Yesterday saw the draw for the initial group stages of the 2018-19 Champions Hockey League. Last year saw the Finnish side JYP Jyvaskyla triumph with a 2-0 win over Swedes Växjö Lakers in the fifth running of this tournament, succeeding Frölunda who had won the last two and Luleå who won the first two.
The Elite League only had one representative at the draw in København, league champions Cardiff Devils. This is who they drew and my analysis of each opponent.
The Devils were placed in Group G of the first stage where the top two sides qualify for the first knockout stage which the Panthers got to last season; the first Elite League side to achieve it. In Group G with Andrew Lord's team are the following:
EC Red Bull Salzburg: Eight times winner of the Erste Bank Eishockey Liga (EBEL), not a bad haul considering the club wasn't formed until 2000. Steelers fans will remember them as well since they were grouped with the Austrian side in the group stage of the 2016-17 competition. Steelers lost the first game in Salzburg 8-1, just a couple of days after losing 5-3 in Sweden to HV71 Jönköping, but recorded a stupendous 5-2 win in the House Of Steel in the return with Jesse Schultz scoring a hat-trick.
SC Bern: The second most successful side in Swiss Ice Hockey behind Davos, and one with a rich history behind them. They were formed as far back as 1931 which makes them even older than Britain's oldest team, Fife. Last season they were in the same group stage as the Panthers, sharing the spoils with them. Bern had won the game in Switzerland 5-2 but Panthers produced one of their best performances in the return when they recovered from 2-0 first period deficit to triumph 4-2 with Alexander Mokshantsev scoring twice.
Växjö Lakers: There's nothing that the Devils need to know about last year's runners-up; particularly as they met in this stage 12 months ago. As Andrew Lord said after the draw: "I think we have lost the element of surprise." and to be honest he's in a sense, right. Both sides know how the other plays so it will be interesting to see if either Lord or Lakers Head Coach Sam Hallam comes up with something new to try to out fox the other one. These could be two very interesting games to say the least.
Opinion: Devils home form will have to be the building block if they want to progress into the first knockout stage of 16. If they can get wins in each and ideally in regulation time then this will definitely give them a massive chance of making it. They have to also look to try and get some points in their away trips, a couple of points here or there will be fantastic. Put the two together and they could emulate what Nottingham did last season. It's certainly not beyond them. After GB's success in Budapest, a decent run by Cardiff in the CHL will only enhance the feel good factor about hockey in this country. They can do it and I personally wish them best of luck. Do the EIHL proud Devils!
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