HC Kometa Brno
| HC Kometa Brno | |
|---|---|
.svg){kind=logo} |
|
| City | Brno, Czech Republic |
| League | Czech Extraliga |
| Founded | 1953 |
| Home arena | DRFG Arena (Capacity: 7,700) |
| Colours |
blue, white |
| Owner(s) |
 Libor Zábranský
|
| Head coach |
Libor Zábranský
|
| Captain |
Leoš Čermák
|
| Website | www.hc-kometa.cz |
blue, white
HC Kometa Brno ("Comet" in English) is a professional ice hockey team based in Brno, Czech Republic. They play in the Czech Extraliga. Kometa is the second most successful ice hockey club in the Czech Republic with 12 Czechoslovak (and Czech) league championship titles (together with HC Dukla Jihlava that holds 12 championship wins). Holding three European Cup titles, Kometa ranks as the most successful Czech club in international ice hockey. Czech champion in season 2016/2017.
The club was founded in 1953 as an army ice hockey club with the name Rudá hvězda Brno ("Red Star"). The majority of players were transferred from 2 hockey clubs in Brno (TJ Spartak Brno Zbrojovka and TJ Spartak GZ Královo Pole). In 1962, the club changed its name to ZKL Brno (ZKL is abbreviation of "Ball Bearing Factory") and stopped being an army team. In 1976, the name was changed to Zetor Brno. Shortly after the revolution (1994), the club changed its name to HC Kometa Brno. "Kometa" was the team's nickname since 1950's (opposite to official "Red Star") and the team was commonly referred to by this name since its beginnings.
In 1996, the team was relegated from Czech Extraliga to the second highest ice hockey league – 1st Czech Republic Hockey League. For many years, the team struggled due to bad financing, multiple changes of owners and faced another relegation, which happened in 2001-2002 season. The club almost ceased to exist, playing in the East division of the third highest Czech ice hockey league - 2nd Czech Republic Hockey League. By the 2003-2004 season, it returned to 1. liga and began its little "renaissaince". In 2004, Kometa played its first playoffs series since 1997, reached the semifinals in 2008 and the finals in 2009. On 1 April 2009, Kometa bought the licence for Czech Extraliga from another South Moravian club, HC Znojemští Orli. This club will now serve as a farm team for Brno.
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