In the week between the two legs of the Champions Hockey League's eight-finals, the national leagues of Europe take a break so that the national teams can have centre stage. Several players from CHL clubs are playing for their countries. 

CHL News

On Tuesday night, the 16 remaining teams in the Champions Hockey League played the first legs of their eighth-final series. Between then and next Tuesday, none of the teams play any league games, which will give most of the players some time to rest and get ready for the all-important return game. For many of the players there will be no rest, however, as they head off to play for their respective national teams in various international tournaments around Europe. 

After losing the opening game of their series with Sparta Prague by a 4–2 score, Karpat Oulu will need a strong game on home ice in order to advance to the quarter-finals. However, assistant coach Mikko Manner doesn't see losing a few of his players as any kind of disruption at this time. 

“We have three guys going to the junior national team – they'll be hosting the World Junior Championship this year – and then we have two guys going to the national first team, so we know these guys will be playing in high-level games,” Manner said. 

The three juniors he refers to are Sebastian Aho, Antti Kalapudis and Jesse Pulujarvi, while the players who will play in the Karjala Cup are defenceman Lasse Kukkonen and Mika Pyorala.

“It's always an honour to play for your country, so we're happy to have our guys get picked to play there,” Manner explained. “There they gain valuable experience which will help them in their careers, and they bring that back when they play for us. We know we're going to get a good performance from those guys next Tuesday in the next game against Sparta.” 

Of course, even teams that have already been eliminated from the competition will be playing in national team tournaments this weekend. Below is a list of players from this year's CHL who have been selected to play for their men's A national team this weekend. Players from teams still alive in the competition (and therefore back in CHL action next Tuesday) are highlighted in bold. 

KARJALA CUP – Helsinki, Finland and Ornskoldsvik, Sweden

CZECH REPUBLIC – Defence: Milan Doudera (Trinec), Radim Simek (Liberec). Forward:  Milan Gulas (Farjestad), Rostislav Olesz (Vitkovice), Michal Birner, Michal Repík (both Liberec), Jan Buchtele, Daniel Pribyl (both Sparta).

FINLAND – Defence: Teemu Laakso (Vaxjo), Lasse Kukkonen (Karpat). Forward: Sean Bergenheim (Bern), Tuomas Kiiskinen (Vaxjo), Tomi Sallinen (Djurgarden), Mika Pyorala (Karpat), Toni Koivisto (Lukko), Jani Lajunen (Tappara).

SWEDEN – Defence: Johan Fransson (Geneve), Jonas Junland, Daniel Rahimi (both Linkoping), Magnus Nygren (Farjestad). Forward: Dick Axelsson (Davos), Martin Lundberg, Jimmie Ericsson (both Skelleftea), Joel Lundqvist (Frolunda), Robert Rosen, Richard Gynge (both Vaxjo), Marcus Sorensen (Djurgarden).

DEUTSCHLAND CUP – Augsburg, Germany

GERMANY – Goal: Dennis Endras (Mannheim), Mathias Niederberger (Dusseldorf). Defence: Stephan Daschner, Bernhard Ebner (both Dusseldorf), Daryl Boyle (Munich), Benedikt Kohl (Ingolstadt), Jonas Muller (Berlin), Nicolai Goc, Sinan Akdag (both Mannheim). Forward: Kai Hospelt (Mannheim), Dominik Kahun (Munich), Daniel Pietta (Krefeld). 

SLOVAKIA – Defence: Jan Brejcak (Davos), Michal Cajkovsky (Sparta), Peter Ceresnak (Vitkovice), Eduard Sedivy (Kosice). Forward: Martin Bakos (Liberec), Marek Bartanus (Kosice), Martin Reway (Sparta), Vladimir Dravecky (Trinec), Tomas Marcinko (Pardubice).

SWITZERLAND – Goal: Benjamin Conz (Fribourg). Defence: Phil Baltisberger (Zurich), Robin Grossmann (Zug), Timo Helbling (Bern), Romain Loeffel (Geneve). Forward: Luca Cunti, Mike Kunzle (both Zurich), Dominic Lammer, Lino Martschini, Reto Suri (all Zug), Simon Moser, Tristan Scherwey (both Bern), Kilian Mottet (Fribourg).

UNITED STATES – Goal: Ryan Zapolski (Lukko). Defence: Chad Billins (Linkoping), Brian Connelly (Salzburg). Forward: Adam Burish (Vaxjo), Broc Little (Linkoping), Auston Matthews (Zurich), Travis Turnbull (Dusseldorf), Jim Slater (Geneve), Terry Broadhurst (Skelleftea). 

EURO ICE HOCKEY CHALLENGE – Katowice, Poland and Stavanger, Norway

AUSTRIA – Goal: David Kickert (Vienna). Defence: Bernhard Fechtig, Daniel Mitterdorfer (Both Linz), Alexander Pallestrang, Layne Viveiros (both Salzburg). Forward: Mario Brucker, Alexander Cijan, Konstantin Komarek (all Salzburg), Julian Grosslercher, Nikolaus Hartl, Michael Schiechl (both Vienna), Fabio Hofer, Daniel Oberkfofler, Patrick Spannring (all Linz).

DENMARK – Defence: Mads Bodker (SonderjyskE), Oliver Lauridsen (Frolunda). Forwards: Mads Lund, Henrik Nielsen (both SonderjyskE). 

HUNGARY – Forward: Balasz Sebok (KalPa), Istvan Sofron (Krefeld).  

NORWAY – Goal: Lars Haugen (Farjestad). Defence: Alexander Bonsaksen (Tappara), Mats Larsen Mostue, Dennis Sveum (both Stavanger). Forward: Kristian Forsberg, Tommy Kristiansen, Mathias Trettenes (all Stavanger), Ken Andre Olimb (Dusseldorf), Mats Rosseli Olsen (Frolunda), Alexander Reichenberg (Storhamar). 

POLAND – Forward: Aron Chmielewski (Trinec).  

SLOVENIA – Goal: Robert Kristan (Pardubice), Luka Gracnar (Salzburg). Forward: Bostjan Golicic (Gap).