Wednesday, 08. July 2026 |
Introducing Bílí Tygri Liberec
And there's another parallel to the Red Bulls. After finishing third in the regular season, the "White Tigers," as the Czech team is known in German, were eliminated in the playoff quarterfinals, only succumbing to Karlovy Vary in the seventh game – by a single goal in overtime.
Is Liberec on its way back to the top of the national league?
Represented in the Tipsport Extraliga since 2002, the Czechs experienced their best period starting in 2015. Beginning with the championship title in 2016, they won the regular season three times in the following years and also reached the final three times, but couldn't repeat their 2016 success. After that, from 2021 onward, they were always eliminated in the quarterfinals at the latest. However, with their current third-place finish in the regular season and the incredibly close quarterfinal loss to Karlovy Vary, their form is trending upwards again.
The Red Bulls have already had some unpleasant experiences against the Czechs. In their only previous encounter at the Red Bulls Salute 2021 in Kitzbühel, Salzburg suffered a resounding 0-5 defeat (on August 7th).
Strong CHL Past
Alongside their performance in the Tipsport Extraliga, the Czechs also made a strong showing in the CHL. In the 2017/18 season, they even reached the semifinals, defeating Frölunda HC and the ZSC Lions in the playoffs before being stopped by the Växjö Lakers in the semifinals. Liberec has played in the CHL five times in total and also qualified for 2020/21 (which was canceled due to COVID-19). This year marks the Czechs' sixth appearance in the CHL after a six-year hiatus.
Many Talents on the Eyes of the CHL and NHL
With defenseman Tomas Calvas, Liberec boasts a current NHL prospect on its roster. The 20-year-old was selected in the second round by the Pittsburgh Penguins. In the CHL Import Draft, the Canadian Hockey League's entry draft, seven players (!) from Liberec were selected. The tall forward Maxmilián Mareš was even signed fifth overall. As a result, Liberec has the second-youngest team in the league (average age 25.8 years).
This year, forwards Paul Schuster (AUT, 16) and Nikita Bloch (GER, 17) were drafted into the CHL from the Red Bull Ice Hockey Academy.
Alan Letang, Head Coach EC RedBull Salzburg
"We only have a short recovery time after the first game and expect a completely different challenge. Czech teams are known for their patience and their fast transition game. The second home game just 48 hours later will be a good test to see how we react mentally and physically."
Bílí Tygři Liberec | Factbox
Founded: 1956
League: Tipsport Extraliga
Stadium: Home Credit Arena | 7,500 spectators
2025/26 Season: Quarterfinals
Achievements: One Czech Champion
2025/26 CHL: –
Head Coach: Jiri Kudrna
WEB: www.hcbilitygri.cz
CHL | Regular Season of the Red Bulls
Thu, 3 Sep | 7.15 p.m. | EC Red Bull Salzburg vs. Kölner Haie
Sat, 5 Sep | 7.15 p.m. | EC Red Bull Salzburg vs. Bílí Tygři Liberec
Fri, 11 Sep | 7 p.m. | Växjö Lakers vs. EC Red Bull Salzburg
Sun, 13 Sep | 3 p.m. | Rögle Ängelholm vs. EC Red Bull Salzburg
Wed, 7 Okt | 8.20 p.m. | EC Red Bull Salzburg vs. Eisbären Berlin
Tue, 13 Okt | 7 p.m. | Skellefteå AIK vs. EC Red Bull Salzburg
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