The Nemesis
Semper Tyrannus
I said I would do this in the Cuda thread so here we are. This is for the people who either want something that's not the WJCs during the holiday period or who actually want more hockey than just the Sharks/Barracuda and 4 junior games a day. Or for anyone that's just interested in a really fun and different tournament that can expose you to the colorful world of international hockey clubs that you might not normally get to see.
WHERE TO WATCH
In Canada every game is available on TSN. Various European countries including (naturally) Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary, Poland, Russia, and a whole whack of former Yugoslav nations all have national broadcast partners as well.
In the US and other parts of the world the game is available on the Spengler Cup Youtube channel, apparently with English commentary
www.youtube.com
Their channel currently has livestream archives of games from 2019 and prior as well as an eTournament from last year using NHL 24. I have to assume that the games will be available after they are live so that nobody has to get up at 6am all week to watch, but who knows.
THE TEAMS
There are 6 teams scheduled to participate this year:
What makes this fun is that almost every team is going to have a bunch of players you might recognize as former NHLers or perhaps failed prospects and who you might not have even thought about in a long time. Almost every team in this tourney has some connection to the Sharks or Shark system as well. Teams even sometimes work out loan deals with other European clubs to strengthen their rosters ahead of the tournament, adding additional notable players to their roster just for the Spengler Cup.
THE TOURNAMENT
Teams are broken into 2 pools of 3 (Group Torriani and Group Cattini named after historical Swiss hockey players) and plays according to IIHF rules. 3 points for a regulation win, 2 points for an OT or shootout win, 1 point for an OT or shootout loss, and 0 points for a regulation loss.
There are 2 games a day starting on December 26, but aside from the 2 opening day matches the the schedule is in flux. This is becuase the order in which those two teams play the remaining club in their group is based on who wins on that first day. The losing team has to play the next day against the other group member while the winner gets the day off and faces that 3rd team on December 28th. After that short round-robin setup things move to the elimination games on the 29th where the 3rd place team in each group crosses over to play the 2nd place team. The winner there advances to face the group leaders December 30, and then those winners advance to the tournament championship on New Year's Eve.
This year's groups and schedule are:
Group Torriani: HC Dynamo Pardubice, HC Fribourg-Gotteron, & Karpat Oulu
Group Cattini: HC Davos, Straubing Tigers, and Team Canada
December 26
6am PT/9am ET - HC Dynamo Pardubice vs HC Fribourg-Gotteron (This is Game #1, which is important later)
11am PT/2pm ET - Canada vs HC Davos (This is Game #2)
December 27
6am PT/9am ET - Loser of Game #1 vs Karpat Oulu
11am PT/2pm ET - Loser of Game #2 vs Straubing Tigers
December 28
6am PT/9am ET - Winner of Game #1 vs Karpat Oulu
11am PT/2pm ET - Winner of Game #2 vs Straubing Tigers
December 29 (Quarterfinals)
6am PT/9am ET - 3rd place in Group Cattini vs 2nd place in Group Torriani (This is Game #7)
11am PT/2pm ET - 3rd place in Group Torriani vs 2nd place in Group Cattini (This is Game #8)
December 30 (Semifinals)
6am PT/9am ET - winner of Game #7 vs 1st place in Group Cattini
11am PT/2pm ET - winner of Game #8 vs 1st place in Group Torriani
December 31 (Final)
3am PT/6am ET - Winners of the previous day's semifinal matches
So.... yeah. This was a lot of time and effort to expend on a silly tournament most people aren't going to watch, but if you're looking or a different and fun hockey fix between Christmas and New Years, maybe check this out. I had a great time watching last year when Swiss team HC Ambri-Piotta made a bit of a cinderella run to the final with their boistrous fans and Sharks Legend Tim Heed patrolling their blueline
For those that don't know, the Spengler Cup is the oldest invitational hockey tournament in the world, having been played since 1923. Created by Carl Spengler, a Swiss doctor and hockey enthusiast, the idea was that the then-new HC Davos hockey club would invite club teams from around Europe in an effort to heal and repair the rifts in the wake of World War I and give nations an opportunity to compete against each other in a peaceful way. Over the years the concept has evolved and teams beyond Europe have participated including the AHL's Rochester Americans twice taking part, and most famously a few national teams (not the "A" level national squads that would go to the olympics. Usually teams made of slightly lesser players from various minor pro or Euro elite leagues) including most famously Team Canada, who has been a regular participant since 1984.
With only a handful of canceled tournaments through the years thanks to World War II, cold war tensions, financial concerns, and Covid, I think this is the 96th iteration of the tourney to be held.
With only a handful of canceled tournaments through the years thanks to World War II, cold war tensions, financial concerns, and Covid, I think this is the 96th iteration of the tourney to be held.
WHERE TO WATCH
In Canada every game is available on TSN. Various European countries including (naturally) Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary, Poland, Russia, and a whole whack of former Yugoslav nations all have national broadcast partners as well.
