With EV Zug, ZSC Lions Zurich, HC Davos, Genève-Servette (all Switzerland), Red Bull Munich (Germany) and HC Bolzano (Italy/via EBEL) all having qualified over the past few days via their domestic leagues, the total number of teams qualified for the 2020/21 Champions Hockey League now stands at nine.
Coming this week, another handful of teams have a chance to join the group. Click here to see the #RaceToQualify so far.
In the Czech Extraliga, Bílí Tygři Liberec are very close to qualifying for a sixth time in seven years. They currently have a comfortable league atop the standings, 10 ahead of HC Pilsen and 11 ahead of BK Mladá Boleslav and Sparta Prague, who each have just four games to play. A Liberec win over Pilsen on Tuesday would qualify them and, failing that, they would have other chances later in the week.
Germany could get as many as two more qualifiers this week – with the Straubing Tigers having a chance on Friday and Adler Mannheim as early as Sunday if results go their way – or the last two Regular Season places could come down to the last week of the season. Eisbären Berlin are still very much in the hunt to finish in the top three, trailing Mannheim by six points and Straubing by 10 with a game in hand on both.
CHL champions Frölunda Indians have already qualified and we could get a second team from Sweden as early soon with Luleå Hockey with a comfortable 10-point lead over their nearest competitor and 12 points ahead of fourth-placed Skelleftea AIK.
And in Finland, Kärpät Oulu currently lead Tappara Tampere by seven points, Ilves Tampere by 13 and Lukko Rauma by 14 and have a game in hand on all of them. We might have to wait another week before getting a qualifier there, however.
Switzerland have already qualified four teams and won't see another team added until the playoffs are settled.
Also, with still five weeks to go in the UK's EIHL regular season, the race for who will become that league’s champion and CHL qualifier is heating up. The Sheffield Steelers, Cardiff Devils, Nottingham Panthers and Belfast Giants – who have all qualified in the past – are separated by six points at the top, with the Coventry Blaze in fifth, eight points off the lead with two games in hand.
Further wildcard qualifiers from Belarus, Denmark, France, Norway, Poland and Slovakia will come from those leagues’ playoffs.