As reigning champions of the Swedish Hockey League, HV71 Jönköping is automatically one of the favourites to win this season’s Champions Hockey League. Having said that, they haven’t been able to get beyond the Round of 16 in the past, but they’re hoping the additions of former New York Islanders goalie Linus Söderström and Finnish defencemen Topi Jakola and Max Wärm from the KHL will help put them over the top. Their first challenge against an always pesky German squad from Mannheim won’t be easy.

“Our goal is 100 percent to go for winning the CHL,” declared HV71 Head Coach Johan Lindbom. About the first team standing in his way, he said: “Adler Mannheim is always a top team in the German league and has a lot of skilled players.”

“HV71 is one of the top teams in Europe and as the Swedish champions, they are one of the big favourites to win the CHL in 2017/18. The games against Jönköping are going to be a big challenge for us,” said Mannheim Head Coach Sean Simpson, who coached the Zurich Lions to a CHL title in 2008/09.