Ahead of the start of the upcoming Champions Hockey League season, we asked the Head Coaches of Ilves Tampere's six Regular Season opponents what their thoughts are on the Finnish team - here's what they had to say!
Oceláři Třinec Head Coach Zdeněk Moták: “Ilves have a strong num- ber of Czechs and rely on quality Czech goaltenders. We are looking forward to the match, as well as the modern arena in Tampere.”
Vítkovice Ridera Head Coach Miloš Holaň: “Surprisingly, a team with many Czech players, especially goaltenders – so we expect to see Czech goaltending at its very best. Offensive players like Kodýtek, Kos or Stránský mostly know about us and we know what to expect from them. But it is going to be a very big challenge. We expect high quality skating and a strong, fast opponent.”
Färjestad Karlstad Head Coach Tomas Mitell: “Finnish teams are always good teams, and I expect nothing else from Ilves. They have a few familiar names on their roster so it’s going to be a tough game for us.”
Dynamo Pardubice Head Coach Václav Varaďa: “Ilves have been a top team in Liiga for a number of seasons. They play an aggressive style of hockey with speed and great movement. The team has foreign players who help move the team’s performance forward. They also have Czech players in the squad so it will be interesting for our fans.”
HC Bolzano Head Coach Niklas Sundblad: “Finnish hockey is very defensive and I expect a solid team – they aren’t one of the best teams in Finland for no reason. Since we will be playing in front of our fans, we will try to take full advantage of our home ice.”
Rouen Dragons Head Coach Fabrice Lhenry: “Ilves are a team that have been competing for the top spot in Finland for a few years now. Despite a dozen players leaving, they remain a very competitive team that want to go far in the CHL. It will be a chance for our supporters to see them play in Rouen.”
Find out more about Ilves Tampere in the video below!