base four teams were made: “Donbass 2003”, “Donbass 2004”, “Donbass 2005” and “Donbass 2006”.

2015

HC “Donbass”, now based in Druzhkovka, submit a preliminary application for participation in the Ukrainian hockey championship in 2015/2016 season. Donetsk Regional State Administration reported that it is no restrictions for sports events in Druzhkovka (Donetsk region), where “Altair” ice arena is situated. On the 31st of July The Ice Hockey Federation of Ukraine (FHU) and HC “Donbass” signed the contract about the participation of the team in Ukraine championship in 2015/2016 season.

Anatoliy Stepanischev became the main coach of HC “Donbass”. The contract with 54-years-old Ukrainian specialist was made for a period of one year. Evgeniy Brul’ – the coach of goalkeepers, became the main assistant of the Stepanischev, and Sergey Petrov became a general manager of the team.

21 Ukrainian ice-hockey players arrived to the first training session of the team. After pre-season training session in Svyatogorsk (Donetsk region), the team arrived to Druzhkovka, where, within the scope of Ukrainian championship 2015/16 preparation, the 4th in the club history pre-season tournament Donbass Open Cup was organized. 22 hockey players entered into “Donbass” team during the pre-season tournament, among them there were such names as Sergey Varlamov, Denis Kochetkov and Viktor Zaharov. Due to such team stuff, “Donbass” secondly won the Cup, outclassed such teams as “Beliy Bars” from Belaya Tserkov, “Vityaz’” from Kharkov and HC “Kremenchuk” from Poltava region.

Before 2015/2016 Ukrainian championship season, “Donbass” had conducted three sparrings in Latvia having played with local teams MOGO, HC “Zemgale” and “Kurbads”, and won two of three games. On the 26th of September HC “Donbass” held its first match within the scope of the national championship, which also involved another 7 teams. Before the New Year Anatoliy Stepanichev’s team also held two unofficial games abroad in Belorussia and finished that year being in the lead of the Ukrainian championship table.

2016

HC “Donbass” continues to lead in regular championship, at the same time having renew club’s record of the greatest wins. Within the scope of away game, HC “Yunost” from Kharkov was beaten with a score of 27 goals to 1. Donetsk team finished the regular championship being in the lead, having left behind the nearest competitors with a difference in 7 points. Semifinal playoff series against the Kharkov “Vityaz”, “Donbass” has completed for the minimum - 3 games (5:2, 6:1 и 3:1). In the final of season Donetsk team had to play against the second team of the regular season – HC "Dzheneralz" Kiev.

Ice Hockey School

Children’s ice hockey and figure skating sports school was opened on the 22d of September 2008, after Ice Sports Complex “Leader”. On the 29th of December 2011 Ice Sports Complex “Almaz” was opened. The mail goals of the Children’s ice hockey and figure skating sports school are to attract children and youth to winter’s kinds of sport activity, to hold the sports events and to train high rank sportsmen for different teams. On the 19th of June 2013, “Donbass” youth team “Molodaya Gvardiya” was admitted into the Junior Hockey League and, starting from 2013/14 season the team plays in Junior Hockey League Championship. Due to the aggravation of a conflict in the East of Ukraine, “Molodaya Gvardiya” went on vacation, which lasted at least for one year. In 2014/2015 season HC “Donbass” children’s sports school has started work in “Altair” ice arena (Druzhkovka). Since the 1st of September 2014 more than 900 children from 5 to 12 years old from Slavyansk, Kramatorsk, Druzhkovka and Konstantinovka have been involved to the sports school. They started to go in for figure skating and ice hockey without payment. The club provided each of the young sportsmen with the necessary equipment, qualified coaching staff and club comfortable buses that bring and take away children to ice arena “Altair” and backwards to theirs communities. The intake of children was going on in 2015. In 2015/2016 season three teams of HC “Donbass” children’s sports school were moved to “Terminal” ice arena base to Brovary. Such a change in the permanent training places was due to the participation of the "Donbass 2003", "Donbass 2004" and "Donbass 2005" teams in Belarus championships and respective budget reduction for visiting the out matches of the tournament. The biggest part of Ice hockey school continuing its activity in Druzhkovka, with adding more than 300 pupils to the hockey and figure skating groups.

Team identity

The team's original colours of 2001 were blue and grey and featured a logo representing a hockey puck, with a hockey stick overlain. On November 14, 2008 the club changed their logo and team colours 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".[5]

  • Original Donbass logo, in English, 2001–02, 2006–08
    Original Donbass logo, in English, 2001–02, 2006–08
  • Second Donbass logo, in Russian, 2008–11
    Second Donbass logo, in Russian, 2008–11
  • Current logo, 2011–Present
    Current logo, 2011–Present

Honours

Ukraine

Affiliate honours

Farm-club HC Donbass-2:

Farm-club Bilyi Bars:

Europe

Individual honours

Ukrainian Ice Hockey Player of the Year

Slovakian Goalkeeper of the Year

Seasons and records

Season by season results

Main article: List of HC Donbass seasons

League history and results

Ukrainian Hockey Extra LeagueKontinental Hockey LeagueRussian Major LeagueUkrainian Hockey ChampionshipUkrainian Hockey ChampionshipUkrainian Hockey Championship2012–13 KHL season2012–13 KHL season

