Mountfield HK will make their debut in the Champions Hockey League at home to TPS Turku, who have been in the competition since it began in 2014/15. The Finns' previous CHL best was getting to the Quarter-Finals in 2015/16. With reigning Swiss champions SC Bern as favourites to win the group, this matchup could go some way to deciding who also makes the next round.

“I have some personal experiences with Finnish hockey since I had the honour to coach teams Lukko Rauma and Ilves Tampere," acknowledged Mountfield Head Coach Václav Sýkora. "TPS Turku was always a top quality team and I do expect it still is a great team today. I think their players will be great physical skaters and the team will be well-organized on defence and offence.”

On the opposite bench will be former KHL coach with Jokerit, Kalle Kaskinen. The 43-year-old coached TPS's U20s team last season and was also an assistant coach of Team Finland at the World Championships. He knows what Czech teams are good at, and also expects more: “The Czechs are building a new identity to their hockey, with speed and skill combined with relentless defensive pressure.”