2014-2015 Champions Hockey League

[vorky]

It is not about rooting for/against it. It is about reality and dreams. You can dream, I wont.

It is a big difference among KHL in Germany and ET/ECC in Germany. Other countries the same.

 

[ForumNamePending]

It is a big difference among KHL in Germany and ET/ECC in Germany. Other countries the same.

How so... Why will Germany embrace the KHL but not some other format? Looking for something a bit more detailed than 'money and will'.

 

[vorky]

How so... Why will Germany embrace the KHL but not some other format? Looking for something a bit more detailed than 'money and will'.

you are right that it is more complicated than 'money and will'. This thread in not about KHL but ECC.

If you want to talk about ECC, we can.

 

[Mory Schneideur*]

Timo Everi confirms Champion's league will start next year: http://yle.fi/urheilu/jaakiekon_mestarien_liiga_vauhtiin_ensi_syksyna/6881684

Set to start September 2014, details will be revealed in December. Clubs from Finland, Sweden, Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Czech Republic. Negotiations on going with KHL(Harkimo confirms Jokerit are interested in playing in it). According to YLE, more details coming later this week.

This is great! Will the NHL be participating, or will they make this a "Euro Tournament" and then have the winners play NHL clubs in the Victoria Cup?

I would love to see the top 6 Champion's League teams face off against 6 NHL teams in a mini tourney for the Victoria Cup! The 6 NHL teams would be the 4 Stanley Cup finalists, the Top East and Top West team. Alternately would be cool to see the winners of each NHL division and the 2 Stanley Cup finalists.

 

[Jussi]

This is great! Will the NHL be participating, or will they make this a "Euro Tournament" and then have the winners play NHL clubs in the Victoria Cup?

I would love to see the top 6 Champion's League teams face off against 6 NHL teams in a mini tourney for the Victoria Cup! The 6 NHL teams would be the 4 Stanley Cup finalists, the Top East and Top West team. Alternately would be cool to see the winners of each NHL division and the 2 Stanley Cup finalists.

It's called European Champions Competition. No NHL. Current European Trophy clubs are share holders (plus all the SHL teams) in the tournament. Victoria Cup would happen 2015 earliest then.

 

[Mory Schneideur*]

It's called European Champions Competition. No NHL. Current European Trophy clubs are share holders (plus all the SHL teams) in the tournament. Victoria Cup would happen 2015 earliest then.

So is this the same thing as the Champions League they tried in the past, or is this something different?

IIHF site lists this:
European club competition started in the 1965-1966 season with the European Cup. Firstly, it was a competition in a playoff format which was later replaced into group stages.
From the 1996-1997 season the European Cup was replaced by the European Hockey League (EHL). It began with a group stage followed by a head-to-head knockout and a final tournament. The EHL was not played anymore after 2000.
Parallely with the introduction of the EHL, the Continental Cup was created for those teams which were not qualified to play in the EHL. It is composed of four group stages and has competitors of dozens of nations.
The European Champions Cup (ECC) was introduced for the 2004-2005 seasons as the successor of the EHL. The champions of the best six European federations, according to the IIHF World Ranking, are divided into two groups. The group winners play the final game.
The Champions Hockey League (CHL) replaces the ECC from the 2008-2009 season. The champions of the top-6 nations and six qualifiers play the main stage of the competition (4 groups of 3 teams each). The qualifiers will be determined by two qualifying stages containing the runner-ups of the top-6 nations and the champions of the 18 following nations. Afterwards, the semi-final and final will be played in head-to-head games at the participators' home venues.
The Victoria Cup starts from 2008-2009. Clubs from Europe, determinded by the ECC and CHL respectively, and the National Hockey League will compete for the trophy. More information is to follow.
The European Women's Champions Cup (EWCC) was introduced in the 2004-2005 season as the main competition for winners of the national championships accross Europe. It is played in three group stages.

So does this mean they are scrapping the Champions League and going back to ECC or they plan on doing both somehow?

 

[vorky]

So is this the same thing as the Champions League they tried in the past, or is this something different?

