Devils Prepare For Champions League Ice Hockey

Cardiff Devils are planning for a second European campaign in 2018-19. Elite League champions Devils have qualified for the Champions Hockey again, having won two of their six group matches this season.

Head coach Andrew Lord will again lead Cardiff into Europe with their first group matches scheduled for August.

Devils earned wins against HC Davos and Vaxjo Lakers in the CHL and will benefit massively from their first experience of European hockey during the current ownership era.

Devils are among a number of clubs who have already qualified for the CHL, although they are currently focused on their Elite League play-off hopes.

Lord’s team play Coventry Blaze in the quarter-finals. The away leg is at the Skydome, Coventry on Good Friday, while the return fixture is at Ice Arena Wales on Sunday, April 1 (6pm).

Joey Martin scores Cardiff Devils second goal against HC Davos. Pic: Richard Murray.

Who has already qualified for next season’s Champions Hockey League?

Here is the latest list:

Austria (3 places): Vienna Capitals, Red Bull Salzburg (Pick round winner), TBC (EBEL Champions)

Czech Republic (4 places): HC Pilsen (Regular season winners), Mountfield HK (Regular season runners-up)

Finland (5 places): JYP Jyväskylä (CHL Champions), Kärpät Oulu (regular season winners), TPS Turku (Regular season runners-up)

Devils goalie Ben Bowns in Champions League action.

Germany (3 places): Red Bull Munich (Regular season winners), Eisbären Berlin (Regular season runners-up)

Great Britain (1 place): Cardiff Devils (League Champions)

Sweden (5 places): Växjö Lakers (Regular season winners), Djurgården Stockholm (Regular season runners-up)

Switzerland (4 places): SC Bern (Regular season winners), EV Zug (Regular season runners-up)

Continental Cup Winners: Yunost Minsk

The draw for the 2018-19 season’s CHL will take place on Monday, May 16.

Next seasons 125 games from the Champions League group stage to the final will be played over 13 match days.

Group stage: Eight groups of four teams. Each team plays one home and one away game against the other teams in the group. The top two from each group qualify for the Playoffs.

Game Day 1 August 30/13

Game Day 2 September 1/2

Game Day 3 September 6/7

Game Day 4 September 8/9

Game Day 5 October 9/10

Game Day 6 October 16/17

Playoff games are a home and away aggregate-scoring series. Dates for the first and return legs: Round of 16, November 6 and November 20/21.

Quarter-finals: December 4/5 and December 11.

Semi-finals: January 8/9 and January 15/16, 2019.

Final: February 5, 2019.