2019–20 Champions Hockey League

2019–20 Champions Hockey League

Tournament details
Dates	29 August 2019 – 4 February 2020
Teams	32
Final positions
Champions	Frölunda HC (4th title)
Runner-up	Mountfield HK
Third place	Djurgårdens IF Luleå HF
Tournament statistics
Games played	125
Goals scored	683 (5.46 per game)
Attendance	430,750 (3,446 per game)
Scoring leader(s)	Ryan Lasch (Frölunda HC) (22 points)
MVP	Ryan Lasch (Frölunda HC)

The 2019–20 Champions Hockey League is the sixth season of the Champions Hockey League, a European ice hockey tournament. 32 teams are competing in the tournament, 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 awarded to the champion of the 2018–19 Champions Hockey League as well as a wild card spot selected by the board. Unlike in the first three editions of the tournament, founding teams did not automatically qualify.

Swedish team Frölunda HC successfully defended their Champions Hockey League title, defeating Czech team Mountfield HK 3–1 in the final to win the European Trophy for a fourth time. For the first time in the history of the league, the final was held in the Czech Republic as Mountfield HK earned the right to host the game at ČPP Arena.

Team allocation

A total of 32 teams from 13 different European first-tier leagues are participating in the 2019–20 Champions Hockey League. There were 24 teams from the six founding leagues, as well as the national champions from Slovakia, Norway, Denmark, France, Belarus, Great Britain and Poland qualified. Out of the founding leagues Sweden and Switzerland were allocated 5 teams, Finland and Czech Republic 4 with Austria and Germany given 3. Because no league was allowed more than five teams, the winner of the 2018–19 Champions Hockey League won a berth but at the expense of a place for their league.

Due to the fact that Arlan Kokshetau of the Kazakhstan Hockey Championship were ineligible to qualify for the Champions Hockey League despite winning the 2018–19 Continental Cup, it was announced that the board would select a Wild Card team in its place. On 13 February, the Champions Hockey League announced that the Belfast Giants as Continental Cup runners-up had been approved to take part as the Wild Card entry.

The qualification for these places was set out in the rules as follows:

1. CHL champions
2. National league champions (play-off winners)
3. Regular season winners
4. Regular season runners-up
5. Regular season third-placed team
6. Regular season fourth-placed team
7. Regular season fifth-placed team

For the Austrian Hockey League teams are however picked in this order:

1. League champions
2. Regular season winners
3. Pick Round winners
4. Pick Round runners-up
5. Losing playoff finalists

Note: Great Britain is the lone exception as the EIHL, in line with their traditions, determine their national champion following the regular season (not in the playoffs).

