Red Bull Munich

60 minutes separated Munich from another shot at the CHL Final, but a tough Tappara team would be their Achilles’ heel as the German side were ousted after a 3-0 Semi-Finals clash. Revenge doesn’t have to wait for this club, though, as they’ll be facing off against their Finnish rivals to begin the 2022/23 campaign. “We lost to them last year in the Semi-Finals. This year we want to have the better end on our side,” said Munich’s Sport Director Christian Winkler.

Their domestic season saw them fare a bit better, but unfortunately, the team from Germany’s third largest city fell short again, this time in the DEL finals. Still, their performance garnered them their seventh CHL qualification and with it a chance at redemption. With the memories of that last loss still fresh in the minds of many Munich players, look for this club to come out strong when puck drops in September.

Ones to Watch

Julian Lutz – In his small sample size with Munich, the 43rd overall draft pick from the 2022 NHL Entry Draft has shown promise and poise on the backend. Lutz’s gap control and ability to dictate the play from the point make him indispensable at the blueline.

Frederik Tiffels – Tiffels led the CHL in goals (8) last year and was tied for second in overall points in the CHL with 14. A year more of maturity for the 27-year-old bodes well for both his stats and his team.

First Game

Rapperswil-Jona Lakers VS. Red Bull Munich, St. Galler Kantonalbank Arena, 1 September, 20:00 CEST

Slovan Bratislava

Last year, Slovan had a hard go at it in their first CHL campaign. Failing to claim a victory, the Slovakian club came away from the Group Stage empty-handed. “Last year we didn’t win any points. So the first goal is to improve that record this year,” admitted Sports Director Oto Haščák, before adding, “we don’t consider ourselves to be favourites in this group, but we’ll fight for every point.”

Slovan were crowned champions of their domestic league after dispatching HK Nitra in their five-game series.  A stellar showing in the regular season where they finished top with 104 points, the Slovakians amassed 32 wins and were tied for the most goals scored with 189 while they gave up the fewest with 118.

Ones to Watch

Brant Harris – The three-time CHLer only played in two CHL games with Slovan last season, but has compiled 17 points (9G,8A) in 22 contests. He scored 59 points in 49 games in the Slovak Extraliga last season, achieving his best career year in five seasons.

Tomáš Zigo – Another Slovan player with CHL experience, Zigo did the most damage for his club last season, contributing three points (1G,2A) in six games to put him at seven points in 14 CHL games total.

First Game

Slovan Bratislava VS. Tappara Tampere, Ondrej Nepela Arena, 1 September, 19:30 CEST

Rapperswil-Jona Lakers

After returning to Switzerland’s National League in 2018/19, Rapperswil-Jona have been climbing the ranks of Swiss hockey at a rapid pace. A tenth-place finish in 2020/21 was followed up by a much-improved fourth-place result in 2021/22; and while the club fell short during their playoffs run, losing in the quarter-finals to fellow CHL club HC Davos, the Rapperswil-Jona organisation continues to position itself as a competitor in the NL.

The Swiss side is one of the clubs skating in their first-ever CHL campaign. Looking ahead to their group and the challenges that await, Rapperswil-Jona’s Sport Director Janick Steinmann acknowledged that they’ll face, “a really tough group with very strong teams,” but didn’t shy away from the fact that he’s, “really excited about the group” and that, “it’ll be a great challenge for us.”

Ones to Watch

Nathan Vouardoux – The 21-year-old was awarded “Youngster of the Year” at the Swiss Ice Hockey Awards and cemented himself as a top-four defender. In his first season with Rapperswil-Jona, he mustered 16 points in 44 games.

Roman Červenka – A household name in Czech hockey, the 36-year-old from Prague was a force last season with 64 points in 52 games to lead the NL in scoring. 

First Game

Rapperswil-Jona Lakers VS. Red Bull Munich, St. Galler Kantonalbank Arena, 1 September, 20:00 CEST

Tappara Tampere

Seven seasons and seven consecutive postseason appearances later, Tappara finally found themselves in the CHL Final. Yet their Cinderella run would come to a bitter end when the Finns were bested by CHL newcomers Rögle Ängelholm in a 2-1 defeat. With the pain still palpable, Tappara look to repeat their success from last season and carry the momentum from a strong domestic showing.

It wasn’t all bad for the CHL Runners-Up as they went on to win the Liiga championship by defeating TPS Turku in their best-of-seven series. After finishing the regular season with the top record, the club from Tampere powered through the Liiga Playoffs to secure their 18th championship and with it their eighth CHL qualification.

Ones to Watch

Christian Heljanko – Now playing in his sixth season with Tappara, Heljanko has yet to have a sub .900 SV% and sports an impressive 2.11 GAA during that time span. Last year in the CHL, the 25-year-old netminder made 238 saves and featured in 27 games.

Topi Rönni – The centreman has yet to play with the big club, but from his production in juniors – 20 points in 21 games – Rönni’s impact on the ice is undeniable. Known more as a supportive player, the Finnish forward has a strong passing game and potential to be a playmaker.

First Game

Slovan Bratislava VS. Tappara Tampere, Ondrej Nepela Arena, 1 September, 19:30 CEST

Tune in later this week 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!