In the US and other parts of the world the game is available on the Spengler Cup Youtube channel, apparently with English commentary
Spengler Cup Davos
Willkommen auf dem offiziellen Kanal des Spengler Cup Davos! Der Spengler Cup, der 1923 ins Leben gerufen wurde, ist das älteste Einladungsturnier im Eishockey weltweit. Jedes Jahr bringt dieses prestigeträchtige Event die Magie des Sports nach Davos. Veranstaltet wird das Turnier vom HC Davos...
www.youtube.com
Their channel currently has livestream archives of games from 2019 and prior as well as an eTournament from last year using NHL 24. I have to assume that the games will be available after they are live so that nobody has to get up at 6am all week to watch, but who knows.
THE TEAMS
There are 6 teams scheduled to participate this year:
- HC Davos (National League/Switzerland, host team)
- HC Fribourg-Gotteron (National League/Switzerland)
- HC Dynamo Pardubice (Extraliga/Czechia)
- Karpat Oulu (Liiga/Finland)
- Straubing Tigers (DEL/Germany)
- Team Canada (players from all over Europe and the AHL and not any one league. Note that this team does not preclude Canadians from playing on the other participating club teams in the tournament.)
What makes this fun is that almost every team is going to have a bunch of players you might recognize as former NHLers or perhaps failed prospects and who you might not have even thought about in a long time. Almost every team in this tourney has some connection to the Sharks or Shark system as well. Teams even sometimes work out loan deals with other European clubs to strengthen their rosters ahead of the tournament, adding additional notable players to their roster just for the Spengler Cup.
TEAM CANADA
Canada is the Sharkiest as it features team co-GM Joe Thornton, current meber of the Barracuda Brandon Coe, former Shark Matt Irwin, and former Barracuda players Thomas Gregoire and Antoine Bibeau.
You may also recognize former NHL regular Sam Gagner
HC DAVOS
The host club's only direct tie to the Sharks is Filip Zadina (who has as many points in 29 games with Davos as he did in his entire sason in San Jose). But they also feature the son of a Sharks "legend" in Brendan Lemieux. So that's like half a point.
Other than that you might know former mid-2010s part-time NHLer Klas Dahlbeck. Or failed Dallas first round pick from 2014, Julius Honka. Or know the name Adam Tambellini through his brother Jeff (the 27th overall pick in 2003 by LA) or dad Steve (a long time executive with the Canucks, Oilers, and Canadian national teams of the early 2000s). The other player to be aware of is Davos legend and team captain Andres Ambuhl, who has represented his country at international tournaments since 2001 including 5 Olympics and almost every world championship tournament since 2005. His only time away from Davos was a single year playing for the AHL's Hartford Wolfpack in 2009-10 and then a 3 year run with Zurich when he returned home before heading back to Davos in 2013.
HC FRIBOURG-GOTTERON
With their "FG" logo that looks very much like the "CH" of the Montreal Canadiens, but backed by a cool dragon, this Swiss League club is still looking for their first major trophy in any sort of hockey competition.
In terms of Shark connections you'll find Marcus Sorensen on their roster as the sole representative of team teal.
But otherwise you may know former NHL goalie Reto Berra, ex-NHL d-men Raphael Diaz and T.J. Brennan, and non-Sorensen ex-NHL forwards Lucas Wallmark, Linden Vey, and Jacob De La Rose
HC DYNAMO PARDUBICE
The Czech league side is maybe the second Sharkiest club here after Canada, sporting Jasper Weatherby, Martin Kaut, and Lukas Radil on their forward lines.
But you may also know former NHLers Libor Hajek, David Musil, Jakob Zboril, and Roman Cervenka.
KARPAT OULU
The Finnish club is the only one with no Sharks or Barracuda that I recognize on its roster. In fact I don't think there are any ex-NHLers on the club and only a few with even AHL experience. Still, Finnish sides are often fun, feisty competitors in tournaments like these.
STRAUBING TIGERS
The first German League club to participate in the tournament in 6 years, Straubing has been one of the stronger DEL teams in the past few years and is looking to make a name for itself in its first Spengler Cup.
Straubing boasts the single biggest Shark name to show up on one of the rosters as Justin Braun is in his second year with the German side. The other Shark name is one from the distant past as one time Sharks' Undrafted Free Agent signing Michael Connolly (who played 40 games for the Worcester Sharks in 2011-12 before being traded to Colorado for Daniel Winnik and TJ Galiardi)
There are lots of Canadians and Americans on the roster thanks to the DEL's fairly lax rules on import players, but most had short, uneventful AHL careers at best or were over in Europe quickly after college or major junior. Still, maybe you remember JC Lipon, Philip Samuelsson, or goalie Zane MacIntyre
Canada is the Sharkiest as it features team co-GM Joe Thornton, current meber of the Barracuda Brandon Coe, former Shark Matt Irwin, and former Barracuda players Thomas Gregoire and Antoine Bibeau.
You may also recognize former NHL regular Sam Gagner
HC DAVOS
The host club's only direct tie to the Sharks is Filip Zadina (who has as many points in 29 games with Davos as he did in his entire sason in San Jose). But they also feature the son of a Sharks "legend" in Brendan Lemieux. So that's like half a point.
