Luleå HF won the 2014/15 Champions Hockey League after winning an all-Swedish final against Frölunda HC. This year they play in group 11 against Finnish Lukko Rauma and Swiss club Fribourg. The preliminary phase is played in 16 groups with three teams in each. Two teams from every group will go through to the play offs, round of 16. The teams are facing each other two times, away and at home. Below are the results from the group draw for next season’s Champions Hockey League together with comments. The tournament is played parallel with the European national hockey leagues and the results will of course be dependent on how motivated the teams are to go in for the tournament.
Group 1
Bern (Switzerland)
Linköping (Sweden)
IFK Helsingfors (Finland)
Comment: One of the toughest groups, if not the toughest in the tournament with three good teams.
Group 2
Tappara (Finland)
Zug (Switzerland)
Djurgården (Sweden)
Comment: Another tough group with three teams from big hockey nations.
Group 3
Salzburg (Austria)
HV71 (Sweden)
Sønderjyske (Denmark)
Comment: HV71 should be able to reach the play offs from this group.
Group 4
Skellefteå (Sweden)
Liberec (Czech Republic)
Nitra (Slovakia)
Comment: Swedish silver medalist Skellefteå should have no problems going through from this group.
Group 5
Davos (Switzerland)
Pardubice (Czech Republic)
Färjestad (Sweden)
Comment: Davos is not a bad team but Färjestad should be able to win this group..
Group 6
Litvínov (Czech Republic)
Blues (Finland)
Grenoble (France)
Comment: Finnish Blues are the strongest team of group 6.
Group 7
Linz (Austria)
Düsseldorf (Germany)
TPS (Finland)
Comment: TPS will go through from this group.
Group 8
München (Germany)
Klagenfurt (Austria)
Košice (Slovakia)
Comment: Košice has a good opportunity to reach the round of 16..
Group 9
Adler Mannheim (Germany)
Vítkovice (Czech Republic)
Neman Grodno (Belarus)
Comment: Based on the result from the Belarus league and cup, Neman Grodno should come out as the stronger team here..
Group 10
Kärpät (Finland)
Vienna Capitals (Austria)
Krefeld (Germany)
Comment: Kärpät will secure the primary spot before Vienna..
Group 11
Lukko (Finland)
Luleå (Sweden)
Fribourg (Switzerland)
Comment: Tough group for last year’s champions Luleå. They should reach the play offs together with Finnish Lukko.
Group 12
Třinec (Czech Republic)
Kalpa (Finland)
Stavanger (Norway)
Comment: Warning for Norwegian multiple champions Stavanger..
Group 13
Sparta Prag (Czech Republic)
Genève (Switzerland)
Storhamar (Norway)
Comment: A hard group to predict. While Storhamar got the second place in the Norwegian league it is hard to tell how they will do against international competition.
Group 14
Frölunda (Sweden)
Jyp (Finland)
Sheffield (Great Britain)
Comment: Good draw for last year finalist Frölunda. They and Jyp will reach the play offs.
Group 15
Växjö (Sweden)
Ingolstadt (Germany)
Braehead (Great Britain)
Comment: A dream draw for Swedish champions Växjö Lakers.
Group 16
ZSC Lions (Switzerland)
Eisbären Berlin (Germany)
Gap (France)
Comment: ZSC and Berlin will reach the play offs. Gap won’t.
