Ice hockey in Lithuania is now governed by the new association “Lietuvos ledo ritulys” (Lithuanian Ice Hockey) that was founded in April and is recognized by the IIHF, the Lithuanian Olympic Committee and the national sport authorities.

The existing senior league (NLRL) and youth league (NVLRL) and their various competitions will work under the umbrella of the new organization.

One of the first tasks of the new organization was to sign a coach for the men’s national team. Bernd Haake from Germany, who has coached the team for the last three years winning Division I Group B bronze medals in the last two seasons, signed a two-year contract to continue his work.

In the upcoming year with the Olympic Qualification tournament and the 2016 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship Division I Group B in Zagreb, Croatia, Haake will again work together with George Kingston, who led Canada to World Championship gold in 1994 before coaching the German national team for four years and serving as an assistant coach for Lithuania the last two seasons.