Champions Hockey League (2008–09)
The Champions Hockey League ( CHL short, also: hockey Champions League) was discharged in the season 2008 /09 for the first and only time and by the International Ice Hockey Federation IIHF European Cup competition for ice hockey clubs.
Due to absence of sponsorship by the jump of the investor in connection with the financial crisis was given on 15 June 2009 announced by the IIHF that the CHL would expose in the season 2009/10. The common thought is of the IIHF and Hockey Europe, the Association of European leagues, restart the CHL for the season 2010/11 did not materialize. Plans for the resumption of the season 2011/12 have also been postponed after some involved leagues this did not agree.
For the 2014/15 season starts a new competition under the name of the Champions Hockey League, which is performed by a majority of the participating clubs belonging corporation.
History
Introduction of the League
On 20 April 2007, the World Association announced that the competition the previous IIHF European Champions Cup, a tournament with the champions of the six top European nations in the IIHF World Ranking detaches. Further information was made public 13 January 2008 on the edge of the last European Champions Cup. The winner of the tournament receives the Silver Stone Trophy, which was introduced in 1997 for the winner of the European Hockey League.
In the first season, only teams from the top seven European leagues in the CHL participated. The countries of Russia, Sweden, Czech Republic and Finland representing this two teams each, while Germany, Switzerland and Slovakia competed with the respective champions in the group stage. Then there was another team that was determined in a qualifying tournament in September 2008. The participants of the Qualification Tournament winners were the main round of the Slovak Extraliga, the Swiss National League A and the German Ice Hockey League.
The main round was played in four groups of three teams. It played in each group each team against every other team, each with a home and away game. The teams first wore the semifinals in return game. The final was also played in home and away matches. The games were played in on Wednesday and overlapped extent possible, not with national league games or the UEFA Champions League.
Winner of the inaugural tournament was somewhat surprising the ZSC Lions from Zurich, who could face the last ECC HK winner Metallurg Magnitogorsk in the final. In October 2009, the Lions Victoria Cup brought further.
In the first CHL season high premiums were offered for Hockey conditions designed to ensure the attractiveness of the competition for the participants. The premiums are covered by sponsors, including by Russia's Gazprom. Total 2008/ 09 ten million euros were paid out during the season:
- A total of 100,000 euros for participants in the qualifying tournament
- 300,000 euros per participating team in the group stage
- 50,000 euros per win in the group stage
- 200,000 euros for the semi-finals
- 500,000 euros for the runners-
- 1,000,000 euros for the winning finalists
- 300,000 euros for the league each participant
- 100,000 Euros for each participating National Federation
Late cancellation and re- resumption
From the season 2009/10 should be played by an expanded qualification mode. For the twelve -team group stage, the champion of the seven best European leagues qualified automatically. The remaining five participants would have to be played out in two qualifying rounds between the masters of the placed in the leagues ranking between the 8th and 22nd in European leagues and the main round winners of the top seven leagues. The 2009/10 season was canceled due to the ongoing financial crisis and lack of investor funds in the summer.
For the 2010/11 season the matches of the CHL should be resumed. The IIHF worked for it along with Hockey Europe. According to preliminary plans, the master of the seven best leagues in the seasons 2008/ 09 and 2009/ 10 as well as two other teams that should be determined through a qualifying tournament qualify for the group stage, which should consist of four groups of four teams. Another attempt by the resumption of the competition is started with the 2011/12 season. Qualify for up to two participants from said top seven leagues, the ZSC Lions Zurich as the defending champion and the winner of IIHF Continental Cup 2010/11 ..
Consequences and restart
As of 2010, the European Trophy established as an alternative European Cup competition. This originated from the Nordic Trophy and the Red Bulls Salute competition was conducted by the participating clubs without the participation of the IIHF. The IIHF tried during which to revive the CHL again.
Finally, IIHF, clubs and the leagues of Hockey Europe agreed on a new European club competition, which will again bear the name of the Champions Hockey League. The competition is organized by a capital company, which is majority-owned by 26 clubs. The details of the new competition will be announced in December 2013.
Leagues ranking
The participants in the CHL were defined analogously to other sports according to a ranking of countries and leagues. The top seven countries participated in the 2008 /09 season, in the 2009/10 season, the tournament should have been extended to 22 countries.
Victoria Cup
- Main article: Victoria Cup
The winner of the CHL met the following year in the so-called Victoria Cup to a team in the National Hockey League. The first edition of the Victoria Cup was held at the PostFinance Arena in Bern on October 1, 2008. European representative was the ECC HK winner Metallurg Magnitogorsk, from the NHL, the New York Rangers were selected. The winner received a prize of one million Swiss francs ( about 0.6 million euros). Named the trophy after the Victoria Skating Rink in Montreal, the IIHF looks as the birthplace of ice hockey since 1875 there took place an indoor ice hockey game for the first time. The first edition coincided with the 100th anniversary of the IIHF.