I posted this in the Canuck Young Guns... a bit of a tangent, starting with a discussion about Podz and the KHL...
Realized it probably really belongs here, so I did a copy paste. Left the original in the other thread though, as it kind of belonged to that discussion too. But if you already read it, you don't need to read it again. Here goes:
Not that anyone cares, but in the six years the Champions Hockey League has been played, Swedish teams have won five times and Finnish once.
2019/20 Frölunda Indians (SWE) beat Mountfield HK (CZE) in the final.
Djurgården (SWE) and Luleå Hockey (SWE) were eliminated in the semi finals.
2018/19 Frölunda Indians (SWE) beat Red Bull Munich (GER) in the final.
Red Bull Salzburg (AUT) and HC Pilzen (CZE) were eliminated in the semi finals.
2017/18 JYP Jyväskylä (FIN) beat Växjö Lakers* (SWE) in the final. (*Petey was on that team)
Ocelari Trinec (CZE) and Bili Tygri Liberec (CZE) were eliminated in the semi finals.
2016/17 Frölunda Indians (SWE) beat Sparta Prague (CZE) in the final.
Växjö Lakers (SWE) and Fribourg-Gottéron (CHE*) were eliminated in the semi finals. (*CHE means Switzerland)
2015/16 Frölunda Indians (SWE) beat Kärpät Oulo (FIN) in the final.
Lukko Rauma (FIN) and HC Davos (CHE) were eliminated in the semi finals.
2014/15 Luleå Hockey (SWE) beat Frölunda Indians (SWE) in the final.
Skellefteå (SWE) and Kärpät Oulo (FIN) were eliminated in the semi finals.
If you look at the 24 teams that have reached the final four...
5 different Swedish teams a total of 11 times
5 different Czech teams a total of 5 times
3 different Finnish teams a total of 4 times
2 different Swiss teams a total of 2 times
1 German team once
1 Austrian team once
So, even though it's a decent mix, the Swedish, Czech and Finnish teams dominate. As it should be.
But in time this may help spread hockey to backwaters like the UK and France. I mean, they do have teams participating.
In 2020/21 they have skipped the regular season and instead let 32 teams participate in the playoffs. Not sure how the seeding has been done, but I guess based on previous performance and the ranking of their national leagues.
https://www.championshockeyleague.com/e ... tandings=0
Oh, and btw, this is the last season Frölunda Indians will go by that name. They have decided to drop it after this season, but have not announced their new name yet. Maybe Västra Frölunda or Frölunda HC, which are two earlier names they've gone by.