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2017-18 Champions Hockey League

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Urbanskog said:
I guess that setting a league-wide minimum capacity could be something to consider in the future but not in the present as games are sold out only rarely.
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I get the point, but disagree. A league-wide minimum capacity should be set since day 1. Plus other conditions I mentioned earlier. You can not have such a big gap (great arena in Berlin vs 2500 seats arena in Grodno) in the tournament. Of course if you want the tournament to grow. But it will not grow with small arenas with bad conditions for TV broadcasting. If you will not approve higher minimal standards, then the tournament will have the same quality in 2014 and 2022. No progress. If you do not increase an average standard of the tournament, then you will not earn more money from TV contracts & sponsors in the future. I have read many interiews of the CHL officials, but I have never read what are their plans ... all they say is "we want the KHL on board", "we want to be the best hockey league in Europe", but no details.

KHL & CHL. The KHL has its standard & the KHL top teams are even better, of course only these top KHL teams would play the CHL. The KHL wants to see if the CHL standard is on KHL level before the KHL joins the CHL. As simple as that. That is one of reasons why the KHL in not on board. How can the KHL find out the CHL´s standard? One option is to play a friendly match between the leagues, which the CHL does not want. You need go step by step, not to claim "we want the CHL on board but under our conditions".

The CHL did the same mistake as the KHL - too many clubs. Even 32 teams is too many, not speaking about previous 48. Your average goes down with so many uneven clubs. The KHL has understood it, so there is a contraction. But I do not believe the CHL is able to contract to some reasonable level (12-18).
 
Jablkon said:
Seriously, you should start to learn how to work with facts. 2008 was donated by Gazprom. That company which basically donates everything in Russian sport and changes this money distribution every year dependening on politics etc. This russian way is not how the normal business should be and how its done in Europe. If you dont udertstand to it, ok, but dont use these twisted donations as a proof of how things were done or comparison how it should be done. CHL is mostly in EU territory. This unclear financing is not how business is made in EU.

Your conclusions are on the edge of demagogy. Tourney from 2008 has no relation to newly built CHL. CHL is not rich but at least it looks financialy wealthy. I can not uderstand how can you use as an afrgument tourney which worked only one year.
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So the IIHF was able to secure 10 milion euro on prize money, average attendance was 7 099, even Swedish teams had high attendance: Linkoping (6871) & HV71 (6267). Now compare it to current CHL - prize money 1,5 million euro, average attendance 3 240 per wiki. Who did his job better?
 
vorky said:
So the IIHF was able to secure 10 milion euro on prize money, average attendance was 7 099, even Swedish teams had high attendance: Linkoping (6871) & HV71 (6267). Now compare it to current CHL - prize money 1,5 million euro, average attendance 3 240 per wiki. Who did his job better?
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Are you out of reality? Gazprom left and it was all done. There are no such money and gazprom money are uncertain.Better to have three years this than one year dream with no future. You should better stop building paralel reality in your mind. KhL didnt expand, there is no company in Europe willing to invest big money into hockey now, those are facts. CHL reflects the reality of hockey in Europe.

Ale of your examples proved they are no money in euro hockey. And you keep saying how cool it was. It was, but it didnt reflect reality, period.

If you dont really uderstand to it - concept of CHL is result of previous unsuccesfull projects like this 2008 tourney and Super six tourneys. If you dont agree, then send email to IIHF, KHL and other involved sides and recommend them to built one elite tourney
with 1000000 Eur price money. YOu will see the reaction, if they waste time to answer.
 
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albator71 said:
It's all part of the game, what happened exactly? I know it was at the end of the 2nd period?

I still think Liberec will take 2nd spot lakers :)
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Ugly elbow to the head which gave Kiiskinen a concussion

Unreal that the other player got no penalty for that
 
Jablkon said:
Are you out of reality? Gazprom left and it was all done. There are no such money and gazprom money are uncertain.Better to have three years this than one year dream with no future. You should better stop building paralel reality in your mind. KhL didnt expand, there is no company in Europe willing to invest big money into hockey now, those are facts. CHL reflects the reality of hockey in Europe.

