It’s almost November and the European ice hockey season is well and truly underway. As well as each country’s domestic competitions, the Champions Hockey League (CHL), the top-level continental ice hockey tournament in Europe, has been heating up through the tense Group Stage. The Round of 16 draw was made on 13 October and, with the matchups and the schedule now confirmed, many of the matches are already on sale.
The first week of games are:
- Grizzlys Wolfsburg (GER) v Luleå Hockey (SWE) – 15 Nov at Eis Arena Wolfsburg
- Mikkelin Jukurit (FIN) v Fribourg-Gottéron (SWI) – 15 Nov at Ikioma Areena
- Frölunda HC (SWE) v Straubing Tigers (GER) – 15 Nov at Frölundaborg
- Färjestad BK (SWE) v Mountfield HK (CZE) – 15 Nov at Löfbergs Arena
- EHC Red Bull München (GER) v EV Zug (SWI) – 15 Nov at Olympia Eishalle
- HC Davos (SWI) v Tappara Tampere (FIN) – 15 Nov at Eisstadion Davos
- EC Red Bull Salzburg (AUS) v Rögle BK (SWE) – 15 Nov at Eisarena Salzburg
- Skellefteå AIK (SWE) v ZSC Lions (SWI) – 16 Nov at Skellefteå Kraft Arena
The second week of games featuring the return legs are:
- Mountfield HK (CZE) v Färjestad BK (SWE) – 22 Nov at ČPP Arena
- Tappara Tampere (FIN) v HC Davos (SWI) – 22 Nov at Nokia Arena
- Luleå Hockey (SWE) v Grizzlys Wolfsburg (GER) – 22 Nov at Coop Norrbotten Arena
- Rögle BK (SWE) v EC Red Bull Salzburg (AUS) – 22 Nov at Catena Arena
- Straubing Tigers (GER) v Frölunda HC (SWE) – 22 Nov at Eisstadion am Pulverturm
- Fribourg-Gottéron (SWI) v Mikkelin Jukurit (FIN) – 22 Nov at BCF Arena
- ZSC Lions (SWI) v Skellefteå AIK (SWE) – 22 Nov at Swiss Life Arena
- EV Zug (SWI) v EHC Red Bull München (GER) – 23 Nov at Bossard Arena
The CHL is Europe’s top-level continental ice hockey tournament, and it sees 32 teams from 13 different leagues competing to determine who is the best of the best. For those who are new to the CHL, take a look at this helpful guide!
The 32 teams – selected from their finishing position in the previous season’s domestic league – went into 4 pots determined by seeding and were then sorted into 8 groups. This Group Stage finished on 12 October and saw some thrilling fixtures with the final night seeing teams pull out all the stops!
The Round of 16 is up next for the remaining teams. This is a knockout stage where teams are drawn against an opponent and play a first game and a return game. The overall winner who will progress to the quarterfinals is determined by the aggregate score of the 2 games. If the aggregate score is tied at the end of regulation time in the second game, a 10-minute sudden-death overtime period is played with the first team to score progressing to the next stage of the competition. If no team scores, there will be a game-winning shootout.
The 8 teams to progress will get into the quarterfinals and then 4 will make it through to the semifinals; both stages also see the teams play 2-legged ties. The 2 teams to make it through to the final will play just one single match to determine the winner of the 2022/23 CHL! Last year, Sweden’s Rögle BK beat Finland’s Tappara Tampere to become the masters of Europe. Both teams are in the Round of 16 this year; will it be one of them again, will it be the extremely successful Frölunda HC, or will a new champion be crowned?