With four Game Days behind us and a three week break from Champions Hockey League action ahead of us, now’s the perfect time to reflect on the start of the new season. Here’s our list of Top 5 Players from Game Days 1 to 4!
Lino Martschini
Lino Martschini is no new name to CHL fans, the skilled Swiss forward has worn the EV Zug colours with pride ever since he was a youngster and has featured in all six of their previous appearances in the pan-European competition. He’s amassed 44 points in 43 CHL games so far and is relied upon to produce his magic whenever his Zug teammates feel they’ve hit a brick wall in a game.
The 28-year-old sniper has got off to a particularly good start this season – just four games in, he’s already sitting at nine points (two goals + seven assists), the most any player has scored so far this season, and has been dangerously pulling the strings during Zug’s powerplays and play in front of the net.
Watch out for Martschini during the upcoming games, he’s found his groove early this season and can break down even the best goalies with his out-of-this-world skills and seemingly impossible stick work.
Matt Caito
Leksand’s 28-year-old defenceman Matt Caito has been one of the standout players for the Swedish club so far this season. The California native, who is in his second season with Leksands IF and only getting his first taste of CHL action this season, has provided five assists and scored one goal for a combined total of six points out of four games. He's proved instrumental in Leksand’s line-up as the Swedes are already qualified for this season’s Playoffs and can finish top of Group F if their stellar performances continue on Game Days 5 and 6.
Caito first got on the points board on Game Day 1, as he racked up two assists against Slovan Bratislava. He added one goal and another assist against Oceláři Třinec on Game Day 2 and went on to add one assist apiece on Game Days 3 and 4, all whilst fulfilling all his defensive duties on the other end of the ice – what a player!
Trevor Parkes
30-year-old Trevor Parkes from Ontario, Canada is in his fourth season with Red Bull Munich and playing in his third season in the CHL. Parkes is another familiar name for fans, as he’s consistently been one of the best players on the Munich team.
Parkes has scored 15 goals and provided eight assists over the course of 23 games in the pan-European competition and has had a particularly good start to 2021/22, finding the back of the net three times whilst also assisting three times.
He’s a fixed member of the Munich powerplay unit, which is top of the powerplay percentage leaderboard with 55.56 percent. What’s made his start even more fascinating has been his plus-minus stat – the Canadian is currently sitting at plus-six, which is one of the best in the league!
Parkes has also picked up two big honours in the first few weeks of CHL action, his wonderful goal against Rögle Ängelholm earned him Play of the Night and he was also selected as the Best Goal of Game Day 4.
Luca Fazzini
26-year-old Luca Fazzini is one of HC Lugano’s most successful home-grown talents – the skilled winger and Lugano native has spent most of his professional hockey career playing in Lugano’s famous black and white shirts.
What’s earned Fazzini a place amongst our Top 5 is his contribution when on the ice. He regularly hops on for powerplays and is a dominant force going forwards. We already mentioned Parkes’ plus-minus of plus-six, Fazzini’s is one better at plus-seven!
He’s scored four, including a hat-trick against Skellefteå AIK on Game Day 3, and assisted twice in four games and Lugano will be looking towards him on Game Days 5 and 6 as they have two big games that will decide if their CHL season will continue into the Playoffs or not.
Nigel Dawes
Nigel Dawes is the second Canadian on our list and boasts equally impressive stats! The 36-year-old veteran has been around the block and has utilised his experience well during his first season with Adler Mannheim.
He’s scored twice and assisted four for a combined total of six points out of four games. The big forward has played a big part in Mannheim’s success in Group C, as the DEL side site top of their group with three wins and one loss.
Dawes, who is the oldest member of Mannheim’s squad, has proved his critics wrong as he is the side’s top points and assists scorer and second behind Ruslan Iskhakov on the goals scored leaderboard.
Mannheim will certainly be needing his help on Game Days 5 and 6 as they have two back-to-back games against Lausanne HC that will decide their Playoffs fate.