He attended eight CHL games last season and has already seen eight this season – in seven different cities in five different countries – and there's still a long way to go. Read below to find out about his European road trip.

by Kris Watkins

Yes, it's true, the Champions Hockey League has discovered its first official Superfan! Who and where, you ask? We’ve crowned him Fabien, and as to where . . . well, just about everywhere!

Fabien is based in Geneva, Switzerland, is a fan of Geneve-Servette, and is a photographer for their unofficial fan website. But that's not all he's about – he has also travelled to many European cities to see different CHL games – and challenged the Champions Hockey League on Twitter as to whether he wins anything if he manages to visit 10 games this season. So far, Fabien set the bar at eight – the same number of CHL games as he already visited last season.

Martin Baumann, CEO of the CHL, and Monika Reinhard, CHL’s communication manager, caught wind of this story and travelled up to Davos in the Swiss mountains to meet Fabien before the second leg of the Round of 32 between HC Davos and IFK Helsinki.

Monika Reinhard: “Fabien, we hear that you’ve been travelling all around Europe, watching Champions Hockey League games. How did this come about?”

Fabien Perissinotto: “You know, every season I see Geneve-Servette playing six times against Fribourg, Biel, Lausanne, the other NLA teams four times, and with all due respect to the other NLA teams, as much as I enjoy that, I really love the idea of having the chance to see other teams play.”

Martin Baumann: “That’s a very good point you make right there, Fabien. That’s one of the aims of the CHL: to allow fans exposure to other leagues and other teams, with the added bonus of fans meeting up and sharing their experiences and stories.

“Do you also think it helps develop Swiss hockey?  Chris McSorley of Geneve-Servette told me recently that if he wants to develop his team, then they also have to be able to play against and compete with the best teams in Europe.”

FP: “I agree, it definitely helps. The Swiss league is maybe just not quite as good as we think it is, and could use the CHL competition as a platform to reach that elite level of European hockey like in Sweden, for example.”

MR: “So how did you set about putting your trip together?”

FP: “I thought about the idea of using Interrail, and soon came to the conclusion that a month pass is actually good value and so why not make a plan and buy one? The days and dates of the CHL games managed to fit in with my own personal schedule, and that of Servette’s home games, so I set the plan in motion.

“I examined the train journeys and subsequent timetables I would need to make this into a reality, including wherever possible overnight trains so that I could avoid or at least limit the added expense of hotel stays. Each stop along the way was not necessarily part of a 'top 10' of cities or rinks that I wanted to visit, but more the result of a viable and logical route around the CHL hockey map of Europe.

“Due to the huge distances involved, I needed to take the odd flight – Geneva to Copenhagen by train was long but possible, but then a flight was the better option for travelling on to Oslo to see Norwegian team Storhamar play, as was the next journey on to Berlin. I really wanted to make the absolute most of this European trip, and managed to see an SHL game in Vaxjo, a KHL game in Bratislava, two DEL games in Schwenningen and Cologne and two St. Pauli football matches in Hamburg along the way.”  

MR: “That’s fantastic! This game here in Davos is game number eight for you. Have you already planned games nine and 10 to complete your goal for this CHL season?”

FP: “I will be happy if both Davos and ZSC make it through tonight so my decision will be already made for me.” 

MB: “Finally, is there anything you would potentially change about the CHL, Fabien?”

FP: “Maybe the number of teams from one country could be reduced?” 

MB: “Yes, that is something we are well aware of and discussions are already underway.”

FP: “Are there any other changes being discussed? For example, maybe making away goals count double like they do in football?”

MB: “There are lots of discussions ongoing. The away goal rule is not on the table at the moment, as it doesn't exist in ice hockey so far, but we are open for all kinds of input. For example, you could also discuss playing endless overtime until a sudden death winning goal occurs. 

“Thank you for meeting up with us, Fabien. Enjoy the game and keep in touch!”

Where will our Superfan head to next? Below you can see a map of his journey so far. While the ZSC Lions were eliminated from the competition that night, Davos made it to the next round where they will face Bili Tygri Liberec, so maybe a second visit to the Czech Republic is in the cards.

CHL cities: Geneva (2), Hamar, Prague, Linz, Ostrava, Ingolstadt, Davos.

Other cities: Vaxjo (SHL), Bratislava (KHL), Schwenningen, Cologne (both DEL), Duisburg (Oberliga), Hamburg (2. Bundesliga, football). 

Follow "Superfan" Fabien Perissinotto as he travels around Europe via Twitter: @FPerissinotto.