Other than that you might know former mid-2010s part-time NHLer Klas Dahlbeck. Or failed Dallas first round pick from 2014, Julius Honka. Or know the name Adam Tambellini through his brother Jeff (the 27th overall pick in 2003 by LA) or dad Steve (a long time executive with the Canucks, Oilers, and Canadian national teams of the early 2000s). The other player to be aware of is Davos legend and team captain Andres Ambuhl, who has represented his country at international tournaments since 2001 including 5 Olympics and almost every world championship tournament since 2005. His only time away from Davos was a single year playing for the AHL's Hartford Wolfpack in 2009-10 and then a 3 year run with Zurich when he returned home before heading back to Davos in 2013.
HC FRIBOURG-GOTTERON
With their "FG" logo that looks very much like the "CH" of the Montreal Canadiens, but backed by a cool dragon, this Swiss League club is still looking for their first major trophy in any sort of hockey competition.
In terms of Shark connections you'll find Marcus Sorensen on their roster as the sole representative of team teal.
But otherwise you may know former NHL goalie Reto Berra, ex-NHL d-men Raphael Diaz and T.J. Brennan, and non-Sorensen ex-NHL forwards Lucas Wallmark, Linden Vey, and Jacob De La Rose
HC DYNAMO PARDUBICE
The Czech league side is maybe the second Sharkiest club here after Canada, sporting Jasper Weatherby, Martin Kaut, and Lukas Radil on their forward lines.
But you may also know former NHLers Libor Hajek, David Musil, Jakob Zboril, and Roman Cervenka.
KARPAT OULU
The Finnish club is the only one with no Sharks or Barracuda that I recognize on its roster. In fact I don't think there are any ex-NHLers on the club and only a few with even AHL experience. Still, Finnish sides are often fun, feisty competitors in tournaments like these.
STRAUBING TIGERS
The first German League club to participate in the tournament in 6 years, Straubing has been one of the stronger DEL teams in the past few years and is looking to make a name for itself in its first Spengler Cup.
Straubing boasts the single biggest Shark name to show up on one of the rosters as Justin Braun is in his second year with the German side. The other Shark name is one from the distant past as one time Sharks' Undrafted Free Agent signing Michael Connolly (who played 40 games for the Worcester Sharks in 2011-12 before being traded to Colorado for Daniel Winnik and TJ Galiardi)
There are lots of Canadians and Americans on the roster thanks to the DEL's fairly lax rules on import players, but most had short, uneventful AHL careers at best or were over in Europe quickly after college or major junior. Still, maybe you remember JC Lipon, Philip Samuelsson, or goalie Zane MacIntyre
THE TOURNAMENT
Teams are broken into 2 pools of 3 (Group Torriani and Group Cattini named after historical Swiss hockey players) and plays according to IIHF rules. 3 points for a regulation win, 2 points for an OT or shootout win, 1 point for an OT or shootout loss, and 0 points for a regulation loss.
There are 2 games a day starting on December 26, but aside from the 2 opening day matches the the schedule is in flux. This is becuase the order in which those two teams play the remaining club in their group is based on who wins on that first day. The losing team has to play the next day against the other group member while the winner gets the day off and faces that 3rd team on December 28th. After that short round-robin setup things move to the elimination games on the 29th where the 3rd place team in each group crosses over to play the 2nd place team. The winner there advances to face the group leaders December 30, and then those winners advance to the tournament championship on New Year's Eve.
This year's groups and schedule are:
Group Torriani: HC Dynamo Pardubice, HC Fribourg-Gotteron, & Karpat Oulu
Group Cattini: HC Davos, Straubing Tigers, and Team Canada
December 26
6am PT/9am ET - HC Dynamo Pardubice vs HC Fribourg-Gotteron (This is Game #1, which is important later)
11am PT/2pm ET - Canada vs HC Davos (This is Game #2)
December 27
6am PT/9am ET - Loser of Game #1 vs Karpat Oulu
11am PT/2pm ET - Loser of Game #2 vs Straubing Tigers
December 28
6am PT/9am ET - Winner of Game #1 vs Karpat Oulu
11am PT/2pm ET - Winner of Game #2 vs Straubing Tigers
December 29 (Quarterfinals)
6am PT/9am ET - 3rd place in Group Cattini vs 2nd place in Group Torriani (This is Game #7)
11am PT/2pm ET - 3rd place in Group Torriani vs 2nd place in Group Cattini (This is Game #8)
December 30 (Semifinals)
6am PT/9am ET - winner of Game #7 vs 1st place in Group Cattini
11am PT/2pm ET - winner of Game #8 vs 1st place in Group Torriani
December 31 (Final)
3am PT/6am ET - Winners of the previous day's semifinal matches
So.... yeah. This was a lot of time and effort to expend on a silly tournament most people aren't going to watch, but if you're looking or a different and fun hockey fix between Christmas and New Years, maybe check this out. I had a great time watching last year when Swiss team HC Ambri-Piotta made a bit of a cinderella run to the final with their boistrous fans and Sharks Legend Tim Heed patrolling their blueline
