The exciting story behind the Red Bulls Salute
The Red Bulls Salute was born from the idea of offering fans top ice hockey in the summer. The invitational tournament took place for the first time in 2005, when the winner was ERC Ingolstadt. The format and number of participants changed in the following years, but the first-class line-up of top teams from Europe's best leagues remained. From 2010, the Red Bulls Salute served as the final tournament of the European Trophy, the predecessor of the Champions League.
The last edition in 2013 was won by the Finnish team JYP Jyväskylä. The tournament then gave way to the Champions League (CHL). Since 2017, the international invitational tournament has once again been held annually in August.
NHL flair thanks to the LA Kings
One of the absolute highlights in the history of the tournament to date was the participation of the Los Angeles Kings. In 2007, the two-time Stanley Cup winners opened that year's NHL season with a game against the Anaheim Ducks in London. The Red Bulls Salute served the Los Angeles Kings as ideal preparation for the new season. Unsurprisingly, the Kings won the tournament and immortalized themselves in the winners' list.