Igor Rataj
Igor Rataj ( born January 3, 1973 in Poprad, Czechoslovakia) is a Slovak ice hockey player standing since 2011 when EK Zell am See in the Austrian National League under contract.
Career
Igor Rataj began his career in his hometown HK SKP Poprad when, for whom he made his debut in the top division of the Czechoslovak Federation in the 1992/93 season. In the following years he played for Poprad in the Slovak Extraliga, before moving to HC Slovan Bratislava in 1998. With Slovan in 2000 he won his first Slovak Championship. In the summer of 2001 Rataj was committed by Amur Khabarovsk of the Russian Super League, he left this club but after 13 games of the season and returned to Slovan Bratislava. In the same season he won with Slovan another league title and a year later this success could be repeated.
Before the season 2003 /04 he signed a contract with HC Liberec in the Czech Extraliga. Rataj was not fulfilled this contract, but left Liberec after nine games of the season. The rest of the season he spent at HC Orli Znojemští. In the summer of 2004, he tried again in Liberec and completed a total of two seasons for the "White Tiger". In 2005 he reached the playoff semi-finals with this team. About the HC Lasselsberger Plzeň he came in 2006 to HC Slavia Prague, with whom he won his first Czech Championship title in the 2007/ 08 season.
In May 2008 it was announced that Rataj had signed a contract with the Slovak first division club HC Košice. However, after 14 appearances for Kosice, he moved back to his hometown club, HK SKP Poprad which, as he usually only in the third forward line was used and therefore was unhappy with his role.
In October 2010, he left his home club and accepted a contract offer from the MHC Martin. A month later, the contract was terminated with the MHC Martin. By the end of the season he played for the league rivals MsHK Žilina. For the season 2011/12 he moved to EK Zell am See from the National League, the Austrian second division.
Internationally
Igor Rataj completed in addition to his success at club level, some international matches: For the national team of Slovakia, he went so far in 37 games on the ice, in which he scored eight goals. However, he came so far to no use at international championships.
Awards and achievements
- All- Star Team of the Slovak Extraliga 1997/98
- Slovakian Champion 2000, 2002 and 2003
- Czech Champion 2008
Career Stats
( Key to Career statistics: Sp or GP = Games Played, T or G = goals scored, V or A = achieved assists; Pts or Pts = scored points scorer, SM or PIM = received penalty minutes, / - = Plus / Minus balance sheet; PP = scored majority gates; SH = scored shorthanded goals, GW = achieved victory gates; Play-downs/Relegation 1 ); † = Relegation