HC Lugano will mark their return to the Champions Hockey League with a home fixture against Sweden's Skellefteå AIK, as the Swiss club begins its third European campaign.

The Swiss side had a much-improved domestic season last year, going from eighth in the regular season in 2019/20, to finishing second this year, before a quarter-final loss in the playoffs.

Last season, the addition of former NHLer Mikkel Boedker proved key in their success, and this year they’ve bolstered their team even further with the addition of former NHLers Daniel Carr, and Swiss defenceman Mirco Müller, with the club hoping that both players will help the team to repeat their domestic form when the puck drops on Friday to open their new CHL season.

For Skellefteå, apart from one season out of the competition all together in the 2017/18 season, they have been one of the most consistent performers in the CHL.

In five previous editions of the tournament, they have always topped their group and progressed through to the Playoffs, something they’ll be hoping to achieve once more.

With a relatively young group of players, Skellefteå will play fast and with skill, something they’ll look to showcase in their opening game through players like 22-year-old Rickard Hugg, who impressed last season, as well as 23-year-old Canadian Adam Mascherin, who joins after a great year in the AHL last year. The Swedish side will also rely on some of its more experienced players, such as team captain Oscar Möller and Joakim Lindström.