IIHF site lists this:
European club competition started in the 1965-1966 season with the European Cup. Firstly, it was a competition in a playoff format which was later replaced into group stages.
From the 1996-1997 season the European Cup was replaced by the European Hockey League (EHL). It began with a group stage followed by a head-to-head knockout and a final tournament. The EHL was not played anymore after 2000.
Parallely with the introduction of the EHL, the Continental Cup was created for those teams which were not qualified to play in the EHL. It is composed of four group stages and has competitors of dozens of nations.
The European Champions Cup (ECC) was introduced for the 2004-2005 seasons as the successor of the EHL. The champions of the best six European federations, according to the IIHF World Ranking, are divided into two groups. The group winners play the final game.
The Champions Hockey League (CHL) replaces the ECC from the 2008-2009 season. The champions of the top-6 nations and six qualifiers play the main stage of the competition (4 groups of 3 teams each). The qualifiers will be determined by two qualifying stages containing the runner-ups of the top-6 nations and the champions of the 18 following nations. Afterwards, the semi-final and final will be played in head-to-head games at the participators' home venues.
The Victoria Cup starts from 2008-2009. Clubs from Europe, determinded by the ECC and CHL respectively, and the National Hockey League will compete for the trophy. More information is to follow.
The European Women's Champions Cup (EWCC) was introduced in the 2004-2005 season as the main competition for winners of the national championships accross Europe. It is played in three group stages.

So does this mean they are scrapping the Champions League and going back to ECC or they plan on doing both somehow?

It is Nordic Trophy 3.0

Do you think that there will be any succesful Champions League?

 

[Jussi]

So is this the same thing as the Champions League they tried in the past, or is this something different?

IIHF site lists this:
European club competition started in the 1965-1966 season with the European Cup. Firstly, it was a competition in a playoff format which was later replaced into group stages.
From the 1996-1997 season the European Cup was replaced by the European Hockey League (EHL). It began with a group stage followed by a head-to-head knockout and a final tournament. The EHL was not played anymore after 2000.
Parallely with the introduction of the EHL, the Continental Cup was created for those teams which were not qualified to play in the EHL. It is composed of four group stages and has competitors of dozens of nations.
The European Champions Cup (ECC) was introduced for the 2004-2005 seasons as the successor of the EHL. The champions of the best six European federations, according to the IIHF World Ranking, are divided into two groups. The group winners play the final game.
The Champions Hockey League (CHL) replaces the ECC from the 2008-2009 season. The champions of the top-6 nations and six qualifiers play the main stage of the competition (4 groups of 3 teams each). The qualifiers will be determined by two qualifying stages containing the runner-ups of the top-6 nations and the champions of the 18 following nations. Afterwards, the semi-final and final will be played in head-to-head games at the participators' home venues.
The Victoria Cup starts from 2008-2009. Clubs from Europe, determinded by the ECC and CHL respectively, and the National Hockey League will compete for the trophy. More information is to follow.
The European Women's Champions Cup (EWCC) was introduced in the 2004-2005 season as the main competition for winners of the national championships accross Europe. It is played in three group stages.

So does this mean they are scrapping the Champions League and going back to ECC or they plan on doing both somehow?

It is essentially a Champion's league but the current title of it is the ECC.

 

[Slimmy]

http://yle.fi/urheilu/kummola_vahvistaa_mestarien_liiga_alkaa/6883263

Kummola confirms the ECC will begin. 40-44 teams, about 6 from Finland. KHL involvement still open, two minor details still to be decided(Jokerit involvement will depend on this). Negotiated last Friday in St. Petersburg. He also clarified Austria means EBEL teams(could include Slovenian and Hungarian teams). European Trophy serves as foundation. Certain teams have guaranteed entry for the first 3 years, after that teams will be decided according to sporting achievements. National champions and regular season winners have guaranteed entry. Money prizes still open, they went with the goal that sporting achievements are at the forefront, financial in the background. Information on financial rewards will be announced in January-February.

Swedish news has the number of teams as 32.
Further, as Brynäs was not among the founders of the ET they will not be able to participate in the first ECC tourney. That could mean that Djurgården has a spot after all. The ambishion though, as you stated, is that the league playoff and regular season winners should be guaranteed a spot.

 

[Jussi]

Swedish news has the number of teams as 32.
Further, as Brynäs was not among the founders of the ET they will not be able to participate in the first ECC tourney. That could mean that Djurgården has a spot after all. The ambishion though, as you stated, is that the league playoff and regular season winners should be guaranteed a spot.

I may have heard Finnish news on Monday saying the same, 8 groups of 4 teams. Kummola tends to mix the numbers these days occasionally. Of course the number he gave could be if KHL is on board and the 32 is if they're not.

