Welcome. The Champions Hockey League Group Stage Draw starts at 12:00 CET, live from SRF studios in Zurich, Switzerland.

Club representatives and media have already taken their places in the studio, the start of the draw is just two minutes away.

Draw Rules

There will be 16 pots with three teams each.

Pot 1: Teams ranked 1–16 | Pot 2: Teams ranked 17–32 | Pot 3: Teams ranked 33–48; the CHL ranking tool applies.

The Draw will provide 16 groups of 3 teams each.

Clubs from the same league cannot be drawn into the same group (note: Orli Znojmo is considered an EBEL team and can be drawn against teams from the Czech Extraliga).

Teams from nations participating in the Olympic qualification tournament cannot be drawn against each other.

Software will help us detect any potential conflict. Should such a conflict occur then the software will determine the next possible group available. The club in question will then be placed into this available group.

Jann Billiter is the host, and is now welcoming the guests.

Now speaking is CHL CEO Martin Baumann, speaking about CHL season 2.

That is followed by a video of highlights from the 2015-16 CHL Final, in which Frolunda Gothenburg defeated Karpat Oulu 2-1 to become club hockey champions of Europe.

That video leads into the introduction of Frolunda head coach Roger Ronnberg.

It was a great season for Frolunda, winning both the CHL and SHL titles. In the coming season, they will try to defend both. We will find out who are the first teams that stand in their way soon.

Now speaking is CHL Chairman Anders Ternbom.

Alex Jaeger is now explaining the Draw and Playing format for the 2016-17 CHL season.

He is demonstrating examples of how the Draw will proceed, and what will happen in cases of national conflicts or Olympic qualifying conflicts.

The Draw is now about to start!

The teams in Pot 1 are being shown.

Group A: Frolunda Gothenburg (SWE).

Group B: HC Davos SUI

Group C: Tappara Tampere (FIN)

Group D: ZSC Lions

Group E: Karpat Oulu (FIN)

Group F: Red Bull Munich GER

Group G: IFK Helsinki (FIN)

Group H: Bili Tygri Liberec CZE

Group I: Lulea Hockey (SWE)

Group J: HC Plzen CZE

Group K: JYP Jyvaskyla (FIN)

Group L: Växjö Lakers SUI

Group M: SC Bern (SUI)

Group N: Skelleftea SWE

Group O: Sparta Prague (CZE)

Group P: Red Bull Salzburg AUT

Pot 2

Group A: Frolunda Gothenburg (SWE), HC Pardubice (CZE)

Group B: HC Davos SUI, Djurgarden Stockholm SWE

Group C: Tappara Tampere (FIN), HC Lugano (SUI)

Group D: ZSC Lions SUI, Lukko Rauma FIN

Group E: Karpat Oulu (FIN), Vitkovice Ostrava (CZE)

Group F: Red Bull Munich GER, Fribourg-Gotteréron SUI

Group G: IFK Helsinki (FIN), EV Zug (SUI)

Group H: Bili Tygri Liberec CZE, TPS Turku FIN

Group I: Lulea Hockey (SWE), SaiPa Lappeenranta (FIN)

Group J: HC Plzen CZE, HK Nitra SLK

Group K: JYP Jyvaskyla (FIN), Linkoping HC (SWE)

Group L: Växjö Lakers SUI, Mlada Boleslav, CZE

Group M: SC Bern (SUI), HC Kosice (SVK)

Group N: Skelleftea SWE, Kalpa Kuopio, FIN

Group O: Sparta Prague (CZE), Farjestad Karlstad (SWE)

Group P: Red Bull Salzburg AUT, HV 71 Jönköping SWE

Pot 3

Group F: Red Bull Munich GER, Fribourg-Gotteréron SUI, Orli Znojmo AUT.

Znojmo was moved to Group F to avoid an Olympic qualification conflict.

Group A: Frolunda Gothenburg (SWE), HC Pardubice (CZE), Grizzlys Wolfsburg (GER)

Group B: HC Davos SUI, Djurgarden Stockholm SWE, Rouen Dragons, FRA

Group P: Red Bull Salzburg AUT, HV 71 Jönköping SWE, Sheffield Steelers.

Once again, Sheffield has been moved to Group P to avoid an Olympic qualification conflict.

Group C: Tappara Tampere (FIN), HC Lugano (SUI), Adler Mannheim (GER)

Group D: ZSC Lions SUI, Lukko Rauma FIN, ERC Ingolstadt GER

Group E: Karpat Oulu (FIN), Vitkovice Ostrava (CZE), Krefeld Pinguine (GER)

Group G: IFK Helsinki (FIN), EV Zug (SUI), Esbjerg Energy (DEN)

Group H: Bili Tygri Liberec CZE, TPS Turku FIN, Lorenskog IK NOR

Group I: Lulea Hockey (SWE), SaiPa Lappeenranta (FIN), Eisbären Berlin (GER)

Group J: HC Plzen CZE, HK Nitra SVK, Stavanger Oilers NOR

Group K: JYP Jyvaskyla (FIN), Linkoping HC (SWE), Gap Rapaces (FRA)

Group L: Växjö Lakers SWE, Mlada Boleslav CZE, Yunost Minsk BLR

Group M: SC Bern (SUI), HC Kosice (SVK), Black Wings Linz (AUT)

Group N: Skelleftea AIK SWE, Kalpa Kuopio, FIN, Vienna Capitals AUT

Group O: Sparta Prague (CZE), Farjestad Karlstad (SWE), Comarch Cracovia (POL)

So that's the Draw!

All 48 teams have been placed into their respective groups.

Thanks for following the 2016-17 Group Stage Draw! (12:48:20)