Sweden got their first two qualifiers in quick succession, as both Skellefteå AIK and the Växjö Lakers secured their places in the line-up for 2023/24 in late February.

Växjö, who made it all the way to the CHL Final in 2018, ended up topping the SHL table with 102 points while seven-time CHL participants Skellefteå qualified from their second-place finish in the regular season.

Both clubs are still in the race for the title of Swedish champions, each battling for their place in the final which could see them battle it out between each other for the trophy. 

A busy February of Champions Hockey League qualifiers was rounded out by Swiss side EHC Biel-Bienne who made a return to Europe's biggest club ice hockey stage after securing second place in the National League regular season.

This historic achievement is the club's best regular season finish in this century and a huge show of form, as the club from the famous Swiss watchmaking city beat familiar CHL names such as EV Zug, HC Davos and ZSC Lions Zurich by nearly 10 points in the first phase of the 2022/23 season. 

Biel-Bienne's dream of being crowned Swiss champions is also still alive - they are currently battling Zurich in the semi-finals with the hope of making it to the final. 

The first weekend in March gave us three qualifiers from three different countries. First up were DEL side ERC Ingolstadt, who made a big return to the CHL after being out for over five seasons! 

The German club participated in the CHL three times between 2014 and 2017, finishing in the Group Stage twice, and became the second team from the country to qualify for 2023/24.

Second up were Finnish side Ilves Tampere, who qualified for the CHL for a second season in a row. 

Local rivals Tappara Tampere lifted the European Trophy last season as the two teams became the very first teams to play in the CHL from the same city, same arena even. 

Czech Extraliga side Vítkovice Ridera also made a spectacular return to the CHL after over five seasons out thanks to a second-place finish in the regular season.

The club are still in the race for their domestic title, currently battling in the semi-finals. 

We've already mentioned Tappara Tampere qualifying for the upcoming season as European Club Champions, but the Finns also earned qualification through their domestic league where they topped the Liiga table. Are they qualified twice? 

No. Their extra place moved on to third-placed finishers Lukko Rauma who return to the CHL after missing 2022/23. The Finnish club have made it to the CHL Quarter-Finals twice and to the Semi-Finals once - will it be the Final in 2023/24?

We also got our first Challenger League qualifier - the Belfast Giants!

The Giants, who defended their EIHL championship, will represent the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in Europe's biggest club ice hockey competition for a second season in a row.

Giants fans really took to the CHL last season, supporting their team against continental Europe's very best. A highlight of their 2022/23 campaign was a nail-biting 3-2 shootout victory over four-time Czech Extraliga champions Oceláři Třinec.

Our most recent qualifier are a club that have qualified for the Champions Hockey League for the very first time - HC Innsbruck.

The Austrian club have played in the country's top tier since 2012/13 and a third-place finish in the ICE Hockey League regular season, and some luck in the playoffs, have seen them clinch their very first opportunity to venture onto Europe's biggest club ice hockey scene.

Stay tuned to our website and social media channels to find out about any new qualifiers for the upcoming 2023/24 season of the Champions Hockey League.