Jukurit Mikkeli have their work cut out for them on opening night, as the Liiga club will welcome 2022 SHL Finalists and 2014/15 CHL Champions Luleå Hockey to Finland for their debut match in the pan-European competition.

Luleå's second-place finish in the SHL in 2022 punched their ticket to their fifth CHL appearance. Since winning the European Trophy back in 2014/15, the Swedes have been a steady fixture in the league and have rarely faltered, failing to make it out of the Group Stage only once during 2016/17.

In the 2019/20 campaign, the club was one game short of another Finals appearance when they were defeated by eventual Champions, Frölunda Gothenburg, in the Semi-Finals. Now, after a short hiatus from the competition, the team is ready to "play against new teams and have new challenges," according to Sports Manager Stefan Nilsson.

Since entering Liiga in 2016, Jukurit have been in the shadow of prominent clubs such as CHL alums TPS Turku, Tappara Tampere, and Kärpät Oulu. Now, however, after achieving second place this past season, Jukurit have the opportunity to showcase their brand of hockey on the greater European stage.

In only his second year as Head Coach, former NHLer and Finland native Olli Jokinen propelled his club to their best season to date and is looking forward to the chance to pit his players against a tough group saying, “it’s a great opportunity for our guys to match their skills against other countries’ top players.”

This is an interesting clash of the up-and-coming and the established - who will win this time?