European Trophy

European Trophy (previously named Nordic Trophy between 2006 and 2009) is a pre-season ice hockey tournament, traditionally composed of teams from some of the higher-level ice hockey leagues in countries across Europe. With 24 participating teams from six different countries as of 2011, European Trophy is currently the biggest active pre-season ice hockey tournament in Europe.

Sweden and Finland have always participated, and they were the only two countries participating when the tournament was named "Nordic Trophy". No team has ever won the tournament more than one time. Since the tournament's inauguration in 2006, eight countries have been represented: Sweden, Finland, Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Slovakia, Switzerland, and Norway.

In 2007, the tournament expanded from six to eight teams and included the respective clubs' junior team. In 2008 the league expanded again with another two teams. In 2010, the tournament changed name to European Trophy and featured clubs also from Norway, Germany, Czech Republic, Switzerland and Austria, in addition to the Finnish and Swedish clubs.

In 2011, the tournament included 24 teams. Slovakia was for the first time represented in the tournament, but Norway and Switzerland were not represented. The 2012 tournament will have 32 teams; among the new ones, Switzerland will return with four teams.

Teams
In 2006 and 2007, the Nordic Trophy consisted of four Swedish teams, Djurgården, Frölunda, Färjestad and Linköping; and four Finnish teams, HIFK, Oulun Kärpät, Tappara and TPS. In 2008, the tournament was expanded with two teams, Swedish team HV71 and Finnish team Jokerit. It got expanded again in 2009, when Malmö Redhawks from Sweden and Lukko from Finland. However, the Swedish and Finnish teams were split that year and instead, there were two tournaments: a Swedish 2009 Nordic Trophy tournament for the Swedish teams only; and a Finnish 2009 Nordic Trophy tournament for the Finnish teams only.

In 2010, the tournament became European. Lukko from Finland disappeared, and was replaced by fellow Nordic team Vålerenga from Norway. Adler Mannheim and Eisbären Berlin from Germany, and Czech team Sparta Praha, completed the Capital Division; while Austrian team Red Bull Salzburg, along with Bern and ZSC Lions from Switzerland, completed the Central Division. These new teams prompted the changing of the tournament name to European Trophy.

In the 2011 tournament, there were 24 teams. Sweden and Finland were represented by six teams each. Luleå HF replaced the Swedish team Malmö Redhawks. From Finland, KalPa was for the first time included in the tournament. Seven teams from the Czech Republic participated: HC Slavia Praha, HC Sparta Praha, HC Mountfield České Budějovice, HC Liberec, HC Pardubice, HC Plzeň 1929, and HC Kometa Brno. The German teams Eisbären Berlin and Adler Mannheim remained in the tournament. Besides EC Red Bull Salzburg, there was now a second team from Austria, the Vienna Capitals. Slovakia was for the first time represented in the European Trophy tournament, with HC Slovan Bratislava. Norway and Switzerland, however, were no longer represented.

The 2012 edition of the tournament will be expanded further by eight teams, for a total of 32 teams. The Swedish team Brynäs IF has been confirmed to join the tournament this year; Switzerland will return with four teams; another two German teams will participate; and another team from Finland will join the tournament. Presently it's not known how the teams will be divided. The schedule will be similar to 2011: the regulation round will be played in August–September, while the playoffs will be played in December.

Tournament structure
In the 2011 edition of the European Trophy, the tournament is divided into regular round games between August and September, when teams play each other in a predefined schedule, and a playoff weekend in December which is an elimination tournament where two teams play against each other to win in order to advance to the next round. The final remaining team is crowned the European Trophy Champion.

Regular round games
In the regular round games, the 24 teams are divided into four divisions and each team plays against each other team in the same division, and an additional three games against teams from the other divisions, for a total of eight games per team. Points are awarded for each game, where three points are awarded for a win in regulation time, two points for winning in overtime or penalty shots, one point for losing in overtime or penalty shots, and zero points for a loss in regulation time. The two highest ranked teams in each division qualify for the playoffs. However, the worst second ranked team out of all four divisions misses the playoffs if EC Red Bull Salzburg qualify as hosts.

Playoffs
The European Trophy playoffs are played as the Red Bull Salute in Salzburg and Vienna during a weekend in December. It is a single-elimination tournament, where two teams play against each other in order to advance to the next round.

Trophies and awards
At the end of the final weekend, the winner of the final game is crowned the European Trophy Champions. There are four player awards based on their statistics during the tournament: the RBK Nordic Star, best goalkeeper, best defencemen and best forward.