Players and personnel

Team captains

Head coaches

KHL draft picks

Player Hometown Origin Drafted from Year Round Overall Ref
D Hampus Lindholm Helsingborg  Sweden Rögle BK 2012 01 030 [26]
C Erik Karlsson Lerum  Sweden Frölunda HC 2012 02 068 [27][28]
C Egor Morozov Tolyatti  Russia HC Lada 2012 03 104 [26]0
C Henri Ikonen Savonlinna  Finland KalPa 2012 04 131 [26]0
D Vladimir Abashkin Izhevsk  Russia HC Metallurg Mg. 2012 05 165 [26]0
D Roman Khalikov Oskemen  Kazakhstan Irbis Kazan 2013 01 15 [29]0
F Ulib-Gleb Berezovskyy Kiev  Ukraine Mannheim U18 2013 04 115 [29]0
F Pavel Zacha Brno  Czech Republic HC Bílí Tygři Liberec 2014 02 82 [30]0

References

  1. ^ Ukrainian HC Donbass applies for VHL membership
  2. ^ Leshchenko, Serhiy. "Борис Колесніков: Чому зібрався в Києві податковий майдан? Це ж смішно!". Ukrayinska Pravda. Retrieved 10 September 2011.
  3. ^ "Donbass dethrones Dragons". Iihf.com. Retrieved 2014-02-13.
  4. ^ "В чемпионате Украины хоккейный клуб "Донбасс" будет представлен фарм-клубом". HC Donbass. Retrieved 31 May 2013.
  5. ^ "Club Logo". HCDonbass.com. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
  6. ^ "Александр Матерухин - Лучший хоккеист Украины-2011 - ПХЛ - СПОРТ - bigmir)net". Sport.bigmir.net. Retrieved 2014-02-13.
  7. ^ "Руслан Федотенко - лучший хоккеист Украины 2012 года - Новости хоккея - В опросе Федот опередил экс-партнеров по "Донбассу" - Поникаровского и Варламова | СЕГОДНЯ". Sport.segodnya.ua. Retrieved 2014-02-13.
  8. ^ "Ян Лацо - лучший вратарь Словакии - Чемпионат.com". Championat.com. Retrieved 2014-02-13.
  9. ^ "HOKEJ: Zlatý puk 2012 - hlasy laureátov | Slovenský zväz ľadového hokeja". Hockeyslovakia.sk. Retrieved 2014-02-13.
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference donbasshistorygn was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ "Hockey club Donbass - the leader of the East!". vkurse.ua. Retrieved 3 February 2009.
  12. ^ "Дмитрий Исаенко – новый капитан "Донбасса"". HC Donbass. 22 September 2010. Archived from the original on October 29, 2013. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help) "The new captain of HC "Donbass" was the forward of the club - Dmitry Isaenko. [...] took over the captain's post of HC "Donbass" Oleh Novikov, who was captain of Donetsk for the "UGB Federation Cup"
  13. ^ "Дмитрий Исаенко – лучший хоккеист чемпионата Украины 2010/11!". HC Donbass. Retrieved 28 October 2013.
  14. ^ "Сергей Варламов: "Спасибо всем болельщикам за поддержку"". HC Donbass. Retrieved 28 October 2013.
  15. ^ "Сергей Варламов: "Нужно успокоиться и начать забивать"". HC Donbass. Retrieved 28 October 2013.
  16. ^ "Даешь двухсотый!". HC Donbass. Retrieved 26 October 2013.
  17. ^ "Болельщики "Донбасса" наградили лучших игроков". HC Donbass. Retrieved 28 October 2013.
  18. ^ "Недорост призначений капітаном "Донбасу"". Українська правда. 8 January 2013. Retrieved 17 September 2013.
  19. ^ "Олег Пиганович: "Любого в нашей команде можно назвать капитаном"". HCDonbass.com. Retrieved 17 September 2013.
  20. ^ "Руслан Федотенко - капитан ХК "Донбасс"". HC Donbass.
  21. ^ "Донбасс - История Клуба". Ice Hockey Federation of Donetsk Region.
  22. ^ "Donbas Donets'k (roster 2008/09 as of 01.11.08)". Ukraine. Championship 08/09. Retrieved 28 October 2013.
  23. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference hcdbhistory was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  24. ^ "Julius Supler leaves HC Donbass". HC Donbass. Retrieved 28 October 2013.
  25. ^ "Пресс-конференция президента ХК "Донбасс" Бориса Колесникова". HC Donbass. Retrieved 28 October 2013.
  26. ^ a b c d "Entry Draft 2012". KHL. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
  27. ^ The KHL website incorrectly states that Miko Vainonen was selected in this position
  28. ^ "Драфт КХЛ. Выбор ХК "Донбасс": два шведа, два россиянина и финн". HC Donbass. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
  29. ^ a b "Junior Draft – 2013. "Donbass" choice". HC Donbass. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
  30. ^ http://www.khl.ru/news/2014/05/08/223795.html

External links

Social media

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