Friday, 12. July 2024 |
CHL start against the best team in EuropeSwedish champions open regular season in Salzburg // CHLWhen the Red Bulls kick off the regular season of the 2024/25 Champions Hockey League at home on 6 September, Skellefteå AIK, the new Swedish champions and last season's CHL finalists, will be coming to Salzburg as one of the best teams in Europe. 
You don't really need to say much more about Swedish ice hockey teams. For decades, Sweden's top league, the SHL, has played a major role in shaping Europe's ice hockey elite. The best players from the SHL regularly move to North America to play in the NHL, the best league in the world.
Skellefteå AIK is no exception. On the contrary: last season, the club, which is the second furthest north after Luleå, won the Swedish championship for the fourth time in the club's history, beating Rögle BK 4:1 in the final. Skellefteå had already reached the final the previous year, but were beaten by Växjö.
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Pictures from last season
The Swedes also flexed their muscles in the CHL 2023/24, finishing fifth in the regular season in the playoffs and only being stopped in the final by Swiss NL club Genève-Servette (2:3) before a possible second title of the season.
Oliver David, Head Coach EC Red Bull Salzburg
"Last season, we had a tough game in Skellefteå in the CHL opener. Even at that early stage, their high level was impressive. It's great that we have them again for the opener and another chance to challenge one of the best teams in Europe."
Strikingly, apart from just two import players from Norway and Latvia, all the players and members of the coaching and support staff in the current team roster are from Sweden. However, none of the current line-up made it into last season's blue and yellow World Cup team (3rd place).
Revenge in Salzburg
The Red Bulls also felt the effects of the Swedes' strong performance in the last CHL season and lost 4-0 in the season opener in Skellefteå. The Red Bulls now have the chance to get revenge at home next season. Perhaps they can then achieve a second success against the Swedes, as they did in 2006 when they won 7:4 at the Red Bulls Salute in Salzburg.
Skellefteå AIK | Factbox
Founded: 1921
League: SHL / SWE
Stadium: Skellefteå Kraft Arena / 6,001 spectators
2023/24 season: Swedish champions
Achievements: Four-time Swedish champions
CHL 2023/24: Final
WEB: www.skellefteaaik.se
Champions Hockey League | Mode
24 teams play in the regular season. Each team has six games against six different opponents, which are allocated by lot. This means that each team has three home games and three away games against six different opponents. Teams from the same league cannot play each other in the regular season. The results of the regular season (3-point ranking) are used to produce a ranking of all 24 teams.
The first 16 teams qualify for the play-off round of 16, with 1st playing against 16th, 2nd against 15th and so on. This results in the playoff tree up to the final. The play-off matches are decided by a first and second leg, with the total number of goals (aggregate score) being decisive in the event of a tie. Only the final is decided in an all-important match.
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CHL match schedule of the Red Bulls fixed // CHAMPIONS HOCKEY LEAGUE
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CHL trip of the Red Bulls is over // CHAMPIONS HOCKEY LEAGUE
Red Bulls defeated in Skellefteå// CHL
Mit Galerie
CHL match schedule of the Red Bulls fixed // CHAMPIONS HOCKEY LEAGUE
Mit Video
CHL trip of the Red Bulls is over // CHAMPIONS HOCKEY LEAGUE
Red Bulls defeated in Skellefteå// CHL
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