2017–18 Champions Hockey League

The 2017–18 Champions Hockey League is the fourth season of the Champions Hockey League, a European ice hockey tournament. The tournament was reduced to 32 teams, and qualification was on sporting merits only. The six founding leagues are represented by between three and five teams (based on a three-year league ranking), while seven "challenge leagues" are represented by one team each. One place was reserved for the Continental Cup champion. Unlike in the three previous editions, founding teams did not automatically qualify.[1] The season concluded with the final on 6 February 2018 at Vida Arena where JYP beat Växjö Lakers 2–0, becoming the first non-Swedish team to win the title.

2017–18 Champions Hockey League
Tournament details
Dates24 August 2017 – 6 February 2018
Teams32
Final positions
Champions  JYP
Runner-up  Växjö Lakers
Third place  Oceláři Třinec
Bílí Tygři Liberec
Tournament statistics
Matches played125
Goals scored735 (5.88 per match)
Attendance421,134 (3,369 per match)
Scoring leader(s) Fredrik Pettersson
(16 points)
MVP Šimon Hrubec

Team allocation

A total of 32 teams from different European first-tier leagues participate in the 2017–18 Champions Hockey League. Besides the Continental Cup champions, 24 teams from the six founding leagues, as well as the national champions from Slovakia, Norway, Denmark, France, Belarus, Great Britain and Poland qualified.[2][3]

The qualification for these places was set out in the rules as follows:[4]

  1. National league champion (play-off winners)
  2. Regular season winners
  3. Regular season runner-up
  4. Losing play-off finalist
  5. Higher regular season ranked losing semi-finalist
  6. Lower regular season ranked losing semi-finalist
  7. Third placed team in regular season
  8. Fourth placed team in regular season
  9. Fifth placed team in regular season.

Teams

Team City/Area League Qualification Participation Previous best
Frölunda HC Gothenburg Swedish Hockey League 2017 CHL winner 4th champion
HV71 Jönköping Swedish Hockey League play-off champion 4th round of 16
Växjö Lakers Växjö Swedish Hockey League regular season winner 4th semi-finals
Brynäs IF Gävle Swedish Hockey League play-off finalist 1st
Malmö Redhawks Malmö Swedish Hockey League play-off semi-finalist 1st
Tappara Tampere Liiga play-off champion 4th round of 16
TPS Turku Liiga regular season runner-up 4th quarter-finals
KalPa Kuopio Liiga play-off finalist 4th round of 16
JYP Jyväskylä Liiga play-off semi-finalist 4th round of 16
HIFK Helsinki Liiga play-off semi-finalist 4th quarter-finals
SC Bern Bern National League play-off champion 4th quarter-finals
ZSC Lions Zürich National League regular season runner-up 4th quarter-finals
EV Zug Zug National League play-off finalist 4th round of 32
HC Davos Davos National League play-off semi-finalist 3rd semi-finals
Kometa Brno Brno Czech Extraliga play-off champion 1st
Bílí Tygři Liberec Liberec Czech Extraliga regular season winner 4th round of 16
Oceláři Třinec Třinec Czech Extraliga regular season runner-up 3rd round of 32
Mountfield HK Hradec Králové Czech Extraliga play-off semi-finalist 1st
Red Bull München Munich Deutsche Eishockey Liga play-off champion 3rd round of 32
Adler Mannheim Mannheim Deutsche Eishockey Liga regular season runner-up 4th round of 32
Grizzlys Wolfsburg Wolfsburg Deutsche Eishockey Liga play-off finalist 2nd round of 32
Vienna Capitals Vienna Austrian Hockey League play-off champion 4th round of 16
Red Bull Salzburg Salzburg Austrian Hockey League regular season runner-up 4th round of 16
EC KAC Klagenfurt Austrian Hockey League play-off finalist 2nd group stage
Nottingham Panthers Nottingham Elite Ice Hockey League Continental Cup winner 2nd group stage
Cardiff Devils Cardiff Elite Ice Hockey League regular season champion 1st
HC '05 Banská Bystrica Banská Bystrica Tipsport Liga play-off champion 1st
Stavanger Oilers Stavanger GET-ligaen play-off champion 4th round of 32
Neman Grodno Grodno Belarusian Extraleague play-off champion 2nd group stage
Esbjerg Energy Esbjerg Metal Ligaen play-off champion 2nd group stage
Rapaces de Gap Gap Ligue Magnus play-off champion 3rd group stage
ComArch Cracovia Kraków Polska Hokej Liga play-off champion 2nd group stage

Group stage

Teams in the 2017–18 Champions Hockey League.
Black: Group A; Purple: Group B; Blue: Group C; Red: Group D; Orange: Group E; Green: Group F; White: Group G; Yellow: Group H.

