ZURICH – With the decision of the Slovakian Extraliga, the 32 teams that will compete in the 2017/18 Champions Hockey League are known.

Banska Bystrica won the Slovak Extraliga on Saturday night, defeating HK Nitra 6-2 to win the best-of-seven series in five games. With that decision, all participants of the 2017/18 Champions Hockey League season are now known.

Founding Leagues (team allocation according to CHL league ranking)
Sweden (5 teams): Brynas Gavle, HV71 Jönköping, Frolunda Gothenburg, Malmo Redhawks, Vaxjo Lakers.
Finland (5): IFK Helsinki, Jyp Jyvaskyla, KalPa Kuopio, Tappara Tampere, TPS Turku.
Switzerland (4): EV Zug, HC Davos, SC Bern, ZSC Lions Zurich.
Czech Republic (4): Bili Tigry Liberec, Ocelari Trinec, Kometa Brno, Mountfield Hradec Kralove.
Germany (3): Adler Mannheim, Grizzlys Wolfsburg, Red Bull Munich.
Austria/EBEL (3): KAC Klagenfurt, Red Bull Salzburg, Vienna Capitals.

Criteria within each league: 1. CHL Champion, 2. National League Champion, 3. Regular season winners, 4. Regular season runner-up, 5. Losing playoff-finalist, 6. Higher regular season ranked losing semi-finalist, 7. Lower regular season ranked losing semi-finalist, 8. Third placed team in regular season

In addition, the following champions from “challenge leagues” are qualified for the CHL:
Slovakia: Banska Bystrica
Norway: Stavanger Oilers
Belarus: Neman Grodno
Denmark: Esbjerg Energy
Great Britain: Cardiff Devils
France: Gap Rapaces
Poland: Cracovia Krakow
IIHF Continental Cup winner: Nottingham Panthers, Great Britain

As soon all involved national leagues are decided – which will be Thursday, 29 April at the latest – the qualified teams will be ranked and placed into four baskets of eight teams each, in preparation for the CHL Group Stage Draw. The Draw takes place on 17 May in Cologne during the 2017 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship.

2017/18 Playing format

The Group Stage starts on 24 August and finishes on 11 October. The total of 32 teams are divided into eight groups of four and each team plays six games – one home and one away against the other three teams in its group. The first- and second-placed teams in each group then advance to the Playoff Stage.

With 16 teams in the playoffs, four rounds are required to determine the European club champions. The first three rounds are all two-game, home-and-away, total-goal series, similar to the previous seasons. The playoffs start on 31 October and finish with an ultimate one-game final on 6 February 2018.