The leagues are still in their early stages, but the results so far already offer some clues as to the form in which the five European participants could arrive in Davos at the end of December. While some teams have established themselves near the top of their respective standings, others are still searching for their rhythm.

The opening weeks of the season have revealed contrasting situations among the five Spengler Cup participants. Ilves Tampere and Frölunda HC have established themselves among the leading teams in Finland’s Liiga and Sweden’s SHL, respectively. Adler Mannheim have also been among the top teams in Germany’s DEL since the opening day of the season. The SCL Tigers have been making positive headlines in Switzerland’s National League, while hosts HC Davos endured a mixed start to their campaign but are now showing clear signs of improvement. Their recent victory over the previously unbeaten ZSC Lions was a particularly impressive statement.

As of 21 October 2026, Ilves sit third in the Liiga standings with 28 points from 15 games. Although the team suffered a few setbacks following a run of seven consecutive victories, they have maintained their position among the league leaders by continuing to collect points on a regular basis. Ilves have been particularly impressive in attack, with their scoring spread across the team. Canadian forward Luke Henman stands out with 19 points, currently placing him at the top of the league scoring charts. Behind him, the points are shared among a number of other players. Czech forward Lukáš Jašek and Aleks Haatanen have also made significant offensive contributions. The defencemen are playing their part as well: Austin Strand has eight points, while Tony Sund has already accumulated eleven. This offensive contribution from all areas of the team makes Ilves difficult to predict and demonstrates that they do not have to rely solely on the individual brilliance of one prolific goalscorer.

Frölunda have also made an impressive start to the SHL season. Particularly noteworthy has been their response to their first dip in form. After winning six consecutive games in early October, the Gothenburg side suffered three defeats before bouncing back with victories over Linköping (3–0), Skellefteå (3–2) and Djurgården (6–2). Unlike Ilves, whose strength lies in the distribution of their scoring contributions, Frölunda can also point to their power-play efficiency as a specific factor behind their success. After eleven games, Frölunda sit second in the standings with 25 points, behind Färjestad.

Adler Mannheim have once again established themselves among the leading teams in the DEL. As of 21 October, the German side sit third with 20 points from eleven games. With 37 goals scored, Mannheim boast one of the league’s most productive offences. Victories over Nürnberg and Straubing have underlined the potential of last season’s runners-up. However, consistency remains an issue: convincing performances have repeatedly been followed by setbacks. While the Adler are once again among the contenders for the top positions, they have yet to realise their full potential in every game.

The SCL Tigers have been one of the positive surprises of the early National League season. The Emmental-based side have impressed with a strong attacking game built on contributions from across the team. A run of four consecutive victories, including a convincing 5–1 away win over Ambri-Piotta and a 3–0 victory against the Rapperswil-Jona Lakers, sent an early message to their rivals. At one stage, Langnau climbed to second place and, together with the ZSC Lions, boasted the league’s most productive offence. On 21 October, following an away victory in the Bern derby against SC Bern, the Tigers sat an impressive fourth in the standings with 22 points from 14 games. Their performances suggest that they will approach their first-ever Spengler Cup appearance with plenty of confidence and considerable attacking quality.

HC Davos made a difficult start to the new National League season. After opening with a victory over the SCL Tigers, the team suffered several defeats that temporarily left them at the bottom of the standings. The Davos side subsequently managed to regain their footing with wins against Ajoie, Kloten and Lugano, followed most recently by an away victory over league leaders ZSC Lions, who had been unbeaten until then. These performances have demonstrated the team’s potential, but over the coming weeks Davos will need to become more solid defensively and show that they can maintain their level over a series of games.

The season has also begun in the NCAA, from which the players for the U.S. Collegiate Selects are recruited. However, it is still a little too early to draw meaningful conclusions about the performances of the players already named to the squad. By mid-October, eleven players had been announced. They include Brodie Ziemer, captain of the Minnesota Golden Gophers; Minnesota defenceman Evan Murr, who recorded 30 points last season; and Max Plante of Minnesota Duluth, the reigning Hobey Baker Award winner, who scored 52 points in 40 games last season. The group also includes Dartmouth forward Hayden Stavroff, the leading goalscorer across all of NCAA Division I in the 2025–26 season.

Text: Spengler Cup-Onlineredaktion   Foto: Keystone