Olimpija Ljubljana’s confirmed place for the 2022/23 Champions Hockey League season has made them the 100th team to qualify for the pan-European competition.
Over the course of seven seasons, 100 different teams have featured on Europe’s biggest stage and shed blood, sweat and tears on their quest for the European Trophy.
For some, playing in the CHL was a hard-earned one-time reward for a successful domestic season, but for others, CHL Game Days have earned a fixed position in their calendars and competing for the title of European Champions has become a permanent part of their year-to-year goals.
Since qualifying for the CHL is based on sporting merits alone, only the very best teams compete in the competition each season and to qualify more than once, teams must consistently operate at the very pinnacle of their domestic leagues.
Three clubs have qualified for each and every CHL season to date – Tappara Tampere, EV Zug and Frölunda Gothenburg.
Four different teams have been crowned European Champions over the years – Frölunda have lifted the European Trophy four times, JYP Jyväskylä won the competition in 2017/18, Luleå Hockey back in 2014/15 and Rögle Ängelholm were crowned Champions in the most recent season.
Here’s a list of all the teams that have qualified for the CHL
Germany - 13
- Red Bull Munich
- Adler Mannheim
- Eisbären Berlin
- ERC Ingolstadt
- Krefeld Pinguine
- Grizzlys Wolfsburg
- Augsburger Panther
- Düsseldorfer EG
- Hamburg Freezers
- Kölner Haie
- Nürnberg Ice Tigers
- Straubing Tigers
- Pinguins Bremerhaven
Finland - 13
- Tappara Tampere
- IFK Helsinki
- TPS Turku
- JYP Jyväskylä
- Kärpät Oulu
- KalPa Kuopio
- Lukko Rauma
- SaiPa Lappeenranta
- Espoo Blues
- HPK Hämeenlinna
- Lahti Pelicans
- Ilves Tampere
- Jukurit Mikkeli
Czech Republic - 12
- Oceláři Třinec
- Bílí Tygři Liberec
- Sparta Prague
- Mountfield HK
- HC Pilsen
- Vítkovice Ridera Ostrava
- HC Pardubice
- Kometa Brno
- BK Mladá Boleslav
- HC Litvínov
- PSG Zlín
- Orli Znojmo (ICE)
Sweden - 12
- Frölunda Gothenburg
- Växjö Lakers
- Skellefteå AIK
- Djurgården Stockholm
- Luleå Hockey
- HV71 Jönköping
- Färjestad Karlstad
- Linköping HC
- Malmö Redhawks
- Rögle Ängelholm
- Brynäs IF
- Leksands IF
Switzerland - 12
- EV Zug
- ZSC Lions Zurich
- SC Bern
- Fribourg-Gottéron
- HC Davos
- HC Lugano
- Lausanne HC
- Genève-Servette
- EHC Biel-Bienne
- EHC Kloten
- HC Ambrì-Piotta
- Rapperswil-Jona Lakers
Austria - 6
- Red Bull Salzburg (ICE)
- Vienna Capitals (ICE)
- KAC Klagenfurt (ICE)
- Black Wings Linz (ICE)
- Villach SV (ICE)
- Graz 99ers (ICE)
Norway - 5
- Stavanger Oilers
- Storhamar Hamar
- Frisk Asker
- Vålerenga Oslo
- Lørenskog IK
United Kingdom - 5
- Cardiff Devils
- Nottingham Panthers
- Sheffield Steelers
- Belfast Giants
- Glasgow Clan
France - 4
- Rouen Dragons
- Gap Rapaces
- Grenoble
- Briançon Diables Rouges
Denmark - 4
- SønderjyskE Vojens
- Rungsted Seier Capital
- Esbjerg Energy
- Aalborg Pirates
Slovakia - 4
- HC Košice
- HC05 Banská Bystrica
- HK Nitra
- Slovan Bratislava
Poland - 4
- GKS Tychy
- Comarch Cracovia
- JKH GKS Jastrzębie
- GKS Katowice
Belarus - 2
- Yunost Minsk
- Neman Grodno
Italy - 1
- HC Bolzano (ICE)
Slovenia - 1
Olimpija Ljubljana (ICE)
Hungary - 1
Fehérvár AV19 (ICE)
Ukraine - 1
- HC Donbass Donetsk