Champions hockey league draw (Press conference)

Press conference

CHL draw

event end

Champions hockey league draw

Wednesday 21.05.2014, 12:00 • Minsk • Press conference

	8:45	Welcome to live coverage of the Champions Hockey League draw for the 2014/2015 season. This event in Minsk will start at 12:00 CET and we will cover it with our live-blogging.
	9:04	The 44 competing teams will play in 11 groups. By the end of the draw, we will know which teams will play in which group. For a complete explanation of the draw procedure, visit here.
	9:08	For a list of the 44 clubs, an explanation of how they are ranked, and which baskets they are in, visit here.
	11:45	The media and club representatives are gathering inside Minsk Arena. The draw will begin in approximately 15 minutes.
	11:49	Emcee Paul Romanuk has now begun speaking, welcoming everybody to the Draw!
	11:50	Mr Romanuk has finished welcoming everybody, and the Draw will begin in 10 minutes.
		In 10 Minuten gehts los. Hier werden gleich die Gruppengegner der Eisbären in der CHL 2014/15 gezogen. #chldraw14 pic.twitter.com/279mwl5uFz — Eisbären Berlin-DG (@Eisbaeren_B) May 21, 2014
	11:58	We're going to begin soon. The draw is expected to take between 45 and 60 minutes.

	12:02	Szymon Szemberg is introducing emcee Paul Romanuk, and we're ready to begin . . .
	12:03	Mr Romanuk is introducing Martin Baumann, CEO of the Champions Hockey League.
	12:05	Mr Baumann is giving some background on the league and its aims. Championshockeyleague.net will publish an interview with the CHL CEO within the next few days, so keep an eye out for that.
	12:08	Mr Baumann is thanking the IIHF and the Minsk Organising Committee for allowing the CHL to use their tournament to host the event. He is now introducing Infront executive Bruno Marty.

	12:10	Mr Marty is announcing several of the CHL's official partner's, including engelbert strauss, which was announced yesterday at championshockeyleague.net.
	12:12	Mr Romanuk is now introducing the Chairman of the CHL, Andreas Ternbom.
	12:13	Mr Romanuk is now introducing Jaroslav Spacek, former professional hockey player, now assistant coach of the Czech national team, and he will be making the draws.

	12:14	Jaroslav Spacek: "We have played European Trophy in Färjestad and it was a great experience. Playing a different style of hockey against teams from all over Europe."
	12:15	Mr Romanuk is now detailing the procedure. You can read about that here.
	12:15	For a list of the 44 clubs, an explanation of how they are ranked, and which baskets they are in, visit here.
	12:16	Now is Basket 1
	12:16	The first team: Karpat Oulu of Finland is in Group A.
	12:17	Zurich Lions are in Group B.
	12:18	Frolunda Gothenberg of Sweden are in Group C.
	12:18	PSG Zlin of the Czech Rep is in Group D.
	12:19	Tappara Tampere from Finland is in Group E.
	12:19	Sudtirol Bolzano of Italy is in Group F.

	12:20	Sparta Prague of the Czech Rep are in Group G.
	12:21	ERC Inglestadt of Germany are in Group H.
	12:21	Red Bull Salzburg of Austria are in Group I.
	12:22	Skelleftea AIK of Sweden is in Group J.
	12:22	Hamburg Freezers of Germany are in Group K.
	12:22	Basket 1 is complete.
	12:23	Mr Romanuk is now reminding everyone that the geographical conflict rule will now take effect
	12:23	Basket 2.
	12:23	Kolner Haie are in Group A.
	12:24	Farjestad Karlstad of Sweden are in Group B.
	12:24	Villach from Austria are in Group C.
	12:25	Fribourg Gotteron of Switzerland are in Group D.
	12:25	Ocelari Trinec from the Czech Rep are in Group E.
	12:26	Linkoping from Sweden are in Group F.
	12:26	Vaxjo Lakers from Sweden from Group G.
	12:27	SaiPa Lappeenranta of Finland are in Group H.

	12:28	Kloten Flyers of Switzerland are in Group I.
	12:29	Mr Szemberg is now advising everybody that, due to a forseeable geographical conflict, the remaining teams in Basket 2 will be placed into non-conflicting groups.
	12:30	Lukko Rauma of Finland has been placed into Group K, and Krefeld Penguine of Germany have been placed in Group J, in order to avoid a conflict with another German team.
		Basket 3.
	13:31	Bili Tygri Liberec from Czech Rep go into Group A together with Oulu and Kolner Haie.
	12:31	Geneve Servette can't go into Group B, so the go to group C with Frolunda and Villach.
	13:32	Vienna Capitals of Austria are drawn into Group B together with Zurich and Farjestad.
	12:32	SC Bern cannot go into Group D, so they go to Group E with Tappara Tampere and Ocelari Trinec.

