As the countdown to the CHL Final moves on and the event in Gothenburg draws ever closer, we begin taking a look at some of the names you'll be keeping your eyes firmly on, starting up top.
What both teams' Top Scorers have in common this season is that they're not leading their respective sides because of goals.
The man wearing the LGT Top Scorer jersey for Frölunda needs little if no introduction in the Champions Hockey League. Ryan Lasch is the competition's all-time leading points scorer. He already has one CHL title to his name and will be looking to guide his team to another. What isn't so well known about the native Californian is that he's played in all five Champions Hockey League seasons, but for three different teams – TPS, Frölunda in two spells, and SC Bern.
Much was noted about Lasch's lack of goals earlier in the tournament, but when the moment came for a hero the 32-year-old stepped up – with his side down in the return game to Lugano possibly the biggest goals he scored, and then going on to add an early insurance marker in the return game in Pilsen.
The Red Bulls LGT Top Scorer in the CHL this season for points has been John Mitchell. While he may only have a pair of goals to his name, his 12 assists to get to the 14 points overall. One of those goals was however vital – the Red Bulls drawing level with EV Zug in the Round of 16 before going on to win the second leg.
Aged 34, Mitchell is playing only his second season in Europe, having played 548 NHL games with Toronto, the New York Rangers and Colorado combined. With 249 AHL games under his belt as well, the Ontario native left Cleveland early last season and signed with Nuremberg. He'd go on to hit 32 points for the Ice Tigers in 37 DEL matches, and also notch 5+6 in the playoffs.
Those numbers led to him being snapped up by Munich in the summer, and he's already up to 34 points this season so far in 36 games. Mitchell has however been out injured of late and isn't expected back until next month. If he will be back in time for the CHL or not remains a question. Should he not be, then the Red Bulls will look to talisman and MVP nominee Trevor Parks. The 27-year-old has led the line for his team this season, and scored some crucial goals when it mattered. He got the overtime winner against Malmö on his side's journey to this point in the Quarter-Finals.