Ale of your examples proved they are no money in euro hockey. And you keep saying how cool it was. It was, but it didnt reflect reality, period.

If you dont really uderstand to it - concept of CHL is result of previous unsuccesfull projects like this 2008 tourney and Super six tourneys. If you dont agree, then send email to IIHF, KHL and other involved sides and recommend them to built one elite tourney
with 1000000 Eur price money. YOu will see the reaction, if they waste time to answer.
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I just asked who did better job. ;)

Of course European clubs did not want, as they say, to be "dependant on Russians." So they have achieved their goal. Who cares that their current prize money are 10% of money which Russians were willing to pay. :D Maybe they still care if wanting the KHL on board. Who knows? But that is not important righ now. The most important, and unanswered, question is what is the CHL plan to fix their problems & earn more money? Hope I will get an answer one day....
 
Jablkon said:
Many reasons. Euro leagues have never been covered by foreign journalists (except now KHL). National teams tourneys seem to be sufficient for euro fan. There is no historical tension among euro clubs, thus no rivalry. CHL hockey is different, more serious compare to for example czech league matches. Does not make much sense, but some people really prefer their team beating everybody in slow hockey than batlle like crazy against swedish team.

Me personally I sometimes attend CHL games mostly just because of hockey quality, not because of he name of the opponent. As a Sparta Prague fan I would give anything to face Slovan Bratislava in this competition. Right now I would definetely go to any match against Frolunda and hope for revenge. For some reason I like games against Oulun. Slovan thing is historically done but other two smaller rivalries were built in CHL ( for me)
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Kärpät failed to qualify for this year's tournament and may pay for it in their finances. A year ago they posted a 850K profit, after being in the finals in the CHL and Liiga. Last season they failed to make it to the round of 16 in the CHL and were eliminated in the first round of Liiga playoffs, resulting in a 100K loss for the season. Kärpät have had the best attendances in the CHL among Finnish clubs so that's bound to show.
 
Well, I can already say that frölunda is still the team to beat in this years CHL. They're a working team machine that rarely lets the opponents spend much time in their zone. Id be surprised if they dont play in the finals again
 
lakers11 said:
Well, I can already say that frölunda is still the team to beat in this years CHL. They're a working team machine that rarely lets the opponents spend much time in their zone. Id be surprised if they dont play in the finals again
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Tappara and Mannheim maybe very dangerous this season.
 
Just moved to Europe, first time watching European hockey.

Since I have no favourite team here I decided to cheer for the underdogs.

My teams are doing very well for now, a German team defeated a Swedish one and now, to my amazement, an English team is leading 3-2 against Bern. lol

Having a good time, will watch again.
 
Cool game in Nottingham and a great win again. Packed arena, great atmosphere, very enjoyable, newest bandwagon fan here.
 
lakers11 said:
Lol nottingham is no1 in their group

Who saw that coming?
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Slimmy said:
Congratz Nottingham! First ever win in the CHL? Bet that kid is mighty happy now :)

Edit: Second win. 5 Pts. 3 games left to play. Nottingham has a real shot at making it out of the group. That is huge.
Maybe not the most likely outcome but who knows. All it would take is an upset against TPS or Bern. Stranger things has happened. Rooting for them.
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:naughty: ;)
 
Wow Panthers. WOW!

This is probably a self indulgent post, but I watch hockey in a backwater which no one really cares about so I'm enjoying myself tonight because at least for now we're relevant!

I walked up to the Arena and I would have been very happy with a 4-2 loss. I traveled to Bern last week and I saw a top class team put us to the sword with ease. I just wanted to play hard and put on a show, to play with pride and leave with heads held high. After the 1st period of clinical play from Bern, I thought I might have to adjust my expectations.

Then the 2nd period. It was the best period I have ever seen the Panthers play. We picked up the pace, pushed on the forecheck and began forcing errors and turnovers. We forced ourselves on the game and legitimately outplayed Bern and fully deserved our 2 goals. Having just watched them back they are both fantastic goals by Mokshantsev, can't wait to see how good he plays once he's learnt English and can talk to his linemates! End of the second, the home crowd gave a standing ovation.

