New CHL format

[moggy#9]

https://www.championshockeyleague.com/en/news/new-chl-competition-format-for-2023-24-revealed

It looks like the challenger leagues have been completely screwed over. Only 5 places available for all of the non shareholder leagues, and no more than one place per league. That means if we win the continental cup, but not the league, either us, the league winners, or both, would miss out. It sounds like the process of allocating the places will be fairly opaque too.

I guess the likes of the Swedes are stuck of games where they struggle to draw fans. Stuff like this leaves a bad taste in the mouth though - just like when the devils were denied a place because they didn't like our rink, and so they could allocate it to Manchester because they were playing in the MEN arena.

 

[SteveKing]

This is also a big blow to the Continental Cup tournament. I could see teams declining their invitation to that tournament now that it won't carry the automatic CHL invitation for the winner. Unfortunate. Big boys just want to keep it to themselves.

 

[august04 2.0]

It’s not a competition that can ever be taken seriously with its pre/early season schedule. Let them get on with it, they’ll soon get fed up of playing the same teams over and over again. And I would withdraw from the ContI Cup if winning it doesn’t allow entry into the CHL. What’s the point of going to all the expense of competing in it, against teams nobody has ever really heard of? Tell the IIHF to shove it.

 

[RedDevil17]

So it has turned into the ice hockey equivalent of the football super league where it’s all about money and greed. That’s fine, but they can stick it where the sun don’t shine…

 

[Diablo3]

It's a real shame as EIHL teams packed the arenas when they played the group games. Whereas some of the "big" clubs just don't.
Ask any of the teams we have played what our fans are like home and away.

tbh getting a wildcard entry feels a bit like a hand out with a pat on the head for trying. Bit of an "Oliver" moment.

 

[moggy#9]

What's particularly annoying about this is the number of teams that qualify from the shareholder leagues. Not exactly a champions League when a 4th placed finisher gets in from certain places, but champions from elsewhere don't.

It probably would have been fine if they'd reduced the number of qualifiers from the shareholder leagues by one, or if they'd run a preliminary round for the challenger leagues.

Clearly not much has changed about the way the game is run internationally in the last 25 years.

 

[Jonnyfun101]

What's particularly annoying about this is the number of teams that qualify from the shareholder leagues. Not exactly a champions League when a 4th placed finisher gets in from certain places, but champions from elsewhere don't.

Ooof is somebody is sighting Davos! (23/24 CHL format National League gets 3 slots )

Really gutted it brought the EIHL closer to to the Euro Hockey sphere and showed it was more than a rough and tumble beer league some European fans think it is!

Also remember Ligue Magnas, Eliteserien, Polish League, Slovakian League and Metal Ligaen are all in the same situation. Maybe we could form our own "Champions League" !!

I hope they reconsider this in the future.