Starting off our three-part Top 3 series which will culminate with us announcing our six-man Team of the Group Stage next Friday is our pick of the best forwards of the first phase of the 2022/23 season of the Champions Hockey League.
Forwards are the go-to men on their teams when points need to be delivered and games have to be won. Here's a look at our Top 3 Forwards who made their presence on the ice felt over the course of the Group Stage.
Zach Boychuk - Eisbären Berlin
Eisbären Berlin had their struggles again this season, posting a 2-4 record to match their output of last year, but improvements have been made at least on a personnel level. Last season, their highest-ranked player, Matthew White, was 42nd league-wide with seven tallies for seven points. This time around, however, the German outfit had one of the league’s top scorers in Zach Boychuk.
The 33-year-old Canadian led all Berlin forwards with eight tucks and three helpers for 11 points through six contests. Boychuk’s numbers are good enough for third place in scoring. His best matches, both 4-point efforts, came against Grenoble on Game Days 1 and 4. He followed his first showing, a two goal and two assist affair, with a hattrick and an assist against the French side.
Ryan Lasch - Frölunda Gothenburg
Ryan Lasch took top honours in the scoring race last year, netting four goals and adding 18 assists to an already table-topping point total in his CHL tenure. After the Group Stage, the Frölunda forward is again at the top with five goals and 11 assists for 16 points through six tilts. In seven previous seasons, Lasch has been at, or among, the top of the scorers’ list and has led the CHL in scoring a record four times, including the past three consecutive seasons.
Frölunda have had no problem finding the net so far in the 2022/23 campaign, and the former CHL Champion has been a key contributor with his best night also coming against Grenoble on their Game Day 6 fixture that saw the American produce two goals and three assists for five points to go along with five shots on net.
Brian O’Neill - EV Zug
Among the four Swiss clubs moving on to the postseason, EV Zug have been the most dominant, collecting 17 out of a possible 18 points. Of Zug’s 15 forwards, Brian O'Neill has easily been the most productive, notching 12 points (5G,7A) through six games. Teammates Dario Simion and Sven Senteler are tied for second in the scoring race with five points each, which is considerably lower than the output of their teammate.
This is the American’s first season in the CHL and he’s finding his footing nicely with 17 SOG and a +/- of +9. O’Neill posted a 4-point effort against TPS Turku in their Game Day 4 feature and has secured multi-point showings in three consecutive match-ups. The 34-year-old is currently ranked second behind Lasch in scoring and will have a chance to add to his totals come November.
Don't forget to tune in next week to find out who made our other Top 3 lists and ultimately who made our Team of the Group Stage!