Spengler Cup announces team changes; tournament to proceed as scheduled

Tournament organizers for the Spengler Cup announced a handful of team changes on Monday including that Team Canada and HC Ambri-Piotta have backed out of this year's event due to COVID-19 concerns.

In the absence of Canada and HC Ambri-Piotta, they announced that Slovak club HC Slovan Bratislava and a combination team consisting of players from SC Bern, EHC Biel, and the SCL Tigers will be the replacements.

"After just a few hours after the cancellation of Team Canada and HC Ambri-Piotta, the Slovak club HC Slovan Bratislava was able to be the first replacement team, it is now clear who will complete the field of participants," tournament organizers said.

They added: "With great support from the three clubs SC Bern, EHC Biel and the SCL Tigers, a selection of players from these three teams will travel to Davos and join the traditional tournament as the sixth team. The «Bern Selects» team will certainly provide a lot of spectacle on the ice and in the spectator stands."

The six participating teams are HC Davos (hosts), Frolunda HC, Kalpa Kuopio, Sparta Prague, HC Slovan Bratislava, and the "Bern Selects".

An updated schedule will be released in the next day or two, but the tournament will likely stay with it's usual Boxing Day start date, and the Final being held on New Year's Eve.

Source: Spengler Cup

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