Teams

Team	City/Area	League	Qualification	Participation	Previous Best
Frölunda HC	Gothenburg	Swedish Hockey League	2019 CHL winner	6th	Champion
Färjestad BK	Karlstad	Swedish Hockey League	Regular season winner	4th	Round of 32
Luleå HF	Luleå	Swedish Hockey League	Regular season runner-up	4th	Champion
Djurgårdens IF	Stockholm	Swedish Hockey League	Regular season fourth	5th	Round of 16
Skellefteå AIK	Skellefteå	Swedish Hockey League	Regular season fifth	5th	Semi-finals
SC Bern	Bern	National League	Play-off champion	6th	Quarter-finals
EV Zug	Zug	National League	Regular season runner-up	6th	Round of 16
Lausanne HC	Lausanne	National League	Regular season third	1st	First appearance
EHC Biel	Biel/Bienne	National League	Regular season fourth	1st	First appearance
HC Ambrì-Piotta	Ambrì	National League	Regular season fifth	1st	First appearance
HPK	Hämeenlinna	SM-liiga	Play-off champion	1st	First appearance
Kärpät	Oulu	SM-liiga	Regular season winner	5th	Final
Tappara	Tampere	SM-liiga	Regular season runner-up	6th	Round of 16
Pelicans	Lahti	SM-liiga	Regular season third	1st	First appearance
Oceláři Třinec	Třinec	Czech Extraliga	Play-off champion	5th	Semi-finals
Bílí Tygři Liberec	Liberec	Czech Extraliga	Regular season winner	5th	Semi-finals
HC Plzeň	Plzeň	Czech Extraliga	Regular season third	3rd	Semi-finals
Mountfield HK	Hradec Králové	Czech Extraliga	Regular season fourth	3rd	Group stage
Adler Mannheim	Mannheim	Deutsche Eishockey Liga	Play-off champion	5th	Round of 16
Red Bull München	Munich	Deutsche Eishockey Liga	Regular season runner-up	5th	Final
Augsburger Panther	Augsburg	Deutsche Eishockey Liga	Regular season third	1st	First appearance
EC KAC	Klagenfurt	Austrian Hockey League	Play-off champion	3rd	Group stage
Graz 99ers	Graz	Austrian Hockey League	Regular season first round winner	1st	First appearance
Vienna Capitals	Vienna	Austrian Hockey League	Regular season pick round winner	6th	Round of 16
Belfast Giants	Belfast	Elite Ice Hockey League	Continental Cup Wild Card	1st	First appearance
Yunost Minsk	Minsk	Belarusian Extraleague	Play-off champion	3rd	Round of 32
Frisk Asker	Asker	GET-ligaen	Play-off champion	1st	First appearance
HC '05 Banská Bystrica	Banská Bystrica	Tipsport Liga	Play-off champion	3rd	Group stage
Brûleurs de Loups	Grenoble	Ligue Magnus	Play-off champion	2nd	Group stage
Rungsted Ishockey	Rungsted	Metal Ligaen	Play-off champion	1st	First appearance
Cardiff Devils	Cardiff	Elite Ice Hockey League	Regular season runner-up	3rd	Group stage
GKS Tychy	Tychy	Polska Hokej Liga	Play-off champion	2nd	Group stage

Group stage

For the group stage, the teams will be drawn into 8 groups of 4 teams. Each team will play home and away against every other team for a total of 6 games. The best 2 teams qualify to the round of 16.

Pots

The reigning CHL champions is the top seeded team and therefore given a place in pot 1. In the top pot there will also be the reigning champions of the six founding leagues and the regular season winner of SHL. The 16 remaining teams from the founding leagues will be placed to pots 2 and 3. The fourth pot include the playoff champions from the seven challenge leagues and the Belfast Giants, the wild card team following the 2018–19 IIHF Continental Cup.

Pot 1	Pot 2	Pot 3	Pot 4
Frölunda HC Färjestad BK SC Bern HPK Oceláři Třinec Adler Mannheim EC KAC Luleå HF	EV Zug Kärpät Bílí Tygři Liberec Red Bull München Graz 99ers Djurgårdens IF Lausanne HC Tappara	HC Plzeň Augsburger Panther Vienna Capitals Skellefteå AIK EHC Biel Pelicans Mountfield HK HC Ambrì-Piotta	Yunost Minsk Frisk Asker HC '05 Banská Bystrica Brûleurs de Loups Rungsted Ishockey Cardiff Devils GKS Tychy Belfast Giants

Group A

Pos	Team	Pld	W	OTW	OTL	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification		BIE	TAP	KAC	FAS
1	EHC Biel	6	5	0	0	1	16	9	+7	15	Advance to Playoffs		—	1–0	4–2	2–1
2	Tappara	6	4	0	0	2	21	11	+10	12			1–0	—	8–3	7–3
3	EC KAC	6	3	0	0	3	18	20	−2	9			3–6	3–2	—	3–0
4	Frisk Asker	6	0	0	0	6	7	22	−15	0			2–3	1–3	0–4	—

