With Martin Hrbek, the Crocodiles Hamburg add a young and offensively skilled Czech defenseman to their roster. The 22-year-old right-handed shot developed within the youth system of HC Dukla Jihlava, progressing through several age groups. Hrbek also gained international experience at a young age, representing the Czech Republic at U16 level.

During the later stages of his junior career, Hrbek initially played for BK Havlíčkův Brod before moving to Mountfield HK. There, he spent two seasons in the top Czech U20 league, making a total of 88 regular-season appearances. At the same time, the defenseman took his first steps in senior hockey, playing in the Czech Republic’s third tier for teams including HC Hronov and Slovan Ústí nad Labem.

In January 2025, Hrbek made the move to Germany and joined the Harsefeld Tigers. After gaining his first experience in the Regionalliga Nord, he developed into one of his team’s most offensively productive defensemen during the 2025/26 season. In 24 regular-season games, he scored nine goals and added 17 assists. With a total of 26 points, he even finished fourth in the Tigers’ overall team scoring.

Hrbek is a mobile defenseman who regularly gets involved in the offensive game and is comfortable playing with the puck. His development in Harsefeld shows that the Czech defender has taken another significant step forward, particularly on the offensive side of his game. Despite his young age, he already brings valuable experience from highly competitive Czech junior leagues as well as senior hockey.

With his mobility, offensive awareness and strong hockey education, Hrbek is expected to provide the Crocodiles with additional options in the build-up game while also adding an offensive threat from the blue line.