As the very best European hockey teams slowly gear up for the upcoming 2024/25 season, Europe's biggest club ice hockey competition prepares to enter its milestone 10-year anniversary season. Before the festivities start, join us for part 1 of our series highlighting 10 of the most iconic CHL moments and values!

The very first puck drop in CHL history (Photo: Vítkovice Ridera)

First-ever puck drop

After years of hard work behind the scenes, the puck dropped for the very first time on 21 August 2014 and the new Champions Hockey League competition got underway. The opening face-off took place in Czechia, where Vítkovice Ridera faced German side ERC Ingolstadt. 15 games took place on that historic opening night, while 7 more concluded Game Day 1 the following day.

Four titles for Frölunda

The most successful team in the history of the Champions Hockey League lifted the European Trophy for a record fourth time in 2020, having previously won the competition in 2016, 2017 and 2019. To this day, Frölunda Gothenburg are the only team to have won the CHL more than once.

Qualification based solely on sporting merits

Starting from the 2017/18 season, the CHL implemented a qualification system based purely on teams' sporting achievements and removed guaranteed places for shareholder teams. This strategic shift not only enhanced credibility among fans and media but also added an extra layer of excitement with the "Race to Qualify" in the national leagues.

Auston Matthes playing in the CHL in the 2015/16 season (Photo: Sparta Prague)

CHL showcasing talent

Many top stars made an appearance in the CHL before advancing to the NHL. Unforgettable was the 2015/16 season when future NHL Entry Draft picks number 1, 2, and 4, namely Auston Matthews, Patrik Laine, and Jesse Puljujärvi, appeared in Europe's biggest club ice hockey competition, alongside already-drafted Sebastian Aho. Additionally, players like Elias Pettersson, Rasmus Dahlin, and Tim Stützle, among others, also left their marks in the CHL.

Augsburger Panther fans flooding the SSE Arena in Belfast

(Photo: William Cherry)

Hundreds made the trip to see Mountfield HK play Eisbären Berlin in the German capital

(Photo: Mathias Renner)

A packed arena of blue and white in Austria!

(Photo: Rene Krammer)

Over 1,000 travelled from Norway to Sweden to see Storhamar Hamar face Djurgården Stockholm

(Photo: Johan Sahlén)

CHL promotes wanderlust

In 2019/20, the Augsburg Panther fans made a big impact with over 1,000 cheering their team in Liberec and 1,200 attending the Round of 16 game in Biel, Switzerland. Special trains were organised for both trips. Other remarkable fan travel groups include 1,000 supporters from Storhamar Hamar travelling to Stockholm and another 1,000 fans from Straubing visiting Villach. These are just a few examples highlighting the fans' strong desire to explore with the CHL.

Be sure to return early next week for five more iconic CHL moments - lots to look forward to!