The last two spots in the 2016–17 Champions Hockey League will go to the champions of the Danish Ligaen and Slovak Extraliga. Both of these leagues are closer to producing champions, with Danish club Esbjerg Energy one win away.

CHL News

No new teams qualified for the 2016–17 Champions Hockey League in the past week, but both the Danish and Slovakian leagues are closer to being finished and, by next Sunday at the latest, we will know all 48 teams.

Denmark

Esbjerg Energy are one win away from being crowned champions of Denmark and claiming that country's place in the CHL – that comes after Sunday's 2–0 home-ice win over Blue Fox Herning to give them a 3 games to 2 lead in the best-of-seven Ligaen Final. That means they can wrap up the title on Tuesday in Herning. If the Blue Foxes win to prolong the series, a seventh and decisive game will be played on Thursday in Esbjerg. Esbjerg last won the title in 2004, while Herning have won five times since then. In the last two seasons, they have each lost in the finals to SonderjyskE Vojens. 

Slovakia

The Slovak Extraliga Finals between HK Nitra and HC '05 Banska Bystrica is tied at 2 games apiece – Nitra opened with two wins at home and Banska Bystrica then evened the series in the two games on their ice. That reduces the league championship to a best-of-three affair, with Game 5 going Wednesday in Nitra, Game 6 on Friday in Banska Bystrica, and Game 7, if necessary, back in Nitra on Sunday. Both teams are chasing their first Slovak Extraliga titles.