We've completed six full seasons since top-flight European ice hockey returned in 2014. Over those Champions Hockey League campaigns some players have stood out on more than one occasion, and over the next few weeks we’re going to be taking a look at those that are on top of Europe.
We continue with the Top 10 Powerplays!
Now known as the Glasgow Clan, the team formerly known as Braehead made their one and only CHL appearance to date in 2015/16. They went out in the group stage so only played four games, but were they dangerous with an extra skater! They top the CHL for the best overall powerplay with a staggering 31.25% success rate and were able to celebrate a famous win against ERC Ingolstadt along their journey.
Lausanne HC made their CHL debuts this past season and made it to the Quarter-Finals. A solid powerplay of 28.13% over 10 games helped them along the way and places them second third; while four-time Champions Frölunda Indians are third on the all-time list at an impressive 27.29% in 73 games!
Completing the top five are Linköping HC and BK Mladá Boleslav, neither of which have been seen in the CHL since 2016/17. Linköping played the first three seasons since 2014 and went as far as the Quarter-Finals in two of those years. They put up an impressive average of 27.27% on the PP in 26 games. Boleslav made their only appearance in the CHL in 2016/17 but were another team that had strong special teams and struck 26.67% on the powerplay.
Next up are Norwegians Storhamar Hamar, who enjoyed fairytale runs to the Playoffs in their two CHL seasons so far - a 26.65% rate in 16 games played definitely didn't hurt their cause either! Behind them come SHL sides Djurgården Stockholm and HV71 Jönköping on 26.11% and 25.53% in 38 and 28 games respectively. Grizzlys Wolfsburg are in ninth on the all-time list with 25.53% over 12 games in their two CHL participations, while ZSC Lions Zurich complete the Top 10 of Europe at 24.56% in 40 games.