For the group stage, the teams were drawn into 8 groups of 4 teams. Each team plays home and away against every other team for a total of 6 games. The best 2 teams qualify to the round of 16.[1]

As the reigning CHL champions, Frölunda HC was the top seeded team. In the top pot were also the reigning champions of the six founding leagues and the regular season winner of SHL, Växjö Lakers. The 16 remaining teams from founding leagues were placed to pots 2 and 3. The fourth pot included playoff champions of seven challenge leagues and Nottingham Panthers, the champion of 2016–17 IIHF Continental Cup.

Group stage tie-breaking criteria

If two teams are tied in points after the group stage is finished, the teams precedence is decided by head-to-head games. If teams are tied after that, then the team which was ranked higher prior to the tournament will take precedence. When comparing head-to-head results, the following criteria will be applied:[5]

1. more points in games against the other tied team 2. better goal difference in games against the other tied team 3. more goals scored against the other tied team 4. more goals scored in a single game against the other tied team

If the head-to-head games between teams ended as draws after regulation, this additional criterion will be applied:

5. overtime wins against the other tied team

If the head-to-head games between teams ended with game winning shots, this additional criterion will be applied:

6. more goals scored in the two game winning shot competitions

If teams are still tied, the higher position in the 2016/17 CHL club ranking will decide about precedence.

Pot 1 Pot 2 Pot 3 Pot 4

Frölunda HC
HV71
Tappara
SC Bern
Kometa Brno
Red Bull München
Vienna Capitals
Växjö Lakers

TPS
ZSC Lions
Bílí Tygři Liberec
Adler Mannheim
Red Bull Salzburg
Brynäs IF
KalPa
EV Zug

Oceláři Třinec
Grizzlys Wolfsburg
EC KAC
Malmö Redhawks
JYP
HC Davos
Mountfield HK
HIFK

HC '05 Banská Bystrica
Stavanger Oilers
Neman Grodno
Esbjerg Energy
Cardiff Devils
Rapaces de Gap
ComArch Cracovia
Nottingham Panthers

Group A

Pos Team Pld W OTW OTL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification TAP RBS WOB BAB
1 Tappara 6 5 0 0 1 26 11 +15 15 Advance to Playoffs 4–2 4–2 3–0
2 Red Bull Salzburg 6 3 0 0 3 20 22 2 9 1–6 4–3 5–0
3 Grizzlys Wolfsburg 6 2 0 0 4 15 23 8 6 1–7 4–5 4–3
4 HC '05 Banská Bystrica 6 2 0 0 4 13 18 5 6 5–2 5–3 0–1

Group B

Pos Team Pld W OTW OTL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification MAL KOM KAL OIL
1 Malmö Redhawks 6 4 0 1 1 23 17 +6 13 Advance to Playoffs 3–0 6–2 2–1
2 Kometa Brno 6 2 3 0 1 18 15 +3 12 5–4 (OT) 3–2 (OT) 4–3 (OT)
3 KalPa 6 3 0 1 2 25 22 +3 10 6–4 2–4 7–1
4 Stavanger Oilers 6 0 0 1 5 13 25 12 1 3–4 1–2 4–6

Group C

Pos Team Pld W OTW OTL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification EVZ JYP NEM VIC
1 EV Zug 6 3 1 0 2 20 16 +4 11 Advance to Playoffs 6–3 3–2 (SO) 3–1
2 JYP 6 3 1 0 2 16 15 +1 11 3–2 3–2 (SO) 4–1
3 Neman Grodno 6 1 1 3 1 18 18 0 8 2–3 3–0 5–4 (OT)
4 Vienna Capitals 6 1 1 1 3 17 22 5 6 5–3 1–3 5–4 (SO)

Group D

Pos Team Pld W OTW OTL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification MAN TRI HV71 ESB
1 Adler Mannheim 6 5 0 0 1 26 12 +14 15 Advance to Playoffs 6–2 6–3 4–1
2 Oceláři Třinec 6 4 0 1 1 20 10 +10 13 3–0 3–0 9–1
3 HV71 6 2 1 0 3 16 16 0 8 1–4 2–1 (SO) 3–0
4 Esbjerg Energy 6 0 0 0 6 7 31 24 0 2–6 1–2 2–7

