Red Bull Munich will start their sixth straight Champions Hockey League season with a Round of 32 tie against league newcomer Ilves Tampere.
Munich secured qualification thanks to yet another first-place finish in the DEL Regular Season, their fourth in five years, whilst Ilves’ fourth-place finish in the Finnish Liiga earned them their first-ever CHL qualification.
“Qualifying for the CHL is a major reward for our entire club management and owners,” began Ilves Tampere Head Coach Jouko Myrrä. 51-year-old Myrrä has been coaching at Ilves since 2009 when he began working with the Under-16 squad. In 2013 he made the jump to the Under-20 and in 2016 he joined the men’s squad as an Assistant Coach. At the start of last season, he succeeded Karri Kivi to become Head Coach for 2019/20 and lead the team to not only their best Liiga Regular Season finish since 1998, but also to their very first CHL qualification. “Our shining days are too far in the past, we want to go out, play and win every single game ahead of us,” added the Tampere-born coach.
When asked about his view on the draw he had this to say: “Red Bull Munich are one of the toughest teams you can face in the CHL, we have high respect for their past achievements and current form. They are a top European team and their level is what we are aiming to reach.”
"Every minute matters more now"Ilves Tampere Head Coach Jouko Myrrä
“Ilves are led by a skilled group of young players with good veteran support. We expect them to be fully prepared by the time we meet in October,” said Don Jackson, who shares the same level of respect for Ilves as they do for his side, also highlighting their great fourth-placed finish in Liiga this season. The 63-year-old Red Bull Munich Head Coach has over 30 years of coaching experience under his belt and was once an accomplished NHL player, winning the Stanley Cup twice whilst playing for the likes of the Edmonton Oilers and New York Rangers. The charismatic coach has been in his current role with Munich since 2014 and has also experienced the pressure of a CHL Final.
“These rounds will be quick, and we need to have a jump start,” said Jackson. “The key is to be ready.” His counterpart, Jouko Myrrä, shared a similar view on the upcoming season: “Every minute matters now. The game format in the Group Stage can forgive mistakes, but knock-out games make you pay a heavy price."
"Our goal for this season is to bring home our first CHL Trophy"Don Jackson, Head Coach of Red Bull Munich
With five seasons of CHL experience, Jackson sets his team’s goal for the upcoming season very high. “Our goal is to be the best team in the Champions Hockey League and to bring home our first CHL Trophy.”
Newcomers Ilves meanwhile recognise just what getting to this level means for their organisation. “Qualifying is a major step in our club’s development program. After a major ownership change in early 2017 we have a new, bright corporate strategy in place. It has been a long journey to get here and we are going to enjoy the ride while we’re here.” Myrrä is also pleased for the fans: “new chants, European visitors, fan jerseys, … This is like a new world for the fans!” he concluded.