Group B

Pos	Team	Pld	W	OTW	OTL	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification		EVZ	PLZ	HPK	RUN
1	EV Zug	6	4	0	2	0	22	11	+11	14	Advance to Playoffs		—	5–2	3–4 (SO)	5–2
2	HC Plzeň	6	2	3	0	1	24	16	+8	12			2–1 (SO)	—	5–4 (OT)	9–3
3	HPK	6	1	1	2	2	13	16	−3	7			1–3	1–2 (OT)	—	2–0
4	Rungsted Ishockey	6	1	0	0	5	10	26	−16	3			0–5	2–4	3–1	—

Group C

Pos	Team	Pld	W	OTW	OTL	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification		LHF	AUG	LIB	BEL
1	Luleå HF	6	3	2	1	0	26	15	+11	14	Advance to Playoffs		—	2–3 (SO)	4–1	4–0
2	Augsburger Panther	6	2	2	2	0	18	15	+3	12			4–5 (OT)	—	2–3 (SO)	3–1
3	Bílí Tygři Liberec	6	1	1	1	3	20	20	0	6			4–5 (OT)	2–3	—	6–1
4	Belfast Giants	6	1	0	1	4	12	26	−14	4			3–6	2–3 (OT)	5–4	—

Group D

Pos	Team	Pld	W	OTW	OTL	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification		LAU	YUN	TRI	PEL
1	Lausanne HC	6	2	2	2	0	20	17	+3	12	Advance to Playoffs		—	3–2	5–3	4–3 (SO)
2	Yunost Minsk	6	2	1	1	2	15	17	−2	9			3–2 (OT)	—	2–0	2–3 (SO)
3	Oceláři Třinec	6	2	1	0	3	17	14	+3	8			2–1 (OT)	7–2	—	5–3
4	Pelicans	6	1	1	2	2	16	20	−4	7			4–5 (SO)	2–4	1–0	—

Group E

Pos	Team	Pld	W	OTW	OTL	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification		SKE	SCB	KAR	BdL
1	Skellefteå AIK	6	2	2	1	1	19	14	+5	11	Advance to Playoffs		—	3–2 (SO)	2–0	1–2
2	SC Bern	6	2	1	3	0	17	14	+3	11			4–5 (SO)	—	1–2 (SO)	4–1
3	Kärpät	6	2	2	1	1	18	13	+5	11			5–4 (SO)	2–3 (OT)	—	3–1
4	Brûleurs de Loups	6	1	0	0	5	8	21	−13	3			1–4	1–3	2–6	—

Group F

Pos	Team	Pld	W	OTW	OTL	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification		MAN	DIF	VIC	GKS
1	Adler Mannheim	6	4	1	0	1	23	10	+13	14	Advance to Playoffs		—	2–1	4–0	5–0
2	Djurgårdens IF	6	4	0	0	2	20	14	+6	12			6–3	—	3–6	2–0
3	Vienna Capitals	6	2	0	0	4	15	21	−6	6			1–6	1–2	—	5–2
4	GKS Tychy	6	1	0	1	4	10	23	−13	4			2–3 (OT)	2–6	4–2	—

Group G

Pos	Team	Pld	W	OTW	OTL	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification		RBM	FBK	AMB	BAB
1	Red Bull München	6	3	1	1	1	14	9	+5	12	Advance to Playoffs		—	2–1	3–0	3–0
2	Färjestad BK	6	3	1	0	2	17	10	+7	11			3–1	—	2–1	6–1
3	HC Ambrì-Piotta	6	3	0	1	2	13	12	+1	10			2–3 (SO)	2–1	—	4–3
4	HC '05 Banská Bystrica	6	0	1	1	4	10	23	−13	3			3–2 (SO)	3–4 (OT)	0–4	—

Group H

Pos	Team	Pld	W	OTW	OTL	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification		FHC	MHK	CAR	GRA
1	Frölunda HC	6	4	0	1	1	34	17	+17	13	Advance to Playoffs		—	2–3	9–2	5–6 (SO)
2	Mountfield HK	6	4	0	0	2	22	13	+9	12			3–4	—	5–2	7–1
3	Cardiff Devils	6	2	1	0	3	18	30	−12	8			2–9	3–2	—	4–3 (SO)
4	Graz 99ers	6	0	1	1	4	14	28	−14	3			1–5	1–2	2–5	—