Group E

Pos Team Pld W OTW OTL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification VLH LIB HCD CAR
1 Växjö Lakers 6 4 1 0 1 22 16 +6 14 Advance to Playoffs 6–3 5–3 3–2
2 Bílí Tygři Liberec 6 3 0 1 2 24 21 +3 10 3–4 (OT) 4–3 5–2
3 HC Davos 6 2 0 1 3 22 19 +3 7 0–3 3–2 10–1
4 Cardiff Devils 6 1 1 0 4 17 29 12 5 5–1 3–7 4–3 (OT)

Group F

Pos Team Pld W OTW OTL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification NOT SCB TPS MHK
1 Nottingham Panthers 6 3 1 0 2 18 17 +1 11 Advance to Playoffs 4–2 2–0 4–3 (OT)
2 SC Bern 6 3 0 0 3 21 16 +5 9 5–2 4–0 5–2
3 TPS 6 3 0 0 3 12 15 3 9 5–2 3–1 3–1
4 Mountfield HK 6 2 0 1 3 18 21 3 7 2–4 5–4 5–1

Group G

Pos Team Pld W OTW OTL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification RBM BIF HIFK CRA
1 Red Bull München 6 5 0 0 1 21 11 +10 15 Advance to Playoffs 2–3 4–1 6–2
2 Brynäs IF 6 4 1 0 1 25 12 +13 14 2–3 4–3 (SO) 8–0
3 HIFK 6 2 0 1 3 20 20 0 7 2–4 2–5 6–3
4 ComArch Cracovia 6 0 0 0 6 8 31 23 0 1–2 2–3 0–6

Group H

Pos Team Pld W OTW OTL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification FHC ZSC KAC GAP
1 Frölunda HC 6 5 1 0 0 21 10 +11 17 Advance to Playoffs 5–4 (OT) 2–1 5–1
2 ZSC Lions 6 3 0 2 1 24 10 +14 11 1–2 3–0 4–0
3 EC KAC 6 2 1 0 3 15 15 0 8 2–4 2–1 (OT) 4–2
4 Rapaces de Gap 6 0 0 0 6 8 33 25 0 1–3 1–11 3–6

Playoffs

Qualified teams

Group Winners (seed) Runners-up
A Tappara (2) Red Bull Salzburg
B Malmö Redhawks (6) Kometa Brno
C EV Zug (7) JYP
D Adler Mannheim (3) Oceláři Třinec
E Växjö Lakers (5) Bílí Tygři Liberec
F Nottingham Panthers (8) SC Bern
G Red Bull München (4) Brynäs IF
H Frölunda HC (1) ZSC Lions

Format

In each round except the final, the teams will play two games and the aggregate score will decide the team which advances. As a rule, the first leg will be hosted by the team who has inferior record in the tournament so far and the second leg will be played on the home ice of the other team. If aggregate score is tied, a sudden death overtime will follow. If the overtime is scoreless, the team who wins the game winning shot competition advances.[5]

The final will be played on the home ice of team who has better record in the tournament on February 6, 2018.

Bracket

The 8 group winners and the 8 second-placed teams advanced to the Round of 16. The teams were divided into two seeding groups and group winners were randomly drawn against runners-up. Teams who had faced each other in the group stage couldn't be drawn against each other in the round of 16.[5] The draw took place in Helsinki, Finland on October 13, 2017.[6]

  Round of 16 Quarter-finals Semi-finals Final
                                         
  JYP 3 2 5  
  Tappara 1 3 4  
    JYP 3 5 8  
    Kometa Brno 3 3 6  
  Kometa Brno 4 5 9
  EV Zug 3 2 5  
    JYP (SO) 4 3 7  
    Oceláři Třinec 2 4 6  
  Brynäs IF 3 2 5  
  Adler Mannheim 2 1 3  
    Brynäs IF 1 3 4
    Oceláři Třinec 3 5 8  
  Oceláři Třinec 2 2 4
  Malmö Redhawks 1 1 2  
    JYP 2
    Växjö Lakers 0
  Red Bull Salzburg 2 3 5  
  Växjö Lakers 1 5 6  
    Växjö Lakers 2 4 6
    SC Bern 3 2 5  
  SC Bern 2 5 7
  Red Bull München 3 2 5  
    Växjö Lakers 1 6 7
    Bílí Tygři Liberec 1 1 2  
  ZSC Lions 3 3 6  
  Nottingham Panthers 1 0 1  
    ZSC Lions 1 0 1
    Bílí Tygři Liberec (SO) 0 2 2  
  Bílí Tygři Liberec (OT) 2 6 8
  Frölunda HC 3 4 7  

Note:

  1. The teams listed on top of each tie were runners up in the group stage and play the first leg at home. The bottom team were group winners and play the second leg at home. Due to conflicting schedules however, both Malmö Redhawks and Adler Mannheim ended up playing their first legs at home.
  2. The order of the legs (what team starts at home) in the future rounds may be changed as the team with best record should have second match at home.

