With five more teams qualifying over the Easter long weekend, 43 of the 48 teams that will compete in the 2016–17 CHL season are now known. Still to qualify are teams from Belarus, Denmark, Germany, Norway and Slovakia.
CHL News
The field of 48 is almost set for the 2016–17 Champions Hockey League season, but there are still five more up for grabs. Read below to see who has already qualified, and what races are still to be determined. Beside each country is the number of teams already qualified out of the total number of teams allotted.
Austria (4/4)
The EBEL Final is between Red Bull Salzburg and Orli Znojmo, who had both already qualified. The last spot in Austria goes to Black Wings Linz as highest-ranked losing semi-finalist.
Belarus (0/1)
Yunost Minsk and Shakhtar Soligorsk have reached the finals. This means for sure we will have a new team from Belarus next year. Minsk currently lead the best-of-seven series 2–0.
Czech Republic (6/6)
The Czech Extraliga is down to its semi-finals, with all four remaining teams already qualified. The two B-License spots were claimed by HC Plzen and BK Mlada Boleslav, who both won their quarter-final series last week.
Denmark (0/1)
The semi-finals are underway with favourites and reigning champions Sonderjyske Vojens trailing to Esbjerg Energy 2–1 and Fredrikshavn IK leading Blue Fox Herning 2–1. The lone CHL spot for next season will go to the national champions.
Finland (8/8)
The Liiga is down to its semi-finals, but all eight spots have now been decided as all four remaining teams are A-License holders. Saipa Lappeenranta and Lukko Rauma receive the two B-License spots as the highest losing quarter-finalists.
France (2/2)
As the championship was won by the Rouen Dragons, who had already qualified as IIHF Continental Cup winners, the second spot for the Ligue Magnus will be awarded to the regular season winners, les Rapaces de Gap.
Germany (5/6)
The DEL is down to its semi-finals with Kolner Haie knocking out Eisbaren Berlin in a dramatic game seven and Grizzlys Wolfsburg prevailing over Dusseldorfer EG. The four remaining teams are Koln, Wolfsburg, the Nuremberg Ice Tigers and the already-qualified Red Bull Munich, with three teams fighting for one remaining spot.
Great Britain (1/1)
The Sheffield Steelers are qualified for the CHL 2016–17 as the EIHL regular season winners, which determines the national championship of Great Britain.
Norway (1/2)
The semi-finals have started in the Norwegian Ligaen, with regular-season winners the Stavanger Oilers trailing one game to Storhamar Hamar. If Stavanger manage to repeat as champions, the second CHL spot will go to Lorenskog IK, the second-place finishers from the regular season. Lorenskog currently lead Valerenga Oslo 1–0 in the other semi.
Poland (1/1)
Cracovia Krakow have won the national championship with a seven-game victory over GKS Tychy in the Polish Hockey League Finals and will represent Poland in the upcoming CHL season.
Slovakia (1/2)
The semi-finals have started with HC Kosice, who have already qualified for the CHL as regular season winners, trailing 2–0 to HC '05 Banska Bystrica. If Kosice manage to come back and repeat as champions, the second spot will go to HK Nitra, second-place finishers from the regular season and currently facing HKm Zvolen in the other semi.
Sweden (8/8)
Everything is decided as all eight teams have already qualified. In addition to the six A-License holders, Skelleftea AIK won the regular season and the Vaxjo Lakers get in as the lone semi-finalist who were still unqualified.
Switzerland (6/6)
A couple of very intense and dramatic semi-finals have just ended with SC Bern knocking out the already-qualified HC Davos and going to the Final. There they will meet HC Lugano, who qualify to the CHL for the first time by eliminating Geneve-Servette in the other semi.