Ján Pardavý is absent from the Slovakia men’s national ice hockey team coaching staff for the upcoming Deutschland Cup, amid ongoing questions over his future following a police incident involving driving under the influence in July.
The Deutschland Cup Omission in Landshut
The Slovak ice hockey team travels to Germany for the tournament starting on Friday without Pardavý on the bench. Head coach Vladimír Országh announced that Todd Woodcroft will serve as his assistant for the November tournament in Germany and the upcoming Kaufland Cup in December, citing an arrangement involving Dukla Trenčín.
The July Festival Incident in Trenčín
In the first half of July, police caught 55-year-old Pardavý as he drove under the influence of alcohol leaving the Pohoda festival in his hometown of Trenčín. After several days of silence regarding the incident, the former hockey player publicly admitted to the offense and expressed regret.
“Uvědomuji si, že jako dlouholetý reprezentant a trenér národního týmu bych měl jít příkladem. Takové jednání bylo mým osobním selháním.”
Pardavý wrote in a public statement at the time, acknowledging that he had let down fans, the club, and the national federation while expressing relief that no one suffered physical injury.
Uncertain Contract Status with the Federation
The Slovak Ice Hockey Federation delayed addressing Pardavý’s role immediately following the summer incident, citing the vacation period and the time remaining until the first international event. With the first fixtures arriving, the federation’s position changed. Peter Jánošík, spokesperson for the Slovak Ice Hockey Federation, confirmed to sport24.sk that the coach currently holds no active contract with the organization, rendering any immediate inclusion in the national staff off the agenda.
Dukla Trenčín Coaches Divide Winter International Duties
Országh explained that because both Pardavý and Woodcroft work within the coaching setup at Dukla Trenčín, management reached a practical scheduling compromise. The federation agreed to utilize only one of the two club coaches for the opening pair of winter international tournaments. Woodcroft takes the assistant duties for the November and December fixtures, leaving Pardavý’s longer-term national team future undetermined as international play resumes.
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