Seasoned veterans of the Champions Hockey League Oceláři Třinec are gearing up for their ninth season in the pan-European competition, having secured their spot by winning yet another Czech championship title. Despite all their success domestically, this rising dragon of Czech ice hockey has struggled in the CHL and after their European campaign ended in the Round of 16 last year, they are determined to go further this time round. Their first challenge will be Lausanne HC, a motivated Swiss team they last faced in the 2019/2020 season, where both teams settled for a victory and a loss each.

The Czechs enjoyed yet another successful run in their national league which they have dominated for the past five seasons. The team have welcomed several new faces to help maintain their strong form and carry it into the CHL and beyond. Among the newcomers are defencemen Bohumil Jank from Mountfield HK and Marek Hrbas from Berani Zlín, along with two new forwards from overseas to bolster their offence.

Lausanne are also prepared to make a statement in this year’s CHL, fully aware of the challenges posed by such tough opponents. They are battle-tested from their time in the National League where they reached the Finals last season only to fall to ZSC Lions Zurich. Lausanne’s roster has been reinforced with eight new players from five well-respected leagues, promising an intriguing encounter with Třinec on 6 September.

In addition to the new faces, watch out for Lausanne’s Michael Riat, an experienced NHL player, and Tomáš Kundrátek, one of Oceláři Třinec’s key players, known for his hard-hitting play when it’s needed the most.