Record-holder Arne Kroták, 46, finished his career

today 20:05
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Slovakian hockey striker Arne Kroták has finished his playing career. The record holder of the biggest national competition decided at the age of 46. After completing his long career, he is most proud of the season in Poprad, his hometown, but he only regretted the absence of a champion title.

From the biggest hockey competition he spent most of his career to, he lost during the 2017/2018 season. In the 2018/2019 season, he has entered five matches (2 goals and 3 assists) in the second league Kežmarka, but he does not add more.

"The end of my career is final, I do not intend to compete any more, I have decided to do it until the end of 2018. I injured my knee in Kezmarok, I tried to return after the treatment and I played a game but I could not continue" Kroták told TASR.

He was 46 years old in retirement from hockey. His name is mainly associated with Poprad hockey, but he also worked in Košice, Nice in Nice and also has small stops in Zlín and Třinec. Serious health problems prevented him and he also played in the highest competition, even after his forties.

"I'm happy to be able to do what I like, avoid injuries and create several recordings in the league, but I'm sad that I do not get what every hockey player has – title." he said.

The exclusive Krotákov ice hockey card is decorated with many valuable entries, the title of the Slovak master is missing between them. He played the final three times but never failed.

"I was the closest to the title in 2006. Then we took the series against Zilina in the decisive 7th game, after which we got 1: 0 after the first third, but finally we lost 1: 4 and the whole match 3: 4.

In the competition at home, he had two decades for distinguished characters, but his long-standing invitations to represent him. As an 18-year-old Czechoslovakia was represented in the World Championship under 18, but in the Slovak sweater, however, he played only six matches later. He scored two goals on them.

"I was playing hockey more than when I was old for the performance, it was a bit more difficult, I was absent in the game because I was not physically prepared for international hockey" he said.

Kroták has a difficult career to overcome. In the biggest national competition, he produced recordings in the number of games played and goals scored. In the sum of the base and play off, he entered a total of 1259 games in which he scored 520 goals and won 1135 points.

"First of all, I'm proud to have played 22 seasons at Poprad, some of which may seem strange, but I'm happy to have spent so many seasons in my hometown, and I'm also enjoying many games and goals played" he said.

After an active career, he wants to stay in hockey. He pointed out that not as an employee, but rather to get closer to the ice, that is, in the training profession. "As a coach assistant, I'm already working on Kežmarok, I'm also a kid, and by the end of the 2018/2019 season I'm going to pull him in and see how far away." he said.

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