IIHF wipes Continental Cup

The Continental Cup’s annual meeting in Budapest this year was different: the participating from 17 countries approved the new structure of the competition, finally removing the most criticized part, the right of two teams (champion and host)  to go directly to the superfinals and adding the most awaited news: the winner will earn a spot for 2015-16 Champions Hockey League. Because of this "award", the clubs from CHL founding nations (Austria, Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland) can't participate in Continental Cup as well as clubs from European Second Divisions. A logical decision in order to make the Continental Cup a top clubs' tournament. Fischtown Pinguins Bremerhaven from DEL2 will be an exception for the upcoming season, but if the team will be champion, it won't earn the wild card to participate in the CHL. Current Continental Cup champion, Norway’s Stavanger Oilers, received a wild card to participate in the next inaugural CHL.

In the 2014-2015 edition, the two semifinal groups will qualify the first two teams for the Superfinals that will be hosted by one of the four finalists: Collalbo (Italy, home of domestic champion SV Renon/Ritten) and Angers (France) will host the semifinals, with Herning Blue Fox (DEN), Ertis Pavlodar (KAZ), Neman Grodno (BLR) and Companion-Naftogaz Kyiv (UKR) already qualified for this stage. Companion Kyiv participation is still pending because of the political situation in the country. 

Here the compete structure of 2014-15 Continental Cup:

First round, 26-28 September 2014:

Group A in Sofia, Bulgaria: CSKA Sofia (BUL), CG Puigcerda (ESP), Beostar Belgrade (SRB), Izmir BBSK (TUR).

Second round, 17-19 October 2014:

Group B in Bremerhaven, Germany: Fischtown Pinguins Bremerhaven (GER), Belfast Giants (GBR), Tilburg Trappers (NED), Winner Gr. A.

Group C in Brasov, Romania: KH Sanok (POL), Corona Brasov (ROM), Dunaujvarosi Acelbikak (HUN), Prizma Riga (LAT).

Third round, 21-23 November 2014:

Group D in Collalbo, Italy: Ritten Sport (ITA), Herning Blue Fox (DEN), Ertis Pavlodar (KAZ), Winner Gr. B.

Group E in Angers, France: Neman Grodno (BLR), Angers Ducs (FRA), Companion-Naftogaz Kyiv (UKR), Winner Gr. C.

Super Final, 9-11 January 2015:

The top-two ranked team of each second-round group (D/E) will advance to the final round. Host TBD.

Tweets by @eurohockey