One step forward and two steps back

AHL releases players to go to Pyeongchang

Unlike the NHL, American Hockey League announced players with a contract in the league will be eligible to play in the 2018 Winter Olympics even if the schedule does not have an Olympic break.
Players could only be loaned for Olympic participation from February 5-26.
"I would guess we're going to lose a fair number of players," said AHL CEO David Andrews "Not just to Canada and the U.S., but we're going to lose some players to other teams, as well. But we're used to that. Every team in our league has usually got two or three guys who are on recalls to the NHL, so it's not going to really change our competitive integrity or anything else."

(22 Jul 2017)

Dijon relegated in Division 2, Chamonix back in Magnus

After the validation od Financial Commission of Magnus Ligue, Les Ducs de Dijon lost their licence for playing in Magnus Ligue and the club didn't submit neither guarantees to play in Division 1, so the Federation decided to demote the club in Division 2, the third level of French hockey.
Chamonix, relegated after the last season, is bring back in Magnus even if without the fusion with Morzine-Avoriaze, that will compete in Division 3.
Cergy-Pontoise will replace Chamonix in Division 1

(22 Jul 2017)

Games of the day: 20 July

@ Minsk (Minsk Cup):Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk - Neman Grodno 4-3 SO

@ Raubichi (BLR): Yunost Minsk - Dinamo Maladzyechna 0-4

HC Dynamo Pardubice - HC Slovan Bratislava 5-2

(20 Jul 2017)

New hockey season started today

Almost three months after the KHL finals, the hockey season in Russia re-started today with the first friendly game of the summer: in Astana, Kazakhstan, local KHL team Barys lost 2-6 against Torpedo Ust-Kamenogorsk.
As every silly season, follow all the preparation games and tournaments on pre-season games page on Eurohockey

(14 Jul 2017)

Slovenia Federation launches new league

The Slovenian Federation, in partnership with Croatian and Serbian counterparts, launched the calendar of a new trans-national league called IHL - International Hockey League, starting from September after the positive partecipation of Croatian and Serbian teams in the last two editions of Slovenian League.
10 teams will partecipate, 5 from Slovenia - HK Slavija Ljubljana, HK ECE Celje, HK Triglav, HK MK Bled and HDK Maribor - 3 from Croatia - KHL Medveščak Zagreb 2, KHL Mladost Zagreb and KHL Zagreb - and two from Serbia - Crvena Zvezda Beogrand and HK Vojvodina Novi Sad.
After a home/away round robin and a round more according to the standing, the first eight teams advance to playoffs. A maximum of 5 imports are allowed.

(13 Jul 2017)

Kazakhstan Cup calendar unveiled

Kazakhstan Federation published the calendar of Kazakhstan Cup 2017, held in the cities of Pavlodar (Group A) and Kokshetau (Group B). The ten partecipants will compete in two groups from 19 to 24 August and the winner of each group will play the final at Kokshetau Arena August,27.
Last season Kulager Petropavlovsk won the trophy by beating 2-1 Ertis Pavlodar in the final

(12 Jul 2017)

Miroslav Šatan named new GM of Slovakia

Miroslav Šatan is the new GM of Slovakia national team. The former hockey player signed a one-year contract with an option for the next one.

"I am glad that Miro has agreed with our offer. We believe that this is the best opportunity for Slovak hockey" said President Martin Kohút.

(29 Jun 2017)

Crvena Zvezda will compete in Belarus Cup

The calendar of 2017 Belarus Cup, named after hockey legend Ruslan Salei, was unveiled with a unexpected news: Serbian team Crvena Zvezda Beograd will compete in the Cup as host team, without the right to eventually advance to final. Serbian team, with Belarusian Igor Krivoshlykov in the coaching staff, will spend pre-season training camp in the city of Kobrin, successfully asking to the Belarus Federation to compete in a tournament as part of preparation for the new season, according to the rumours, in the newly created International Hockey League with Slovenian, Croatian and Serbian teams

As usual the teams are divided in two groups, with the top two teams in each group advancing to semifinals.
Last year Neman Grodno, later also Extraliga champion, won the Cup beating Yunost Minsk in the final

(17 Jun 2017)