| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Dates | 24 August 2017 – 6 February 2018 |
| Teams | 32 |
| Final positions | |
Champions  |  JYP (1st title) |
Runner-up  |  Växjö Lakers |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Games played | 125 |
| Goals scored | 735 (5.88 per game) |
| Attendance | 421,134 (3,369 per game) |
| Scoring leader(s) | Fredrik Pettersson (16 points) |
| MVP |  Šimon Hrubec |
The 2017–18 Champions Hockey League was 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.
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, the United Kingdom and Poland qualified.[2][3]
The qualification for these places was set out in the rules as follows:[4]
- National league champion (play-off winners)
- Regular season winners
- Regular season runner-up
- Losing play-off finalist
- Higher regular season ranked losing semi-finalist
- Lower regular season ranked losing semi-finalist
- Third placed team in regular season
- Fourth placed team in regular season
- Fifth placed team in regular season.
Teams
Group stage
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 took precedence. When comparing head-to-head results, the following criteria were applied:[5]
- more points in games against the other tied team
- better goal difference in games against the other tied team
- more goals scored against the other tied team
- 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 was applied:
- overtime wins against the other tied team
- If the head-to-head games between teams ended with game winning shots, this additional criterion was applied:
- 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 was decided about precedence.
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 | .svg.png.webp){kind=small} 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 played two games and the aggregate score was decided the team which advances. As a rule, the first leg was hosted by the team who had inferior record in the tournament so far and the second leg was played on the home ice of the other team. If aggregate score is tied, a sudden death overtime followed. If the overtime is scoreless, the team who wins the game winning shot competition advances.[5]
The final was played on the home ice of team who had better record in the tournament on February 6, 2018.
Bracket
The eight group winners and the eight 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 could not 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 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | JYP
| 3 | 2 | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 16 | Tappara
| 1 | 3 | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| JYP
| 3 | 5 | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kometa Brno
| 3 | 3 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8 | Kometa Brno
| 4 | 5 | 9 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 9 | EV Zug
| 3 | 2 | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| JYP (SO)
| 4 | 3 | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Oceláři Třinec
| 2 | 4 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | Brynäs IF
| 3 | 2 | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 12 | Adler Mannheim
| 2 | 1 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Brynäs IF
| 1 | 3 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Oceláři Třinec
| 3 | 5 | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Oceláři Třinec
| 2 | 2 | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 13 | Malmö Redhawks
| 1 | 1 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| JYP
| 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Växjö Lakers
| 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 | Red Bull Salzburg
| 2 | 3 | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 11 | Växjö Lakers
| 1 | 5 | 6 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Växjö Lakers
| 2 | 4 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| SC Bern
| 3 | 2 | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | SC Bern
| 2 | 5 | 7 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 14 | Red Bull München
| 3 | 2 | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Växjö Lakers
| 1 | 6 | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bílí Tygři Liberec
| 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 | ZSC Lions
| 3 | 3 | 6 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 10 | Nottingham Panthers
| 1 | 0 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| ZSC Lions
| 1 | 0 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bílí Tygři Liberec (SO)
| 0 | 2 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Bílí Tygři Liberec (OT)
| 2 | 6 | 8 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 15 | Frölunda HC
| 3 | 4 | 7 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Note:
- 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.
- 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) | JYP | Vida Arena, Växjö Attendance: 5,750 |
| Game reference | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Viktor Fasth | Goalies | Juho Olkinuora | Referees: Mark Lemelin Daniel Piechaczek Linesmen: Lukas Kohlmüller Elias Seewald | |||||
| ||||||||
| 6 min | Penalties | 8 min | ||||||
| 31 | Shots | 18 | ||||||
Statistics
Scoring leaders
| Player | Team | GP | G | A | PTS | PIM | +/– | GWG | PPG | SHG | SOG | S% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fredrik Pettersson | ZSC Lions | 9 | 9 | 7 | 16 | 4 | +7 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 37 | 24.32% |
 Ryan Lasch | Frölunda HC | 7 | 4 | 11 | 15 | 4 | +5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 21 | 19.05% |
| Martin Bakoš | Bílí Tygři Liberec | 10 | 10 | 4 | 14 | 4 | +5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 42 | 23.81% |
.svg.png.webp){kind=small} Andrew Ebbett | SC Bern | 10 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 2 | –5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 30 | 13.33% |
| Jiří Polanský | Oceláři Třinec | 12 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 10 | +5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 18 | 16.67% |
| Joel Persson | Växjö Lakers | 13 | 1 | 10 | 11 | 2 | +4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 32 | 3.13% |
| Kevin Clark | Brynäs IF | 8 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 2 | +3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 31 | 12.9% |
| Jarkko Immonen | JYP | 12 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 6 | +3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 37 | 10.81% |
| Robert Nilsson | ZSC Lions | 8 | 1 | 9 | 10 | 0 | +6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 7.14% |
| Adam Almqvist | Frölunda HC | 7 | 0 | 10 | 10 | 4 | +5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0.00% |
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 Třinec | 10 | 9 | 1 | 278 | 11 | 96.19% | 1.07 | 2 | 615 |
| Niklas Schlegel | ZSC Lions | 5 | 3 | 2 | 83 | 4 | 95.40% | 0.78 | 2 | 309 |
| Tomáš Duba | EC KAC | 3 | 2 | 1 | 87 | 5 | 94.57% | 1.67 | 0 | 180 |
| Lukas Flüeler | ZSC Lions | 5 | 3 | 2 | 122 | 8 | 93.85% | 1.59 | 2 | 301 |
| Juho Olkinuora | JYP | 9 | 6 | 1 | 245 | 17 | 93.51% | 2.06 | 1 | 495 |
Source: championshockeyleague.net
References
- 1 2 "New CHL format for 2017–18! 32 teams & on-ice qualification only". championshockeyleague.net. 14 June 2016. Archived from the original on 30 November 2016. Retrieved 2 February 2017.
- ↑ "Nottingham Panthers confirmed for 2017-18". championshockeyleague.net. 25 January 2017. Archived from the original on 11 February 2017. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
- ↑ "Wildcard spots confirmed for Poland and Great Britain". championshockeyleague.net. 14 March 2017. Archived from the original on 15 March 2017. Retrieved 14 March 2017.
- ↑ "Number of teams for founding leagues in 2017-18 confirmed". championshockeyleague.net. 13 February 2017. Archived from the original on 14 February 2017. Retrieved 16 February 2017.
- 1 2 3 "CHL sport regulations 2017/18" (PDF). championshockeyleague.net. Champions Hockey League. p. 15. Retrieved 3 October 2017.
- ↑ "Watch the playoff draw live on 13 October". championshockeyleague.com. 6 October 2017. Retrieved 13 October 2017.