On Tuesday, it became clear that the Champions Hockey League is inviting a Norwegian team to next season. This was revealed in a press release from the tournament administration.
With the new tournament format, Norway lost its place, and until now it has been uncertain whether there would be an offer to the Norwegian champions to join. Together with Denmark, France, Slovakia and the United Kingdom, Norway got a place through the participant pool called the “Challenger Leagues”.
In Norway, it is the winner of the ongoing NM play-offs that gets the place in the tournament, and thus it is between Oilers, Sparta, Storhamar and Vålerenga.
The Oilers were back in the tournament this season after a five-year absence. It just didn’t end with advancement to the play-offs after a dramatic group stage. The Oilers took points against both Red Bull Salzburg (Austria), Fribourg-Gottéron (Switzerland) and Ilves (Finland), but it did not go well in what was referred to as the “group of death”.
[ Bli med på bakrommet: Slik forbereder Oilers seg til CHL ]
[ Drømmereprisen: – Er nok ikke like hatet ]
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FACTS
The Oilers participated in the Champions Hockey League for the fifth time.
2022/23:
Group E:
Red Bull Salzburg (Austria)
Fribourg-Gottéron (Switzerland)
Ilves Tampere (Finland)
Stavanger Oilers (Norway)
This is how the Oilers have done it:
2022/23: Group play (3rd place in group E)
2017/18: Group play (4th place in group B)
2016/17: Group play (3rd place in group J)
2015/16: Playoffs (Round of 16)
2014/15: Group play (2nd place in group E)
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