Mike Danton signs in Znojmo

On Saturday, Orli Znojmo of the Erste Bank Eishockey Liga announced the signing of Mike Danton. The 31-year-old native of Bramption, Ontario will spend the remainder of the season with the South Moravian club.

Danton skating for IFK Ore. Photo: hcorli.cz.

Danton, a fringe NHLer with the New Jersey Devils and St. Louis Blues, attracted international attention in 2004 when he was arrested and later sent to prison in a murder-for-hire scheme that allegedly targeted his agent, David Frost. 

After being released in 2009, he attended St. Mary's University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where he led the Huskies to the Canadian university hockey championship. Last summer, he signed with IFK Ore in Sweden's third-tier league. On September 20, he returned to the headlines when he saved the life of linemate Marcus Gustafsson, who hit his head on the ice and began convulsing after being hit. 

Znojmo head coach Martin Stloukal, a former player agent, represtented Patrik Eliáš at the same time both he and Danton played for New Jersey. “I've known Mike since my time with the Devils a few years ago,” Stloukal said on the club's website. “I am sure he will be a great addition to the team.”

A familiar face like Stloukal is helpful for a player going to an atmosphere where little English will be spoken. The coach isn't the only one he knows, though. "Fortunately Petr Kanka is here, who played with my best friend in Kitchener in the OHL, and I know that he can speak English well. So I think all comments to me should be directed through Petr," chuckled Danton.

The EBEL, which is the highest tier of hockey in Austria and the eighth-ranked league in Europe, represents the highest calibre of hockey that Danton has played since leaving the NHL. Orli Znojmo, who are currently ninth in the 11-team circuit, are the only Czech club and one of five non-Austrian clubs in the league. 

When asked how he will contribute to his new team, he answered: "I will play my game, try to create chances, backcheck, play hard, skate. If an opponent goes at our players or if he attacks our goalie, you'll probably see me in a scuffle. But I will not chase players down the ice like an idiot just because I want to fight."

Danton's entire interview with Lukáš Peroutka can be found in Czech on Orli's website.

Orli Znojmo begin 1st season in EBEL

The Erste Bank Eishockey Liga began its 2011-12 season on Friday night with 10 teams from four countries in action. On Sunday, the league's 11th team from its fifth country makes its debut.

Orli Znojmo (white) in pre-season action against an EBEL foe, the
Vienna Capitals. Photo: Rostislav Pfeffer, reklamafoto.cz.

Orli Znojmo makes its EBEL debut in Zagreb against Medveščak, which is the start of a new era for the South Moravian club. A former member of the Czech Extraliga, Orli was relegated in 2009 and has spent the past two seasons in the First National League, which is the second tier of hockey in the Czech Republic. Sunday marks a return to top-level hockey in Europe, and everybody around the club is excited about it.

"The competition will be very good," said head coach Karel Soudek. "In the pre-season some teams from the EBEL defeated teams from the Czech Extraliga, so it is clear to us that we are in for a challenging year."

Even the team they start against, Zagreb, who is not considered one of the league's strongest, can still boast a roster with former NHLer Andy Delmore on it. They are also one of the top home draws in all of Europe,  averaging over 10,000 fans per game last season. "We certainly welcome stormy atmosphere," said Soudek. "It will be a tough game, as it will with every opponent."

The 11 EBEL teams play a 40-game schedule; four games against all other teams. The league includes six teams based in Austria, two in Slovenia, and one each in Croatia, Hungary, and the Czech Republic. After opening the season in the Croatian capital, Orli plays its home opener at Hostan Arena on Friday night against the Linz Black Wings.

The regular season concludes on January 20, after which the league splits into two tiers: the top six teams in one group and the bottom five in another. After a home-and-away round-robin within those groups, the top four teams from the top group and the top two teams from the bottom group advance to the playoffs. The top two teams advance to the semifinals, while the other four teams play short quarterfinal series.