Round of 16

The draw for the entire playoff was held on 13 October 2017 in Helsinki. The first legs were played on 31 October with return legs played the following week.

Team 1 Agg. Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
JYP 5–4 Tappara 3–1 2–3
Kometa Brno 9–5 EV Zug 4–3 5–2
Brynäs IF 5–3 Adler Mannheim 3–2 2–1
Oceláři Třinec 4–2 Malmö Redhawks 2–1 2–1
Red Bull Salzburg 5–6 Växjö Lakers 2–1 3–5
SC Bern 7–5 Red Bull München 2–3 5–2
ZSC Lions 6–1 Nottingham Panthers 3–1 3–0
Bílí Tygři Liberec 8–7 Frölunda HC 2–3 6–4 OT

Quarter-finals

First legs were played on 5 December, return legs were played on 12 December.

Team 1 Agg. Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
JYP 8–6 Kometa Brno 3–3 5–3
Brynäs IF 4–8 Oceláři Třinec 1–3 3–5
Växjö Lakers 6–5 SC Bern 2–4 3–2
ZSC Lions 1–2 Bílí Tygři Liberec 1–0 0–2 SO

Semi-finals

First legs were played on 9 January, return legs were played on 16 January 2018.

Team 1 Agg. Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
JYP 7–6 Oceláři Třinec 4–2 3–4 SO
Växjö Lakers 7–2 Bílí Tygři Liberec 1–1 6–1

Final

The final was played on 6 February 2018.

6 February 2018
18:45
Växjö Lakers 0–2
(0–0, 0–1, 0–1)
JYPVida Arena, Växjö
Attendance: 5,750

Statistics

Scoring leaders

Player Team GP G A PTS PIM +/– GWG PPG SHG SOG S%
Fredrik Pettersson ZSC Lions997164+74403724.32%
Ryan Lasch Frölunda HC7411154+52102119.05%
Martin Bakoš Bílí Tygři Liberec10104144+51314223.81%
Andrew Ebbett SC Bern1047112–50103013.33%
Jiří Polanský Oceláři Třinec12381110+50101816.67%
Joel Persson Växjö Lakers13110112+4010323.13%
Kevin Clark Brynäs IF846102+32203112.9%
Jarkko Immonen JYP1246106+30103710.81%
Robert Nilsson ZSC Lions819100+6000147.14%
Adam Almqvist Frölunda HC7010104+5000140.00%

Source: championshockeyleague.net

Leading goaltenders

Only the top five goaltenders, based on save percentage, who have played at least 40% of their team's minutes, are included in this list.

Player Team GP W L SV GA SV% GAA SO MIN
Šimon Hrubec Oceláři Třinec10912781196.19%1.072615
Niklas Schlegel ZSC Lions53283495.40%0.782309
Tomáš Duba EC KAC32187594.57%1.670180
Lukas Flüeler ZSC Lions532122893.85%1.592301
Juho Olkinuora JYP9612451793.51%2.061495

Source: championshockeyleague.net

References

  1. "New CHL format for 2017–18! 32 teams & on-ice qualification only". championshockeyleague.net. 2016-06-14. Archived from the original on 2016-11-30. Retrieved 2017-02-02.
  2. "Nottingham Panthers confirmed for 2017-18". championshockeyleague.net. 2017-01-25. Archived from the original on 2017-02-11. Retrieved 2017-02-09.
  3. "Wildcard spots confirmed for Poland and Great Britain". championshockeyleague.net. 2017-03-14. Archived from the original on 2017-03-15. Retrieved 2017-03-14.
  4. "Number of teams for founding leagues in 2017-18 confirmed". championshockeyleague.net. 2017-02-13. Archived from the original on 2017-02-14. Retrieved 2017-02-16.
  5. "CHL sport regulations 2017/18" (PDF). championshockeyleague.net. Champions Hockey League. p. 15. Retrieved 3 October 2017.
  6. "Watch the playoff draw live on 13 October". championshockeyleague.com. 6 October 2017. Retrieved 13 October 2017.
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