With Europe’s leagues all now heading into the cold winter months, how are the top leagues around Europe shaping up? Remember, it’s not just races for top positions and playoff spots, but also for next season’s CHL that are up for grabs!
by Luke Fisher
Austria
Flashback to a month ago, and regular readers will remember the Vienna Capitals being several points clear at the top of the EBEL. Fast-forward to the present day, and that lead has now turned into trailing Red Bull Salzburg by six points! It’s been all change at the top of Austria’s top league, with the Graz 99ers also having a dreadful run of form that saw them drop from a comfortable third place down to fifth before this weekend’s games. A win over Dornbirn did, however, move the Styrian side back into the top four. Third place is now occupied by Orli Znojmo, while Alba Volán Székesfehérvár, in sixth, are only now three points off second place. Black Wings Linz, in at fifth, complete the picture for the automatic playoff places so far.
Czech Republic
HC Litvínov’s time at the top of the Czech Extraliga was short lived, with Oceláři Třinec taking back the position they’d held for some time, and opening up a three-point lead again. The two sides have increased their cushion over the rest of the league to six points now, with Sparta Prague and Kometa Brno the only real challengers to the top two. Those teams, in turn, are eight points above the chasing pack, headed in fifth place by HC Pardubice. At the other end, PSG Zlín have finally got themselves out of last place. That dubious honour now goes to Slavia Prague, who find themselves two points adrift of the rest of the league.
Denmark
SønderjyskE Vojens now lead the Metal-Ligaen, two points above Odense, who only took over top spot a few weeks ago. Herning, who did lead the league at one point, continue to slip and now find themselves fifth, while Esbjerg Energy have gone up to third – five points off the pace. SønderjyskE’s lead is partly, though, due to having played two more games than most other teams. Frederikshavn, who are fourth, could actually go into third if they win a couple of the three games in hand they have over Esbjerg.
Finland
The tightness of Finland’s Liiga is illustrated in just how often the league leader changes from week to week. JYP Jyväskylä, who did sit second, have now gone to the top – but their lead is merely one point over Lukko Rauma, who have moved back up the league following a poor start after the international break. KalPa Kuopio, who led the league a fortnight ago, drop to third and two points off top spot. Then come a trio of teams tied on 47 points (five shy of the lead) – IFK Helsinki, Kärpät Oulu, and HPK Hämeenlinna. As things stand, they would complete the top six heading in to the post season, and with a gap of four points down to Ilves Tampere, have some breathing space.
France
Grenoble remain five points clear at the top of the Ligue Magnus, with Chamonix doing their best to keep up with the pace. Angers, Gap, and Amiens are all involved in a three-way tie for third place, with Rouen and Briançon taking plaes 6 and 7. Epinal, who at one point were in a three-way tie for top spot, now find themselves nine points off the pace in eighth position. Both Charmonix and Rouen have still yet to lose at home in the league.
Germany
Adler Mannheim’s ever-shrinking lead finally disappeared recently, allowing Red Bull Munich to take over top spot in the DEL. Munich now have a four-point lead, following wins over both Ice Tigers Nuremberg and the Straubing Tigers, while Mannheim’s loss to Hamburg puts them further behind. ERC Ingolstadt have got themselves in a comfortable position in third, holding six- and seven- point leads over Wolfsburg Grizzly Adams and Hamburg respectively. Eisbären Berlin and Kölner Haie, both participants in this year’s CHL, currently find themselves 10th and 11th.
Great Britain
A very tight race is also going on at the top of the Elite League, where winning the regular season is held almost in the same esteem as taking the play-off crown. The Braehead Clan and Sheffield Steelers tie for first place, although the Glasgow-based club has played a game more. The Nottingham Panthers sit a point behind, but also have a game in hand over Braehead – but are three points clear of the Cardiff Devils. The Belfast Giants complete the top five, but look to be off the pace to challenge for the league.
Norway
The Stavanger Oilers’ lead at the top of the GET-Ligaen has been cut from 10 to seven points, but they still lead the league as they have done for many months. Lørenskog are still sitting in second place, and trying to keep up the challenge on the league leaders. Frisk Asker and Storhamar are tied on 49 points for third position, and have also opened up an eight point gap over Sarpsborg in fifth.
Slovakia
HK Nitra had been eating into HC Košice’s lead at the top of the Extraliga, and have now opened up a two-point lead over the side that lead the standings for so long. Košice are also now just one point above third-place HC'05 Banská Bystrica while HK Poprad, who were only two points off the pace a few weeks ago, now sit fourth, six points behind the top three. Hkm Zvolen, in fifth, have a nine point lead over the teams below them – making the top five pretty comfortable as the snowy months begin.
Sweden
Skellefteå AIK are back on top of the SHL, not only having cut Frölunda Gothenburg’s three-point lead, but opening up a gap of seven points themselves. HV71 Jönköping occupy third, four points behind Frölunda. The Växjö Lakers have slipped from fourth to sixth, while Örebro HK have moved from seventh to fifth in a very tight race for positions 5 through 7. CHL sides Lulea Hockey and Färjestad Karlstad occupy 9th and 10th respectively.
Switzerland
It’s still a two-point lead for HC Davos in the NLA, and they still have a game in hand against ZSC Lions Zurich, who lead the challenge behind them. One place further back is SC Bern, who sit two points behind the Lions. HC Lugano are mounting the challenge of chasing down the top three, but need to make up seven points, while fifth-place EV Zug are a further four points back. The top six is pretty clear, though, with Genève-Servette holding a nine-point lead over Lausanne. Those two teams met last week in Geneva, with the hosts taking a 3–0 win in an uneventful derby game. The Kloten Flyers, who had a terrible start to the season, sit eighth, with the Rapperswil-Jona Lakers now eight points behind the rest of the league in last place.