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Kopitar’s dad resigns as Slovenian head coach after relegation at Worlds

Sochi Olympics Ice Hockey Men

Matjaz Kopitar

AP

Matjaz Kopitar has decided to step down at the head coach of the Slovenian national team, per the IIHF’s website.

Matjaz Kopitar, who is the father of Kings star Anze Kopitar, led Slovenia to a seventh place finish in the 2014 Winter Games. That’s the best Slovenia has ever done in men’s hockey at the Olympic level, including its time as part of Yugoslavia. However, Slovenia finished with the worst record in the 2015 World Championships and have been relegated to Division I as a result.

The elder Kopitar has coached the Slovenian national team for five seasons and during that time they were in something of a holding partner as far as the World Championships went. They would win Division I whenever they were relegated, but they would consistently follow that up with a 16th place finish at the Championships level.

Slovenia will once again have to fight to be promoted in 2016.

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