Israel is a nation with one full size ice hockey rink, located in the far north of the country in Metula. The Israeli league’s teams and the Israeli junior league’s teams all compete in their very short seasons from this one rink. Israel has some junior aged players who are native born, coming up through the ranks of the Israeli Junior league, with some playing in the men’s Israeli league. The league is, however, of a very low standard (roughly equivalent to low-end U.S. Junior B), and the lack of available practice time, the barebones nature of the federation’s hockey school in Israel, and the paltry number of games per team all conspire to keep the league that way.

Yet, unbeknownst to most hockey fans, there are elite Israeli ice hockey players. In fact, there are enough of them to form two complete forward lines and a defensive pairing which, if they all played for the Israeli national team in IIHF competition, would likely move the Israeli program from its current state of rebuilding (see article here ) and barely avoiding relegation from IIHF’s Division II down to Division III (a real probability this year) to being a team that bounces between Division I and Division II. However, of the players mentioned in this article, only one plays for the national team. The result is that the Israeli national team gets pounded in international competition by teams it could easily be beating if all of its elite players played for the national team.

Max Birbraer’s story is relatively well known in hockey circles. A Russian Jew born in Kazakhstan, Birbraer emigrated to Israel with his family, and quickly joined the national team as a teenager. He then moved to Canada and played one year of Junior A hockey, where he put up big numbers. Ultimately, this resulted in his becoming the first Israeli drafted by an NHL club (NJ Devils, 2000 3rd round, 67th overall). After a few AHL seasons with the Devils’ farm team, Birbraer has spent time in the ECHL, Central League, British Elite League, Russian Vyshaya Liga (2nd tier behind the KHL), and German2.Bundesliga (2nd tier behind the DEL). Birbraer, a left wing standing 6’2” and weighing in at 195 pounds, is about to turn 29 years of age. He currently plays professionally in the British Elite League for the Cardiff Devils, and, at the time of this article, has put up 25 points through 18 games of the 2009-2010 season. His professional obligations to his club, plus his frequent injuries (Birbraer plays an aggressive, Canadian “power forward” style), have resulted in Birbraer almost never being available to play for the national team.

A trio of 18-year old dual Israeli-Canadians currently play Canadian Major Junior hockey.

Center Ethan Werek (6’2”, 200 lbs.) became the second Israeli citizen to be drafted by an NHL team when the New York Rangers selected him 47th overall during the second round of the 2009 NHL entry draft. Werek, in his second season with the Ontario League’s Kingston Frontenacs, has put up 8 goals and 7 assists for 15 points through 15 games this season. Werek’s strong work ethic, physical play, and smarts may result in his eventually becoming the very first Israeli to play in the NHL. Most North American hockey experts believe that he will eventually play in the NHL. Werek has played in exhibition games for the Israeli national junior (U-18) team, but does not wish to commit to the national men’s program, due to his desire to one day compete for a spot on the Canadian Olympic team.

Dimunitive right wing Daniel Erlich stands only 5’6” and weighs in at 165 pounds, but plays a fiery, aggressive game despite his small size. Erlich is more a playmaker than a goalscorer, known for his passing skills. Playing in his second season for the Ontario League’s London Knights, Erlich was a teammate last season of the New York Islanders’ John Tavares, the New York Rangers’ Michael Del Zotto, and Toronto Maple Leafs first round draft pick Nazem Kadri. Through 16 OHL games in the 2009-2010 campaign, Erlich has posted 4 goals and 9 assists for 13 points. Erlich also took part in this year’s San Jose Sharks rookie development camp before returning to the Knights. Like his good friend Ethan Werek, Erlich has competed for the Israeli U-18 squad in exhibition matches, but also does not compete for the national men’s team due to a similar desire to one day possibly compete for Canada, which, for Erlich, is not as realistic a possibility as it is for Werek.

Left wing Eliezer Sherbatov (5’7”, 170 lbs.) is a rookie this season with the Quebec League’s Montreal Juniors. Born in Rehovot, Israel, Sherbatov has played for the Israeli U-18 team in official IIHF competition. He is known for his slick stickhandling and creativity. Through 16 games of the 2009-2010 season, Sherbatov has posted impressive numbers – 6 goals and 8 assists for 14 points.

Even if all three of Werek, Erlich and Sherbatov wished to compete for the Israeli national team, the rigors of their major junior teams’ schedules would likely mean that they would not be able to take part in the IIHF World Division II championships, which are usually held in April – right around playoff time in North American pro and major junior leagues. If their teams did not make the playoffs, they would be available, but only Sherbatov has shown a real interest in the national program to date.

Oren Eizenman is a dual Israeli-Canadian 24 year old forward (6’, 180 lbs.) who plays center, but can also play wing. He can play a skating game, or, if needed, can play a physical game. He can take faceoffs, kill penalties, make passes, and score goals. Eizenman is perhaps so well-rounded as a player due to the fact that he is regarded as an extremely intelligent individual with a strong “hockey sense” who can read the flow of a game even before various plays develop. Two years ago, he was an ECHL All-Star in his rookie professional campaign. He has spent time in the AHL, and was scouted by (and attended development camps for) both the New York Rangers and Vancouver Canucks. He even played exhibition games for the Canucks rookie squad. He currently skates for the ECHL’s Stockton Thunder. Eizenman was also the tournament’s leading scorer in the inaugural World Jewish Cup in 2007. Eizenman, together with his older brother Alon (who played professionally in France’s Ligue Magnus before leaving elite hockey to pursue a career as an attorney in Canada) have long been the centerpiece of the Israeli national team’s offense. However, due to some unfortunate on and off ice incidents at the 2009 World Jewish Cup which led to disputes with the Israeli program’s management, coaches, and even teammates, it may well be that the Eizenman brothers have played their final games with the Israeli nationals. Even before the incidents, however, Eizenman’s flourishing professional career had recently made him unavailable to compete for Israel at the IIHF Worlds.

Israel’s top two defenseman are Israeli-American Casey Russell and Israeli-Canadian Daniel Spivak. Russell (6’1”, 210 lbs., 25 years old) recently completed four years playing NCAA Division I hockey for Bentley College, and has begun his pro career in 2009-2010 with the Southern Professional Hockey League’s Louisiana IceGators. Russell, who did compete for Israel at the 2007 World Jewish Cup, and is interested in playing for the national team, has not been cleared at this point in time by the IIHF to compete in its tournaments for the Israelis. Spivak (6’, 195 lbs., 21 years old), is a depth defenseman at the NCAA Division I level, and currently plays for R.I.T. He is already a veteran of the Israeli national team and regularly competes in IIHF competition representing Israel.

Israel’s national team would be improved dramatically with the additions of Birbraer, Werek, Erlich, Sherbatov, the Eizenman brothers, and Russell. However, these players all have obligations to their professional or major junior teams that make playing for Israel in IIHF competition in April nearly impossible. As a result, Israel has struggled to remain in Division II.

If Israeli ice hockey is to achieve sustainable development, it would need to follow the tough path of other countries that have made progress. This means eventually developing its national league to at least a semi-pro level, where it would serve as a springboard to develop native Israelis into elite players and perhaps convince certain elite dual-national Israelis to come home to play. More rinks would need to be built, especially in the Tel Aviv area, and the creating of hockey teams by some of the major Israeli multi-sport clubs, such as Maccabi Tel Aviv, would certainly help to grow the game with the Israeli public. At that point, there would be not only elite Israeli hockey players, but a pool of them willing – and able – to compete for the national team.