Today in Prague, representatives of the Champions Hockey League, Tipsport Extraliga and four Czech teams joined for a press conference at the Czech Hockey Hall of Fame.

Looking forward to the new Champions Hockey League season, CEO Martin Baumann presented the facts and figures from the last season to the assembled journalists, as well as giving them insight into some new items coming up this season.

Each of the teams were then asked for statements about this upcoming CHL campaign. "We are happy to be in the Champions League again," said Tomas Martinec, Head Coach of Mountfield HK. "We want to play well and represent both our club and our whole city well."

"We are waiting for interesting games with these opponents," commented Kometa Brno's CEO David Trunda. "We have Eisbären Berlin, Swiss team Zug and Belarus' champions Neman Grodno. When the season starts we want to play high-quality matches and involve young players from the Kometa Academy."

"We are glad to come back after a season out," affirmed HC Pilsen Head Coach Ladislav Čihák. "In our group we have champions JYP Jyvaskylä, Swiss side Lugano and Slovak champions from Banská Bystrica. Our opponents are therefore very good, and our goal much like that of Kometa Brno's - that we will also give some of our younger players a chance to show what they can do on a European stage."

"We want to ensure our participation in CHL every year and qualify by doing well in our own league," said Oceláři Třinec's CEO Marek Chimel . "We look forward to great matches and we also use this competition for marketing purposes. We are preparing a trip for fans and sponsors along the lines of a 'Golf Tour'."