Head Coach Roger Rönnberg, who has been at Frölunda since 2013, said that the level of hockey the CHL offers has helped develop the club.

“The CHL means a lot to us as a club. It’s a tournament that we respect,” Rönnberg said.

Frölunda as a club attract the biggest up and coming talents in Europe, combining them with experienced veteran players makes for a mean roster.

“Our team is a mix of experienced and young players. We like to play our game with speed, energy and high intensity,” said Rönnberg.

“We know a lot of the teams in our group – it’s a very tough group. The games will be a challenge for us,” he said when asked about his thoughts on the draw.

With their four CHL titles, Frölunda are naturally one of the top contenders to lift the European Trophy in 2021/22 – and they don’t hide that fact.  

“The CHL is getting tougher and tougher each year, but obviously our aim is to win the tournament,” Rönnberg concluded.

IFK Helsinki make a return to the CHL after a two-season absence. The former Quarter-Finalists failed to make the Playoffs in their last stint back in the 2018/19 season.

General Manager Tobias Salmelainen said IFK are glad to be back in the competition and will play to win.

“When our guys wear the IFK jersey, they always play to win, no matter which competition. We wear our colours with pride and represent our hometown in the CHL. It is a huge challenge to face the top teams in Europe, but we are so glad to be back,” he said.

IFK’s entertaining and modern style of hockey focusing on skill and speed has earned them many fans in Finland, but what can we expect from them on their return to the CHL?

“I don’t want to give away too much,” said Salmelainen, keeping his cards close to his chest.

Group B looks to be one of the toughest this season, a fact that Frölunda also mentioned. IFK have nothing but respect for their opponents this season.

“We have played Frölunda in the past – they need no introduction. The same goes for ZSC Lions, they are a world-class team and organization. Mladá Boleslav are a bit of a mystery for us, but we have no reason to consider them as anything but a top-tier team with lots of skill,” he added.

Similarly to Frölunda, IFK have also set their eye on the prize.

“We want to win the title,” ended Salmelainen.

Czech side BK Mladá Boleslav are back in the CHL for the first time since 2016/17 when they finished bottom of Group L and failed to qualify for the CHL Playoffs, despite winning two games. They are a smaller and less known club compared to the fame of domestic titans Oceláři Třinec, Sparta Prague, Bílí Tygři Liberec, HC Pilsen, etc.

Head Coach Radim Rulík sees CHL participation as a reward for all their hard work last season.

“This is an opportunity to challenge some of the best clubs in Europe. The draw has given us very good teams and we are curious to find out how we stack up against them,” he said.

Mladá Boleslav finished third in the Czech Extraliga regular season and made it all the way to the playoff semi-finals – an impressive result for a club that narrowly avoided relegation in 2018.

“We are a young team. We try to play a healthy style of hockey and put lots of effort into games,” said Rulík.

His team are very much looking forward to the CHL Group Stage later this year.

“They are extremely tough, well organized and strong opponents,” he said when asked about his thought on the draw, “but I think it will be great for us to compete with strong teams like these.”

Unlike his counterparts at Frölunda and IFK, Rulík and Mladá Boleslav’s expectations from the upcoming season are much more modest and realistic.

“We have a tough group, that’s a fact. It’s very difficult to set goals, but it would be great to advance past the Group Stage. But even if that didn’t work out, it will still be a huge experience and test for us,” he said.

“Experience and tests like these move you forward,” ended Rulík.

ZSC Lions Zurich are also back for 2021/22. The seven-time CHL qualifiers are honoured to once again be able to represent Swiss hockey and the city of Zurich on the international stage, according to Head Coach Rikard Grönborg.

“It’s always one of ZSC Lions Zurich’s goals to qualify for the CHL. We strive to be one of the best teams not only in Switzerland but in Europe. It’s also a treat for our fans!” Said Grönborg.

Grönborg, who himself has countless years of international hockey coaching experience from his time as Team Sweden Head Coach, wants his side to play fast paced with lots of puck movement while matching up physically.

“We play with fluidity when it comes to positional play, making it very hard to scout and play against. Without the puck, we play with a structure that requires a lot of aggression and skating on our part,” he added.

ZSC Lions are also very much aware of the tough competition in Group B, going as far as to label it the “group of death”.

“I take it as a great challenge for us as a team to improve,” said Grönborg.

Grönborg doesn’t shy away from the fact that he feels his side has a strong chance of going all the way this year.

“Like a lot of teams in the CHL we feel that we have a chance to go all the way if we work diligently in the off season and have our team healthy and strong,” he ended.

Think you know everything about the 2021/22 Group B teams? Test your knowledge in our Quiz and stand a chance of winning three CHL European Trophy keychains!

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