Our arena doesn't have a reputation for great atmosphere and the Bern fans at the start were making all the noise, but throughout the second period, every hit, every shot and more importantly every goal cranked up the volume another notch.

Then the 3rd, it was a whirlwind. Once that 3rd goal went in early on I could barely look at the clock, I just stared straight at the ice. It was tense. I went through stages of delirium, telling myself Bern would kick it up a gear or that it couldn't possibly happen that we'd win. I did this over and over again for the best part of 20 mins. Every PK I was telling myself that we'd not be able to holdout. And yet something miraculous happened, WE DID! By this point the arena was rocking, every poke check elicited a cheer. Bern player losing the puck on the blue line? Practically pandemonium. When the puck trickled over the line for the empty netter I just exploded. The unthinkable happened and we'd earned it. We skated with them and forced them to play to our tempo, we hit them hard and forced them deep. We'd bossed sections of the game against the Swiss champions!

It might seem such a small thing when you are a Bern fan, or any big team from nations like Switzerland, Finland or Sweden. But that was a result that should not happen. During the gap between 2nd and 3rd periods, the DJ just played the speech from "Miracle on Ice" over the PA. An apt choice; at least in this little backwater watching my beer league team turnover one the the biggest teams in European hockey.
 
Don't forget about Brno and Trinec, I really believe that they will surprise a lot people come the knockout stage :)

But so far you have so many quality clubs is great hockey!!!!

The feel good story of the CHL so far this year has to be the Nottingham Panthers WOW!!!! That hockey team has heart and passion, good for them if they make the knockout stage it will be one amazing accomplishment
 
Kiev the Great said:
Wow Panthers. WOW!

This is probably a self indulgent post, but I watch hockey in a backwater which no one really cares about so I'm enjoying myself tonight because at least for now we're relevant!

I walked up to the Arena and I would have been very happy with a 4-2 loss. I traveled to Bern last week and I saw a top class team put us to the sword with ease. I just wanted to play hard and put on a show, to play with pride and leave with heads held high. After the 1st period of clinical play from Bern, I thought I might have to adjust my expectations.

Then the 2nd period. It was the best period I have ever seen the Panthers play. We picked up the pace, pushed on the forecheck and began forcing errors and turnovers. We forced ourselves on the game and legitimately outplayed Bern and fully deserved our 2 goals. Having just watched them back they are both fantastic goals by Mokshantsev, can't wait to see how good he plays once he's learnt English and can talk to his linemates! End of the second, the home crowd gave a standing ovation.

Our arena doesn't have a reputation for great atmosphere and the Bern fans at the start were making all the noise, but throughout the second period, every hit, every shot and more importantly every goal cranked up the volume another notch.

Then the 3rd, it was a whirlwind. Once that 3rd goal went in early on I could barely look at the clock, I just stared straight at the ice. It was tense. I went through stages of delirium, telling myself Bern would kick it up a gear or that it couldn't possibly happen that we'd win. I did this over and over again for the best part of 20 mins. Every PK I was telling myself that we'd not be able to holdout. And yet something miraculous happened, WE DID! By this point the arena was rocking, every poke check elicited a cheer. Bern player losing the puck on the blue line? Practically pandemonium. When the puck trickled over the line for the empty netter I just exploded. The unthinkable happened and we'd earned it. We skated with them and forced them to play to our tempo, we hit them hard and forced them deep. We'd bossed sections of the game against the Swiss champions!

It might seem such a small thing when you are a Bern fan, or any big team from nations like Switzerland, Finland or Sweden. But that was a result that should not happen. During the gap between 2nd and 3rd periods, the DJ just played the speech from "Miracle on Ice" over the PA. An apt choice; at least in this little backwater watching my beer league team turnover one the the biggest teams in European hockey.
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Any way to watch the game in full?
I've always loved that aspect of the WCH. Smaller hockey nations making their mark, upsetting the big boys.
This is an awesome story. I hope it gets legs.
 
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