Frölunda has invested and developed by being with all seven seasons at CHL.
Before the start of the season, Roger Ronberg still took the opportunity to poke the opponents of the group.
– They are first and foremost fine wine regions, says the team coach.
The CHL has been around for seven seasons, six times in which Swedish teams have won the championship.
Frölunda was with all seven seasons and became a four-time champion, topping the marathon schedule by 185 points ahead of Finn Tappara with 107 points.
The new arrangement with the start of the group stage before the start of the domestic leagues was successful.
“The biggest thing they did.”
Frölunda will face Czech Mountfield, German Eisbären Berlin and French Genoble in the group stage.
– First of all, it’s a beautiful wine region, so we think we get nice rides. We need to finish the lead in the first round to have a chance to advance, five or six years ago it didn’t take much effort to win matches, he says Roger Runberg.
CHL has gained more attention and popularity outside of Europe than in Sweden so far.
Wherever we go in Europe, these matches are the biggest thing they are involved in. It is the highlight and celebration when Swedish teams come to France or the Czech Republic. We haven’t made it to Sweden yet, but I think it will come if we achieve successes and finals at home, says Roger Runberg.
Inspiration from other gaming systems
According to him, the championship means a lot to the development of his club.
– Frölunda chose to bet on CHL and was involved in building this league. This group of chairman, club director, sporting director, and I as head coach and captain, have been together for ten years now. We started with losing a final and then winning the final in CHL, before winning our first SM gold together. We learned to win with CHL and we learned to win in uncomfortable environments away from home in a smoky hall in Denmark or Germany. Maybe it’s as hard as winning away at Växjö. In terms of the game, we received a lot of inspiration from CHL opponents who play differently, our game has evolved, says Roger Runberg.
‘Not the best when it comes to it’
Last season there was a 4-1 loss in games in the SM semi-finals against Lulea and an 8-4 loss in two games in the CHL semi-finals against Rögle.
– We were close to winning last season, without being too close. We did well until the semi-finals in both SHL and CHL, but we weren’t the best when it mattered. We have learned things from him. We brought the best qualities that we failed to develop in the team at the time. You have to go ahead and continue the journey as fast as possible, there are few seasons that end with you winning the last game. The void after winning a season is very similar to what you feel after losing. Then there’s another sadness, of course, says Roger Runberg.
Four top deals
Ahead of next season, Frölunda will mainly have goalkeeper Lasse Johansson as the match winner and defense general, defender Petteri Lindbohm as the physical fencing winner and forwards Jere Innala and Anthony Greco who will make the team more efficient going forward.
Rögle won the CHL final last season against Tappara with a 2-1, in a completely sold out arena where it was described as Angelholm’s best atmosphere ever.
The Swedish teams Frölunda, Rögle, Färjestad, Luleå and Skellefteå are participating in CHL this season.
In addition to Frölunda and Rögle, Luleå also has a Finnish JYP vunnit CHL.
Frölunda meets Mountfield at his home in Frölundaborg in Gothenburg on Thursday evening.
The winner of the CHL is rewarded with the equivalent of more than five million Swedish kronor.