The Champions Hockey League will finally return in just two weeks’ time, with 32 teams all competing to be crowned champions of Europe. Last time around we previewed Group E and now we’ll focus on four more teams as we continue our Preview series with Group F.
Group F features an interesting mix of old and new, as Swedish champions Färjestad Karlstad return after missing the 2021/22 season, ICE outfit Villach SV return for the first time since 2014/15, DEL side Straubing Tigers make their debut in the pan-European competition and Polish club Comarch Cracovia return after a five-year absence.
Färjestad Karlstad
2021/22 SHL champions Färjestad are no new team to CHL fans – the traditional club, that have featured in Sweden’s top tier continuously since 1975, have participated in four past CHL seasons and made it to the Playoffs three times.
After a sixth-placed finish in the SHL regular season, Färjestad made it all the way to the playoffs finals, beating last season’s CHL Champions Rögle Ängelholm in the semi-finals, and after a seven-game series, they lifted their national championship trophy to secure CHL qualification.
Färjestad are the most experienced team of their group and after a hard-fought championship title run last season, the team have the confidence and quality to go places on the European club ice hockey stage.
Furthermore, they’ve been very active during the off-season, strengthening their squad in all positions, including signing Canadian goaltender Matt Tomkins from SHL and CHL rivals Frölunda Gothenburg.
Ones to Watch
Matt Tomkins – the Canadian backstop made the switch from four-time CHL Champions Frölunda to Färjestad and brings with him experience from nine CHL games in 2021/22, where he averaged a 2.45 Goals Against Average and had a 91.57% Save Percentage.
Joakim Nygård – the Swedish international is one of Färjestad’s deadliest players on the ice. The speedy winger is a creative player who led his team in total points and assists in the SHL last season. He’s also fast – really fast! The 29-year-old outskated Connor McDavid in a skills competition whilst playing for the Edmonton Oilers a few seasons back.
First Game
Färjestad Karlstad vs Villach SV, Löfbergs Arena, 2 September, 20:35 CEST
Villach SV
ICE regular season runners-up Villach are back for their second taste of the CHL. The Austrian club last played in the pan-European competition in the inaugural season of 2014/15 where they failed to make it past the Group Stage.
But they are excited to get a do-over, with Head Coach Rob Daum saying: “The Champions Hockey League is very competitive. Any team that takes part has won their way into the competition, so all teams are good and every game is going to be competitive.”
Villach made it to the ICE playoff semi-finals last season and are determined to go even further in the years to come. They’ve made numerous signings over the summer, including signing forward Andrew Desjardins from Adler Mannheim.
The ex-Chicago Blackhawks and San Jose Sharks player could be a crucial role model for the youngsters on Villach’s team and use his countless years of top-level ice hockey experience both on and off the ice in 2022/23.
Ones to watch
Jean Philippe Lamoreux – the key to a good team is always a stable and reliable goalie – and that’s exactly what JP, as he is most often called, is. With a Goals Against Average of 2.38 and a Save Percentage of 92.7% in 440 league games in the ICE, he is one of the best goaltenders in ICE history.
Robert Sabolič – Sabolič joined the team this summer and is a very talented forward, an excellent skater and has a powerful shot. The 33-year-old reads the game very well and has played for HC Ambrí-Piotta and Sparta Prague in the CHL.
First Game
Färjestad Karlstad vs Villach SV, Löfbergs Arena, 2 September, 20:35 CEST
Straubing Tigers
The Straubing Tigers are one of a select few clubs that will be making their debut in the 2022/23 season of the CHL. Despite never winning the DEL championship, the club have featured in Germany’s top league for over fifteen consecutive seasons and have made it to the playoff semi-finals and quarter-finals numerous times.
The German club originally qualified for the 2020/21 season of the CHL, but never played since the season was eventually cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but a fourth-placed regular season finish in the DEL granted them attempt #2.
“We are very excited and determined entering our upcoming CHL campaign. The very name Champions Hockey League means exactly what it is. The winners, the best teams in Europe. Our Team is no different. We want to win,” said Head Coach Tom Pokel.
Ones to Watch
Jason Akeson – Jason Akeson is a well-travelled, speedy winger with a distinctive two-way approach to the game. Last season, his first with Straubing, he set the DEL alight scoring a whopping 68 points in 52 games. That didn’t just make him his team’s scoring leader, it made him the entire league’s top scorer!
Brandon Manning – after a successful career in the NHL, Manning moved overseas to Straubing last season for a European ice hockey adventure. The defenceman’s good skating, passing, physical game and 255 games of NHL experience make him a valuable asset to the club heading into their debut CHL season.
First Game
Comarch Cracovia vs Straubing Tigers, Lodowisko im. Adama Rocha Kowalskiego, 2 September, 20:15 CEST
Comarch Cracovia
The club that were famously supported by Pope John Paul II return to the CHL for the first time in five years, qualifying for the 2022/23 season of the CHL after winning the IIHF Continental Cup for the first time in the club's history.
The 12-time Polish champions join rivals GKS Katowice as the second Polish team in the CHL for this season and are eager to impress, “Every single match will be a great experience for us. Our players will have a chance to show their talent on an international level,” said Head Coach Rudolf Roháček.
Cracovia’s roster features Czechs, Poles, Americans, Slovaks, Slovenians and others which results in a truly different style of play.
The team that finished fourth in the Polish Ekstraliga regular season and made it to the quarter-finals of the playoffs in 2021/22 have an interesting view on one of their Group F opponents – “The Swedish team are one of the main favourites to win not only our Group, but also the whole season,” explained Roháček, “when we faced them a few years ago in the CHL we didn’t get a single point.”
The goal for the Poles in 2022/23? To get their first CHL win.
Ones to Watch
Erik Němec – One of Cracovia’s Czech players. Němec has been one of the club’s best scorers since joining in 2020, scoring 64 points in 74 regular season games played.
Patryk Wronka – The Polish international joins Cracovia from rivals Katowice ahead of 2022/23. The 26-year-old has played in Czechia, Northern Ireland and France and has skated in eight CHL games, scoring four points.
First Game
Comarch Cracovia vs Straubing Tigers, Lodowisko im. Adama Rocha Kowalskiego, 2 September, 20:15 CEST
Tune in later for more Group Previews and be sure to follow the Champions Hockey League’s social media channels to stay up to date on all the latest news and reactions ahead of the 2022/23 season!