Two-time national title winner Vítkovice Ridera will take on eight-time Champions Hockey League qualifiers Red Bull Munich to kick off their fourth CHL campaign at home.

With a solid regular season in the Czech Extraliga that saw them amass 102 points, Vítkovice finished second in the standings before their hopes of a finals appearance were doused in the semi-finals by CHL alum Mountfield HK. The team from Eastern Czechia tied for most Goals For with 159 and were, unsurprisingly, among the league leaders in Goals Against with 122, tied for third-best league-wide.

Roberts Bukarts and Dominik Lakatoš were Vitkovice’s point leaders with 47 points each during the 2022/23 season. Bukarts compiled 21 goals and 26 assists in 52 games while Lakatoš managed 18 goals and 29 assists. American Peter Mueller rounded out the top three scorers for the Czech side with 18 goals and 17 assists for 35 points in 36 contests.

On the opposing bench, Munich are getting set for another try at the title of European Club Champions after bringing home their fourth national title in the DEL. The German side are an ever-present participant in the pan-European competition and had a chance at the title in the 2018/19 campaign. Since then, they’ve continued to be competitive making it the Quarter-Finals a year later and then the Semi-Finals in 2021/22.

With the high of a national title still fresh, look for Munich to bring their compete level once more against Europe’s elite. Their top scorers Yasin Ehliz (21G, 39A) and Austin Ortega (27G, 28A) are the driving force up front while former Karlstad defenceman Jonathon Blum (4G, 37A) will hold down the backend, as the Germans have pieced together another skilled squad that has shown it can make another run.

They've also changed Head Coach ahead of 2023/24, with the legendary Don Jackson retiring, making way for Toni Söderholm. How will this impact their identity and play? We'll have to see!