Has it been emphasized in the Swedish media that this project is spearheaded by the clubs and not IIHF (who are meanly an associate, not in charge of controlling or creation of the league).

 

[Sokil]

IIHF made an announcement today

http://www.iihf.com/home-of-hockey/....html?tx_ttnews[backPid]=955&cHash=2e1810d65e

The Board of the European Club Competition (ECC) has appointed the international sports marketing company Infront Sports & Media as the exclusive commercial partner for the new pan-European club ice hockey competition.

The cross-season, international league format will start as of the 2014-2015 season and determine the European club ice hockey champion out of 40 top-tier clubs and national league winners.

“The time is now right to establish a pan-European league for top club ice hockey,†said Anders Ternbom, Chairman of the ECC and representative of the clubs within the board. “We all believe in the potential of this project and we are positive that with all stakeholders closely involved and having Infront as proven marketing partner, we will put in place a successful, competitive and financially viable league.â€

The inaugural season will see 40 clubs from the national leagues in Austria, the Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Sweden and Switzerland take part, including the respective national champions and regular season winners. Discussions with the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) regarding the participation of KHL clubs are still on-going. Out of the 40 teams in the Preliminary Round, 16 will advance to the 2nd knock-out stage playoff round.

The new brand name of the international league, which will stretch out from August to February each season, will be communicated in early 2014.

 

[Jussi]

Details about the participating teams, schedule and format will be released before the start of the ET finals in Berlin.

 

[tony d]

Yeah, the NHL has to keep up with the Olympic participation. It's always good hockey plus it's a great showcase for the game.

 

[Yabob]

The IIHF released this today.

http://www.iihf.com/home-of-hockey/....html?tx_ttnews[backPid]=955&cHash=e0c49813df

 

[Atas2000]

so KHL would interest even less ppl

The KHL is popular enough without doubters like you. Thank you.

 

[Atas2000]

Without the KHL teams it's just another tournament.

 

[Finnpin]

Just a tournament that is probably dead after 2-3 years. This brings those teams more expenses than incomes.

 

[Kshahdoo]

No KHL clubs? Good for them.

 

[JJTT]

It just doesn't make any sense to pick the teams before the season ends. I mean TPS and Kalpa are last in SM-Liiga and yet they still are playing in this tournament next year.

Also no KHL-teams

 

[FiLe]

It just doesn't make any sense to pick the teams before the season ends. I mean TPS and Kalpa are last in SM-Liiga and yet they still are playing in this tournament next year.

They're in, because a league like this can't run without money.

These clubs with automatic berths were willing to cash in. In other words, they're paying the league's expenses.

With no Russian money behind it like on the last try, this was pretty much the only way to handle the financials.

Not about to make a prediction whether this will be a success story or not. Time will show that. In a sense though, this does feel a little like European Trophy, only a bit rehashed. Remains to be seen if it really is more than an attempt to cash in with rebranded name.

 

[Jussi]

The KHL is popular enough without doubters like you. Thank you.

Not outside Russia (excluding the cities that have a club there naturally).

 

[Jussi]

It just doesn't make any sense to pick the teams before the season ends. I mean TPS and Kalpa are last in SM-Liiga and yet they still are playing in this tournament next year.

Also no KHL-teams

Supposedly everything was settled for them to participate but the clubs/IIHF nixed Jokerit from taking part and collapsed the deal. Harkimo really managed to piss off a lot of people.

 

[VladNYC*]

How did we as hockey fans get stuck with such a miserable and short sighted governing body as the IIHF? Once Sochi is over, the KHL is going to go on a rampage.

 

[Jussi]

How did we as hockey fans get stuck with such a miserable and short sighted governing body as the IIHF? Once Sochi is over, the KHL is going to go on a rampage.

IIHF isn't in charge of the CHL, the clubs are.

KHL on a rampage. Because they've shown how much they value European hockey and other leagues.

 

[eme]

I think this is good. Sure its going to take a while for the competition to gain prestige, but Rome wasnt built in a day either. InFront has been chosen as the company in charge of marketing and selling tv-rights and so on. Leagues are on board with this as well, and the finance, although not even near the same leve as last time, should be on healthy and realistic foundation (without running the risk of one single investor pulling out).

Should be a good one, give the competiton a few years to grow and we might have a start of something beautiful.