Ahead of the start of the upcoming Champions Hockey League season, we asked the Head Coaches of HC Pilsen's six Regular Season opponents what their thoughts are on the Czech team - here's what they had to say!
Rögle Ängelholm Head Coach Dan Tangnes: “They had an excellent season last year and have shown they can compete at a high level. As with every opponent in this competition, preparation will be key and we’ll make sure we’re ready.”
GKS Tychy Head Coach Pekka Tirkkonen: “Pilsen are another typical Czech team: strong with the puck, strong in one-on-one battles and creative offensively.”
Skellefteå AIK Head Coach Daniel Hermansson: “Pilsen play structured and hard-working hockey. We know we will need a strong performance to get a good result against them.”
Fribourg-Gottéron Head Coach Roger Rönnberg: “They are known for their great youth academy. They have a strong team with some players returning from the NHL, like captain Jakub Jerabek.”
Bordeaux Boxers Head Coach Olivier Dimet: “Pilsen are a very good Czech team. Czech hockey is known for its high technical and tactical level, with players who are capable of playing at a very high pace. It will be a demanding game for us. We will have to be disciplined, manage the pace of the game well and, above all, be able to play our hockey. This is exactly the kind of opposition we want in this competition.”
SaiPa Lappeenranta Head Coach Raimo Helminen: “In Lappeenranta, we are all excited, of course, to face HC Pilsen, as the Petman brothers (Mikko and Ville) play for them.”