From the club's website, hcorli.cz, here is the team's 2011-12 schedule:

	Date	Home	Visitor	CET
1.	Sun 11.9.	Zagreb	Znojmo	17:30
2.	Fri 16.9.	Znojmo	Linz	19:15
3.	Sun 18.9.	Znojmo	Vienna	17:30
4.	Fri 23.9.	Ljubljana	Znojmo	19:15
5.	Sun 25.9.	Graz	Znojmo	17:30
6.	Fri 30.9.	Znojmo	Fehérvár	19:15
7.	Sun 2.10.	Klagenfurt	Znojmo	17:30
8.	Fri 7.10.	Jesenice	Znojmo	19:15
9.	Sun 9.10.	Znojmo	Salzburg	17:30
10.	Fri 14.10.	Znojmo	Zagreb	19:15
11.	Fri 21.10.	Linz	Znojmo	19:15
12.	Sun 23.10.	Znojmo	Villach	17:30
13.	Tue 25.10.	Vienna	Znojmo	19:15
14.	Fri 28.10.	Znojmo	Ljubljana	17:30
15.	Sun 30.10.	Znojmo	Klagenfurt	17:30
16.	Tue 1.11.	Salzburg	Znojmo	17:30
17.	Fri 4.11.	Znojmo	Jesenice	19:15
18.	Sun 6.11.	Znojmo	Graz	17:30
19.	Wed 16.11.	Villach	Znojmo	19:15
20.	Fri 18.11.	Fehérvár	Znojmo	19:15
21.	Sun 20.11.	Znojmo	Fehérvár	17:30
22.	Tue 22.11.	Ljubljana	Znojmo	19:15
23.	Fri 25.11.	Znojmo	Zagreb	19:15
24.	Sun 27.11.	Vienna	Znojmo	17:30
25.	Fri 2.12.	Znojmo	Graz	19:15
26.	Sun 4.12.	Salzburg	Znojmo	17:30
27.	Tue 6.12.	Znojmo	Villach	19:15
28.	Sun 11.12.	Znojmo	Linz	17:30
29.	Tue 20.12.	Klagenfurt	Znojmo	19:15
30.	Thu 22.12.	Znojmo	Jesenice	19:15
31.	Mon 26.12.	Fehérvár	Znojmo	17:30
32.	Fri 30.12.	Zagreb	Znojmo	19:15
33.	Sun 1.1.	Linz	Znojmo	17:30
34.	Tue 3.1.	Znojmo	Vienna	19:15
35.	Fri 6.1.	Znojmo	Salzburg	17:30
36.	Sun 8.1.	Znojmo	Ljubljana	17:30
37.	Tue 10.1.	Jesenice	Znojmo	19:15
38.	Fri 13.1.	Graz	Znojmo	19:15
39.	Sun 15.1.	Znojmo	Klagenfurt	17:30
40.	Fri 20.1.	Villach	Znojmo	19:15

Znojmo joins Austrian League

In the not-too-distant past, they were contenders for the Czech national championship, but have been relegated to the First League since 2009. Now, starting in 2011-12, HC Orli Znojmo will play in the Austrian-based Erste Bank Hockey League.

 

"Today we reached a final agreement and signed the contract," club manager Stanislav Hahn stated Tuesday on the team's website. "All details will be announced at Thursday's press conference."

The announcement marks a return to top-level European hockey for the Eagles.  After winning back-to-back First League titles in 1998 and 1999, Znojmo was promoted to the Extraliga, where they competed for 10 years. Their most successful season was 2005-06, when they advanced to the semi-finals. In 2009, facing mounting costs, club ownership sold its Extraliga license to another South Moravian club, Kometa Brno.

After two seasons in the lower circuit, Orli players seem to be looking forward to the prospect of better competition. "The Austrian League is better than the Czech First League," said team captain Radek Haman.

This isn't the first time that a Czech-based team has attempted to play in a foreign league. Karlovy Vary and Hradec Králové have each attempted to join the KHL, but failed. Karlovy Vary experienced setbacks related to the global financial crisis and the Hradec group, which had already named its team HC Lev Hradec Králové, was not given approval by the Czech Ice Hockey Association. The team moved to Poprad, Slovakia, and will play in the KHL next season in that city. Although the ČSLH didn't approve the Hradec plan, they have given the go-ahead to the Znojmo proposal.

"We carefully examined and refined all the conditions to make them viable for both parties," said Hahn. He also said that the club's youth teams will continue to play domestically. This would include the Znojmo U20 team, which is the reigning Czech junior champion.

Although the EBEL is based in Austria, it now has teams in five countries: six in Austria, two in Slovenia, and one each in Croatia and Hungary. Orli Znojmo becomes the league's 11th team, and there's a possibility of a 12th being added for next season, either in Hungary or Slovakia. Its reigning champion is Red Bull Salzburg.

More details about the Znojmo transfer will be announced Thursday.