Leagues return after CHL action

Friday night sees the return of most of Europe's top leagues, with teams back on the ice after Champions Hockey League campaigns or their pre-season preparations

The Austrian EBEL, Czech Extraliga, Finnish Liiga and German DEL all have their opening nights this evening, while Sweden's SHL gets under way tomorrow. Fans in Switzerland have another week to wait until their league proper gets going again.

Meanwhile in the Challenger Leagues action will begin in Denmark and Slovakia; while Belarus and Norway started their seasons earlier. In France the majority of teams also begin their campaigns tonight, and in Poland and the UK the two teams who took part in the CHL finally get into domestic action.

In around seven months, we'll see who was able to defend their title, or if new champions have been crowned!

Who is defending a championship?

Danish champions Aalborg Pirates

Cardiff Devils won the UK Elite League Regular Season & Playoffs last season, so defend a double

GKS Tychy are reigning Polish champions

HC Bolzano won Austria's EBEL playoffs, despite finishing the regular season in 8th

HC05 Banská Bystrica are two-time defending Slovak champions

Kärpät Oulu will defend their Liiga title

Kometa Brno have won the Czech Extraliga two years in a row, can they make it three?

Neman Grodno have won the last two championships in Belarus

Red Bull Munich have three straight DEL titles in the bag, can they get #4?

Rouen Dragons are defending Ligue Magnus champions

Växjö Lakers won the SHL Regular Season & Playoffs in 2017/18

Can Storhamar Hamar defend their Norwegian title this season?

ZSC Lions won the Swiss National League Playoffs as enter this season as defending champions

See also: Season 2018/19 Leagues news Domestic Check