Group stage tie-breaking criteria

If two teams were tied in points after the group stage is finished, the teams precedence is decided by head-to-head games. If the teams are still tied after that, then the team that was ranked higher prior to the tournament will take precedence. When comparing head-to-head results, the following criteria will be applied:

1. more points in games against the other tied team
2. better goal difference in games against the other tied team
3. more goals scored against the other tied team
4. more goals scored in a single game against the other tied team
5. overtime wins against the other tied team
6. more goals scored in the two game winning shot competitions
7. higher position in the 2016–17 CHL club ranking

Playoffs

Qualified teams

Group	Winners (seed)	Runners-up
A	EHC Biel	Tappara
B	EV Zug	HC Plzeň
C	Luleå HF	Augsburger Panther
D	Lausanne HC	Yunost Minsk
E	Skellefteå AIK	SC Bern
F	Adler Mannheim	Djurgårdens IF
G	Red Bull München	Färjestad BK
H	Frölunda HC	Mountfield HK

Format

In each round except the final, the teams will play two games and the aggregate score will decide which team advances. As a rule, the first leg will be hosted by the team who has the inferior record in the tournament with the second leg being played on the home ice of the other team. If aggregate score is tied, a sudden death overtime will follow. If the overtime is scoreless, the team who wins the shoot out competition advances.

The final will be played on the home ice of the team who has the better record in the tournament.

Bracket

The 8 group winners and the 8 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 couldn't be drawn against each other in the round of 16.[8] The draw took place in Helsinki, Finland on 18 October 2019.

	Round of 16						Quarterfinals						Semifinals						Final
	Djurgårdens IF	3	4	7
	Skellefteå AIK	3	1	4
							Djurgårdens IF	5	3	8
							Red Bull München	1	0	1
	Yunost Minsk	2	0	2
	Red Bull München	3	6	9
													Djurgårdens IF	1	0	1
												Mountfield HK	3	3	6
	Tappara	3	1	4
	EV Zug	3	3	6
							EV Zug	1	0	1
							Mountfield HK	1	4	5
	Mountfield HK	1	1	2
	Adler Mannheim	0	1	1
																		Mountfield HK	1
																			Frölunda HC	3
	Augsburger Panther	2	1	3
	EHC Biel (OT)	2	2	4
							EHC Biel	3	3	6
							' Frölunda HC (OT)	2	5	7
	Färjestad BK	6	2	8
	Frölunda HC	3	8	11
													Frölunda HC	2	3	5
												Luleå HF	3	1	4
	SC Bern	0	2	2
	Luleå HF	3	4	7
							Luleå HF	2	5	7
							Lausanne HC	1	2	3
	HC Plzeň	1	4	5
	Lausanne HC (OT)	2	4	6

Note:

1. 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. Skellefteå AIK, however, would play their first leg at home in their tie against Djurgårdens IF.
2. The order of the legs (which team starts at home) in the future rounds may be changed as the team with the best record should have the second game at home.

Final

4 February 2020 18:45 (UTC+1)

Mountfield HK

1–3 (1–3, 0–0, 0–0)

Frölunda HC

ČPP Arena, Hradec Králové Attendance: 6,890

Game reference
	Marek Mazanec	Goalies	Johan Mattsson	Referees: Kristian Vikman Mikko Kaukokari
	Koukal (Cibuļskis, Pavlík) (PP) – 06:53	1–0 / 1–1 / 1–2 / 1–3	16:29 – Hjalmarsson (Lundqvist, Lasch) (PP) / 18:21 – Friberg (Grönlund) / 19:21 – Sundström (Ekbom, Fagemo)
	10 min	Penalties	8 min
	18	Shots	29