HC Slovan Ústečtí Lvi

HC Slovan Ústečtí Lvi is an ice hockey team in the Czech First League (1. národní hokejová liga) (the second division). Their home arena is Zlatopramen Arena in Ústí nad Labem. Before 2007, the team was known as HC Slovan Ústí nad Labem.

History
The beginning of ice hockey in Ústí nad Labem dates back to the end of the Second World War. In 1945 a group of enthusiastic people got together and with Jaroslav Kropáč as a leading figure they founded in 1946 hockey club Sokol Ústí nad Labem. After couple of months they took their cue from namesake in Prague and founded LTC (1946 – 1948). They entered West north group of winter sports and started to play in competitions regularly.

In the following years (1949 – 1959) the club changed its name to ZSJ Armaturka. In 1959 the club changed its owner and subsequently its name to TJ Chemička and played under this name until 1963. However, in this year the chemical company closed the hockey club for financial difficulties. After numerous meeting with the city representatives it was decided not to allow the end of hockey playing in the city. At that time TJ Slovan National Board came with the solution to run hockey club as their main field of activities. The hockey club was then handed in to chairman JUDr. Oldřich Rejna, who stayed in this position for another 23 years.

Team names

 * Sokol Ústí nad Labem (1945−1949)
 * ZSJ Armaturka (1949−1959)
 * TJ Chemička (1959−1963)
 * TJ Slovan Ústí nad Labem (1963−1993)
 * HC Slovan Ústí nad Labem (1993−2007)
 * HC Slovan Ústečtí Lvi (since 2007)