IIHF Continental Cup
Most recent season or competition:
2023–24 IIHF Continental Cup
FormerlyIIHF European Cup
SportIce hockey
Founded1997
FounderIIHF
Most recent
champion(s)
Kazakhstan Nomad Astana
(1st title)
Most titlesBelarus Yunost Minsk (3)
QualificationChampions Hockey League
Official websiteiihf.com

The Continental Cup is a second-level ice hockey tournament for European clubs (behind Champions Hockey League), begun in 1997 after the discontinuing of the European Cup. It was intended for teams from countries without representatives in the European Hockey League, with participating teams chosen by the countries' respective ice hockey associations. Hans Dobida served as chairman of the Continental Cup until 2018.[1]

Format

IIHF Federation Cup

The Federation Cup was an official European ice hockey club competition created in 1995. It was the second European competition for club teams, intended for those teams who could not qualify for the European Cup, especially for those from Eastern European countries. It was the direct predecessor of the IIHF Continental Cup, which was played two seasons later.

In the first year of competition, 13 Eastern European teams from twelve countries participated in the tournament. In a KO-system with three qualifying groups, which qualifies the four participants in the finals. The following year was played in the same mode. Due to the increased number of participants (some Western European clubs had registered for the competition), an additional qualifying round was introduced.

IIIHF Continental Cup

The competition began in 1997–98 with 42 clubs from 26 countries, which expanded to 48 teams for the next two years. The tournament was played in seeded rounds of qualifying groups. There were three rounds of qualifying groups, with winners of qualifying groups progressing to the next round. The three winners of the third round groups entered the semifinals, along with the host club. The first round was held in September, the second in October, the third in November and the finals in December.

In the 2000–01 season, with the European Hockey League on hiatus, the Continental Cup became the de facto European club championship. The format remained the same, with 36 teams from 27 countries.

With the beginning of the IIHF European Champions Cup from 2004 to 2005, participants included national champions of countries not in the Super Six (the top six European nations according to the IIHF World Ranking), as well as teams from Super Six leagues, which included HC Dynamo Moscow and HKm Zvolen.

Winners

Federation Cup winners

Season Winner Score Runner-up Host
1994–95 Russia Salavat Yulaev Ufa 4–1 Czech Republic HC Pardubice Ljubljana,  Slovenia
1995–96 Italy AS Mastini Varese 4–3 Russia Metallurg Magnitogorsk Trenčín,  Slovakia

Continental Cup winners

Season Winner Runner-up Third Host
1997–98 Slovakia TJ VSŽ Košice Germany Eisbären Berlin Finland Ilves Finland Tampere
1998–99 Switzerland HC Ambrì-Piotta Slovakia HC Košice Russia Avangard Omsk Slovakia Košice
1999–2000 Switzerland HC Ambrì-Piotta Germany Eisbären Berlin Russia Ak Bars Kazan Germany Berlin
2000–01 Switzerland ZSC Lions United Kingdom London Knights Slovakia Slovan Bratislava Switzerland Zürich
2001–02 Switzerland ZSC Lions Italy Milano Vipers Slovakia HKm Zvolen Switzerland Zürich
2002–03 Finland Jokerit Russia Lokomotiv Yaroslavl Switzerland HC Lugano Switzerland Lugano & Italy Milan
2003–04 Slovakia Slovan Bratislava Belarus HK Gomel Switzerland HC Lugano Belarus Gomel
2004–05 Slovakia HKm Zvolen Russia Dynamo Moscow Hungary Alba Volán Székesfehérvár Hungary Székesfehérvár
2005–06 Russia Lada Togliatti Latvia HK Riga 2000 Switzerland ZSC Lions Hungary Székesfehérvár
2006–07 Belarus Yunost Minsk Russia Avangard Omsk Finland Ilves Hungary Székesfehérvár
2007–08 Russia Ak Bars Kazan Latvia HK Riga 2000 Kazakhstan Kazzinc-Torpedo Latvia Riga
2008–09 Slovakia MHC Martin France Dragons de Rouen Italy HC Bolzano France Rouen
2009–10 Austria Red Bull Salzburg Belarus Yunost Minsk United Kingdom Sheffield Steelers France Grenoble
2010–11 Belarus Yunost Minsk Austria Red Bull Salzburg Denmark SønderjyskE Ishockey Belarus Minsk
2011–12 France Dragons de Rouen[2] Belarus Yunost Minsk Ukraine HC Donbass France Rouen
2012–13 Ukraine HC Donbass Belarus Metallurg Zhlobin France Dragons de Rouen Ukraine Donetsk
2013–14 Norway Stavanger Oilers Ukraine HC Donbass Italy HC Asiago France Rouen
2014–15 Belarus Neman Grodno Germany Fischtown Pinguins France Ducs d'Angers Germany Bremerhaven
2015–16 France Dragons de Rouen Denmark Herning Blue Fox Poland GKS Tychy France Rouen
2016–17 United Kingdom Nottingham Panthers Kazakhstan Beibarys Atyrau Denmark Odense Bulldogs Italy Ritten
2017–18 Belarus Yunost Minsk Kazakhstan Nomad Astana United Kingdom Sheffield Steelers Belarus Minsk
2018–19 Kazakhstan Arlan Kokshetau United Kingdom Belfast Giants Poland GKS Katowice United Kingdom Belfast
2019–20 Denmark SønderjyskE Ishockey United Kingdom Nottingham Panthers Belarus Neman Grodno Denmark Vojens
2020–21 Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic[3]
2021–22 Poland Cracovia Kazakhstan Saryarka Karagandy Denmark Aalborg Pirates Denmark Aalborg
2022–23 Slovakia HK Nitra France Ducs d'Angers United Kingdom Cardiff Devils France Angers
2023–24 Kazakhstan Nomad Astana Denmark Herning Blue Fox United Kingdom Cardiff Devils United Kingdom Cardiff

Medals (1997-2024)

RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1 Slovakia5128
2 Belarus4419
3  Switzerland4037
4 Russia2327
5 Kazakhstan2316
6 France2226
7 Great Britain1348
8 Denmark1236
9 Ukraine1113
10 Austria1102
11 Finland1023
 Poland1023
13 Norway1001
14 Germany0303
15 Latvia0202
16 Italy0123
17 Hungary0011
Totals (17 entries)26262678

Note: Great Britain's medal total includes three teams from England, one from Northern Ireland, and one from Wales.

See also

References

  1. Merk, Martin (19 May 2018). "Congress approves Statutes changes" (Press release). Copenhagen, Denmark: International Ice Hockey Federation. Archived from the original on 10 July 2019. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
  2. Merk, Martin (15 January 2012). "Le Miracle de Rouen" (Press release). Rouen, France: International Ice Hockey Federation. Archived from the original on 26 February 2018. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
  3. "IIHF cancels Continental Cup". IIHF. 25 August 2020. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
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