Reigning Swiss Champions ZSC Lions Zurich are one game away from lifting the European Trophy in front of their home crowd in the packed Swiss Life Arena. Everyone's excited, including Swiss defenceman Dean Kukan who gave us his thoughts and ran us through some of the pivotal moments of Zurich's season amongst Europe's very best.
"Our goal is to win it all"Dean Kukan, ZSC Lions Zurich
"Our main goal was to win it all, just like with the National League," noted Kukan straight off the bat, explaining Zurich's all-or-nothing mindset, "and now we're pretty close, yet still far far away."
The reigning Swiss champions came into the Champions Hockey League all guns blazing, convincingly winning their first two games on the road against Storhamar Hamar and Ilves Tampere, before beating Straubing Tigers in their first home game of the season. Kukan explains that it wasn't a surprise.
"We headed into the season expecting to be one of the better teams. We've played really well so far this season," he started. When asked about any game from the six-game first phase of the competition, a few (un)expected names came up: "The game against the Sheffield Steelers really stood out. We knew they had a couple of wins and that we couldn't underestimate them, but I think they played really well. They were a really good team, that was a nice surprise."
"We've played really well so far this season"Dean Kukan, ZSC Lions Zurich
Is that proof that the level of European hockey is rising even in non-traditional hockey markets? Kukan thinks so.
"Yeah. I remember when we went to Nottingham some 10 years ago when I played for Luleå Hockey and we really beat them by like nine goals or more, so it's a big difference when you face these teams now," added the ex-NHLer, highlighting a 10-1 game against the Nottingham Panthers in the very first CHL season of 2014/15.
At the end of the Regular Season, Zurich finished in second place, three points behind their current enemy no. 1 - Färjestad Karlstad.
"We were a little lucky with the two games against Eisbären Berlin"Dean Kukan, ZSC Lions Zurich
Looking at Zurich's Playoffs games, there was no letting off their strong pace. After a strong two games against the Straubing Tigers in the Round of 16, the Swiss club faced their toughest challenge of the season in Eisbären Berlin.
"They were a really good team and I think we were lucky a little bit with winning those two games, especially since we went 0-3 down in both," remembered Kukan.
And the all-Swiss Semi-Finals against reigning CHL Champions Genève-Servette? "We knew what to expect from them but I think it shows more that Swiss hockey is moving forward. There have been many Swedish winners of the CHL so having Genève win last year and us in the Final this year is really positive."
Zurich are one of the most experienced clubs in the Champions Hockey League line-up and even won the competition's predecessor in 2009, what do games on Europe's biggest club ice hockey stage mean for the club?
"Playing in the Champions Hockey League is really fun. The early games especially, it gives you a different approach to the season when you play these games that mean something early on," explained Kukan, "the travelling is also nice. We've had some time to explore new cities and new places this season."
"We're going to give our all and try and win"Dean Kukan, ZSC Lions Zurich
The CHL Final is now just days away. When did Zurich first see Färjestad Karlstad on their radar and what do they expect from the SHL heavyweights in the all-or-nothing one-game showdown?
"We know the SHL is a really good league and they are one of the top teams there. Their roster is full of really good players, so it's sure to be a really close game. We're going to give our all and try and win."
The battle to host the Final was very close between Färjestad and Zurich down to the last few minutes of Zurich's game against Genève. In the end, the Swiss club managed to score the one goal they needed to best their Swedish rivals to the hosting rights of the ultimate game of the CHL calendar. Was securing the right result the goal heading into the Semi-Finals Return Game?
"Absolutely, we were looking at what we needed to do to make sure we were at home. We saw what an important advantage playing at home was in our National League finals last season," he noted.
A quick look back at Dean Kukan's career reveals the now 31-year-old defenceman played in the very first 2014/15 season and even won the Champions Hockey League that year with Luleå. What does he remember from that time?
"It was a very long time ago," he sighed, "I remember the Final. That was a big thing to play at home and win - it was a great time afterwards."
10 years on, Kukan's in another CHL Final and lifting the European Trophy is just a game away.
ZSC Lions Zurich and Färjestad Karlstad will face each other in the ultimate one-game CHL Final in Zurich, Switzerland on Tuesday, 18 February 2025, at 20:15 CET.