CHL: Färjestad BK
The Champions Hockey League newcomers Comarch Cracovia are getting ready for the new season. Heres a closer look at one of our CHL rivals, Färjestad BK.
Comarch Cracovia will take their first steps in the Champions Hockey League against very difficult rivals, one of them being Färjestad BK - the most successful Swedish Hockey League club of the 21st century. They were founded in 1932 and won the Le Mat Trophy, which is awarded to Swedish champions, nine times - in 1981, 1986, 1988, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2009 and 2011. What is more, they won the vice-championship eleven times (1976, 1977, 1983, 1987, 1990, 1991, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2014), which makes them top-ranked after 38 Eliteserien and SHL seasons.
Färjestad BK have been successful also outside Sweden. In 1993 and 1994 they won in the world-renowned Spengler Cup, an annual tournament held in Davos, Switzerland. Moreover, in 2006 they lifted the European Trophy (the competition was replaced by the Champions Hockey League from the 2014-15 season).
They are one of 26 clubs who have an A-License in the CHL since they were involved in the founding of the tournament. Their debut in the competition didnt go as planned - they faced Vienna Capitals, ZSC Lions Zurich and Valerenga Oslo in the group stage and came third which meant they didnt earn qualification to the playoffs. They did slightly better last season as they went through to the round of 32, however they were eliminated by another Swedish team, Luleå Hockey (0:3; 3:1).
The team
Such a great club is powered by great stars who can be found not only on the team. The clubs general manager is Håkan Loob, former hockey player. He is a member of the Triple Gold Club, which means he has won the Stanley Cup (1989 as Calgary Flames player), the World Championship (1987 and 1991) and an Olympic gold medal (1994). He played for Färjestad from 1979 to 1983 and from 1989 till the end of his career in 1996. The club retired his number and the Eliteserien came up with the Håkan Loob Trophy, which is the annual award for the SHL top scorer.
The teams head coach Leif Carlsson is also an important club figure. He started his hockey career at Färjestad where he played for five season winning two domestic league titles. Next he moved to Frölunda HC and later to Eisbären Berlin. After he retired as a player he returned to Färjestad where he worked as a sport director before he took over the first team.
Färjestad have quite a young squad - last season the average age was just over 24. The team contained plenty of Swedish talent - there were 28 players from Sweden, 5 from Norway, 2 Americans, and Czech Republic, Finland and Canada also had one of their players on the team. Their biggest star is probably Magnus Nygren who plays as a defenceman. Our fans should know him from the IIHF World Championship during which he scored one goal and got one assist. In the 2011 NHL entrance draft round 4 he had been drafted by Montreal Canadiens (113th overall), but he didnt get a chance to make a debut there.
For more info about Färjestad you can visit the clubs official website:
You can also go to the Champions Hockey League page to find information in English about our rival:
https://www.championshockeyleague.net/club/faerjestad-karlstad/261/
Heres the clubs Facebook account: