Favourite European League/Team ?

Seen as we have a NHL thread.. why not one for us Europeans

My main is -

KHL - Dinamo Riga. I went to Riga and watched Dinamo v Atlant a season ago.. what an experience! Fell in love with Latvia and Dinamo!

My local team is -

English Premier Hockey League - Manchester Phoenix. We dropped from the Elite League and unfortunately its not worth the money to watch them anymore. It's cheaper to watch Riga! But I go when I can to support them as we all want the glory days of the mighty Manchester Storm back!

Others I follow are -

Swiss NLA - Geneva. Swiss league is great. They're French like me. I

German DEL - Eisbaren Berlin. I visited Berlin !

Finland SM LIIGA - HPK. Thanks to EHM 07

France Ligue Magnus - Epinal Dauphins
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[mattski93]

Support EHC Red Bull München as I fell in love with the rink and team when I went on holiday a couple of years back, but the league I enjoy watching the most is the KHL. Not a fan of NA style hockey.

Originally Posted by Garethw87

we all want the glory days of the mighty Manchester Storm back!

You and me both.

[no way]

For me its HC Škoda Plzeň... from czech Extraliga.

[geckon]

HC LEV Praha (KHL) and HC Vsetín (Czech 2nd league).

[YZG]

Originally Posted by Garethw87

Seen as we have a NHL thread.. why not one for us Europeans

Well, I'm not european but I like euro hockey, can I join?

Rīgas Dinamo for me as well, plus EHC Arosa (Arooosa isch bes-ser, la lala la laaaaaa ♫ Yeah, I know they're nowhere near what they once were) and Épinal (I got to know and appreciate the Dauphins via someone I know from the area).

- YZG

[phantompenguin]

KalPa in the SM-Liiga thanks to times spent there/friends there (watched most of their playoff run last year live, including game 7 in Espoo...that was heartbreaking).

Metallurg Magnitogorsk in the KHL just because of Malkin.

Sparta Praha as well, since one of the most exciting games I've ever seen was there (Sparta scored 5 goals in the 3rd period to win the game 5-3).

[Carrothead]

SM-League - Tappara (Tampere)

[Merla]

Sweden - Malmö Redhawks (SEL-2, Allsvenskan).

By the way.. Will there be promotions and relegations in f.e. the Swedish league? And will it be possible to make the SEL-2/Allsvenskan playable so I can play with Malmö?

[mp33]

Only watching NHL and the DEL. But my favorite DEL team is the Kölner Haie =)

[JonasAahlstroem]

Sweden - Frölunda HC

[pens66]

Well, I was at Nürnberg for the world record game last weekend. So I kinda like the Nürnberg Ice Tigers just for making that whole thing possible. Other than that I don't really have a favorite club, but I try to follow what ESV Kaufbeuren and EV Füssen are doing in the German lower leagues.

[archibalduk]

Originally Posted by Garethw87

English Premier Hockey League - Manchester Phoenix. We dropped from the Elite League and unfortunately its not worth the money to watch them anymore. It's cheaper to watch Riga! But I go when I can to support them as we all want the glory days of the mighty Manchester Storm back!

I grew up on Merseyside and so Manchester were my local team. I went to the odd Storm game, but it wasn't until they became the Phoenix that I had the money to watch them. I used to watch them regularly - even when I moved to Kent. But when they dropped down to the EPL, I couldn't justify the cost of the train and ticket. It was the right decision for the team financially, though. The only time I see them these days is when they're down in Slough.

Invicta Dynamos (NIHL-1) are now my local team. Four years ago when I first watched them play, it was so dull - they'd win each game by huge margins (I think 13-1 was the biggest win I saw). However the league is now a lot more competitive and skilled as Wightlink, Chelmsford and Romford have all dropped down from the EPL and the level of import players has improved noticeably. The games these past two seasons have been particularly exciting - I try to go every weekend if I can.

Other than that, I try to go to the EIHL playoff weekend each year (booking my tickets next week for this April's playoffs ). I've been trying to go to Coventry to see some EIHL regular season games, but have only managed once this year due to my studies. I normally get my EIHL fix via the weekly SkySports show on YouTube.

So yeah, no doubt I'll be starting my first proper game in FHM with a British team!

Having said that, I'm a big NHL fan too (although the league feels tainted following this latest lock-out). I try to see any North American teams if they come over to Europe. The Rangers v Ducks and Kings games in Sweden were the last games I saw. I spend far too much on tickets and Game Center subscriptions, but it's my once vice so I guess it's okay!

[grindline]

As a kid it was the then-named Humberside Seahawks. Now my local side are the Sheffield Steelers, though I have only ever been a handful of times.

[geckon]

Originally Posted by Merla

Sweden - Malmö Redhawks (SEL-2, Allsvenskan).

By the way.. Will there be promotions and relegations in f.e. the Swedish league? And will it be possible to make the SEL-2/Allsvenskan playable so I can play with Malmö?

As far as I understand the situation you will be able to create new leagues and make existing leagues playable. So your idea should be feasible.

[highquality]

BK Mlada Boleslav - Czech 1.liga
Sheffield Steelers - EIHL
HC Lev Praha - KHL

Originally Posted by archibalduk

I spend far too much on tickets and Game Center subscriptions, but it's my once vice so I guess it's okay!

Game Centre is a great service. I hear talk it will be free this season, because of the short season, trying to claw fans back and so on.

Originally Posted by highquality

BK Mlada Boleslav - Czech 1.liga
Sheffield Steelers - EIHL
HC Lev Praha - KHL

Where are you from? Seems really random having Sheffield there!

[archibalduk]

Originally Posted by Garethw87

Game Centre is a great service. I hear talk it will be free this season, because of the short season, trying to claw fans back and so on.

Yeah, it's a big improvement over ESPN360. I was gutted when ESPN lost the rights, but it was actually a blessing in disguise. I can't fault the quality of Game Center's video feeds and I love the Vault - I just wish the site was designed a little better (it is always a pain having to click all of the way through the calendar to get to today's date).

I really hope the rumours are true, but I'd be surprised if the NHL made the service free this season. Bettman's speciality is penny-pinching...

[geckon]

Originally Posted by highquality

HC Lev Praha - KHL

Is there any chance we know each other? I visit almost every match LEV plays and I know people from the fan club (I'm member myself) so that's why I'm asking.

[baggie]

Jokerit from Helsinki/Finland

The only fun part about the NHL lockout to me was having Erik Karlsson on my team.