What a week for Champions Hockey League qualifiers! Not one, not two, but FOUR teams qualified last week! Two more are set to join the 2021/22 line-up this week – here’s your weekly CHL Qualifiers update:
First off, our new qualifiers – Frisk Asker were confirmed as Norway’s CHL representatives for 2021/22 on Thursday. They have previously participated in the 2019/20 season, hosting six-time CHL participants Tappara Tampere, Quarter-Finalists to-be EHC Biel-Bienne and KAC Klagenfurt in the Group Stage.
Three-time CHL participants the Cardiff Devils and 2019/20 Continental Cup Champions SønderjyskE Vojens also both qualified last week, based on decisions by the CHL Board.
The fourth team to qualify last week were Rögle Ängelholm. The current SHL leaders finally reached mathematical CHL qualification and join the Frölunda Indians as the second team to qualify from Sweden. They could soon be joined by the Växjö Lakers if everything goes according to schedule and no games are postponed or cancelled. The current SHL runners-up qualified for the SHL playoffs last week.
Another league that is on the brink of providing its first CHL qualifiers is the Swiss NL. EV Zug were poised to qualify last week but the runaway NL leaders were just a few points shy of securing their eighth straight CHL qualification. If everything goes their way there is a strong chance they will qualify this week.
Finland will not produce any qualifiers this week. Though the situation on the top of the Liiga table is the same as it was when we reported last week (Lukko Rauma in first place, IFK Helsinki in second), there are still between nine and 14 games to be played for each team and the standings can all be turned upside down in the upcoming weeks.
The Czech Extraliga Playoffs are underway in the Quarter-Finals stage. Regular season winners Sparta Prague are looking very strong, as are teams Bílí Tygři Liberec and Oceláři Třinec but there is still a long way to go before the Extraliga champion is crowned and the league’s third CHL qualifier determined.
The situation is similar in the DEL. Five-time CHL participants Adler Mannheim are still leading the Southern Conference whilst Eisbären Berlin are still top of the Northern Conference, but there’s still a long way to go before we can be certain of any CHL qualifications.
The ICE Hockey League is nearing the Semi-Finals. CHL teams HC Bolzano, KAC Klagenfurt and the Vienna Capitals are all confirmed but one team remains to be determined – RB Salzburg or the Dornbirn Bulldogs. The series is currently tied 3-2 in Salzburg’s favour but can they pull off a final win to keep them in contention for the ICEHL championship, or will Dornbirn be the surprise Semi-Finalist of the season?
The fight for Poland’s sole CHL qualification spot, awarded to the National Champions, will be decided soon. Three-time CHL qualifiers GKS Tychy were surprisingly eliminated in the Semi-Finals and will not return for 2021/22, whilst Comarch Cracovia, who are in the Final against GKS Jastrzebie, could return to the CHL for the first time since 2017/18 if they win. Jastrzebie could qualify for the CHL for the first time if they win. The Finals series starts this Friday!
The Belarusian Extraleague has moved into the Semi-Finals. Four-time CHL qualifiers Yunost Minsk are in contention for the title but that will be decided in the coming weeks.
That's all for this week - follow our social channels to keep up to date about any new CHL qualifiers and tune in again next week for a comprehensive update on Europe's top leagues.