	12:33	HC CSOB Pojistovna Pardubice of the Czech Republic move into Group F as they cannot be placed into Group D due to a regional conflict with another Czech club, Zlin.
	12:34	Eisbaren Berlin go into Group D with Zlin and Fribourg.
	12:35	Jaroslav Spacek draws another club which cannot go into the group in order. It is HC Vitkovice of Czech Republic who are placed into Group H with Ingolstadt and Lappeenranta.
	12:35	Lulea of Sweden can't go into Group G, so they go into Group I with Red Bull Salzburg and Kloten.
	12:36	Due to a potential conflict, Adler Mannheim has been placed into Group G with Sparta and Vaxjo.
	12:37	Since there are two Finnish teams left in the box and there already is a Finnish team in the Group K, Lulea has to be moved to Group K with Hamburg and Lukko Rauma.

	12:38	So a change, JYP Jyvaskyla are in Group I with Red Bull Salzburg and Kloten Flyers
	12:40	So that leaves us with Mannheim in Group G with Sparta nad Vaxjo and IFK Helsinki in Group J with Skelleftea and Krefeld.
		Basket 3 is completed.
		Basket 4.
	12:41	HC Kosice of Slovakia go into Group A with Karpat, Koln and Liberec. That group is full.
	12:41	EV Zug is placed into Group F to avoid regional conflicts and they will meet Bolzano, Linkoping and Pardubice.
	12:42	Oslo go into Group B with Zurich, Farjestad and Vienna Capitals.
	12:42	Djurgaarden of Sweden is placed in Group D together with Zlin, Fribourg-Gotteron and Eisbaren Berlin.
	12:43	Briancon Diables Rouges of France go into Group C with Frolunda, Villach and Geneva.
	12:44	In order to avoid further national conflicts, EV Zug is moved from Group F to Group H so they will meet Ingolstadt, Lappeenranta and Vitkovice.
	12:45	TPS Turku are in Group F, along with Bolzano, Linkoping and Pardubice.
	12:46	KalPa Kuopio of Finland are drawn into Group G with Sparta, Vaxjo and Mannheim.
	12:46	Stavanger Oilers of Norway go into Group E with Tappara Tampere, Ocelari Trinec and SC Bern.
	13:47	HV 71 of Sweden go into Group I together with Salzburg, Kloten and Jyvaskyla.
	12:47	Vojens of Denmark go into Group J with Skelleftea, Krefeld and IFK Helsinki.
	13:48	And the last team to be drawn from the basket is Nottingham Panthers, going into Group K with Hamburg, Lukko Rauma and Lulea.

	12:49	So that's it! The draw's finished.
	12:50	To recap ... Group A is Karpat Oulu, Koln Haie, Bili Tygri Liberec, HC Kosice.
	12:50	Group B is ZSC Zurich Lions, Farjestad Karlstad, Vienna Capitals, Valerenga Oslo.

	12:50	Group C is Frolunda Gothenburg, Villach SV, Geneva Servette, Brancon Diables Rouges.
	12:12	Group D is PSG Zlin, Fribourg-Gotteron, Eisbaren Berlin, Djurgarden Stockholm.
	12:52	Group E is Tappara Tampere, Ocelari Trinec, SC Bern, Stavanger Oilers.
		Group F is Sudtirol Bozlano, Linkoping HC, HC Pardubice, TPS Turku.
		Group G is Sparta Prague, Vaxjo Lakers, Adler Mannheim, Kalpa Kuopio.
		Group H is ERC Inglostadt, Saipa Lappeeranta, Vitkovice, Ostrava, EV Zug.
		Group I is Red Bull Salzburg, Kloten Flyers, JYP, HV 71.
		Group J is Skelleftea AIK, Krefeld Penguine, IFK Helsinki, Sonderjske Vojens.
		Group K is Hamburg Freezers, Lukko Rauma, Lulea, Nottingham Panthers.
	13:12	Reactions from the social media: So @PanthersIHC fans... Get ready to see us play in Hamburgs O2 World arena!! pic.twitter.com/v6HI7DGTP8 — Panthers Banter (@NPanthersBanter) May 21, 2014
		Group composition of Champions Hockey League 2014. #chldraw14 pic.twitter.com/PNwnEKA8N4 — Champs Hockey League (@championshockey) May 21, 2014
		Interesting pairing in group K is already dicsussed on twitter: We have a goalie in common @TeamRaumanLukko ... #35 Jarmo Myllys is a true legend to us and we have honored his number #CHL — Luleå Hockey (@LuleaHockey) May 21, 2014
	13:45	Champions Hockey League schedule is being discussed right now, will be published next week. Pictured are managers of HC ČSOB Pojišťovna Pardubice and other Group F clubs. Generální manažer #hcpce ONDŘEJ #ŠEBEK právě se svými kolegy domlouvá konkrétní rozpis zápasů v @championshockey. pic.twitter.com/kzIZgwxlNu — ČSOB POJIŠŤOVNA PCE (@hcpce) May 21, 2014
	13:59	You can read one of the first reports from the draw at IIHF.com – Groups drawn for new start in European club hockey.
	14:05	In the coming days, there will be interviews with various club officials published at championshockeyleague.net. (14:05:19)

Commentary by

Lukáš Peroutka

@LukasPeroutka

David Schlegel

Derek OBrien

@@Djob76