Champions Hockey League: 'Great draw for us' - Belfast Giants coach Adam Keefe eyes play-off push

Keefe led the Giants to the Elite League Grand Slam last season

Belfast Giants head coach Adam Keefe believes his side can challenge for the play-offs of the Champions Hockey League following the draw for the preliminary stages.

The Elite League winners will face holders Tappara Tampere and Lukko Rauma in Finland and will travel to Austria to face HC Innsbruck.

At home, they will take on Austria's Red Bull Salzburg, Italians Bolzano and Czech side Dynamo Pardubice.

"It's a great draw for us," said Keefe.

Europe's premier club competition this year features a new-look format.

The competition - which begins on 31 August - will see each of the 24 clubs play six rounds of matches against different opponents, after which the 16 best-ranked teams will advance to the playoffs.

Last season, the Giants crashed out of the group stages following five defeats in six games.

Despite a daunting double-header trip to Finland which includes a game against the champions, Keefe is relishing another chance to mix it with Europe's best.

"I love the new format and our fans will get to see six different teams instead of three," he said.

"Obviously when you play at this level of competition it's going to be a tough draw no matter who you get, but this is a great challenge for us and we'll look forward to it.

"Hopefully we can put together a little road trip to play the two Finnish sides and what a game to play against Tampere, the reigning champions. And we will like our chances in our home games. We've played Bolzano before and know them well so there's great excitement."

'We've earned the right'

Keefe shows no signs on resting of the laurels of what he and the Giants achieved last season.

Recruitment is already underway with the announcements this week of returning netminder Tyler Beskorowany and defenceman Davy Phillips.

"The CHL is a selling point and players are excited to play in the competition, but it forces us to get the team together for the new season earlier than we would have to, with the games beginning at the end of August," added Keefe.

"But we've earned the right to be in this tournament and once we get the players together, we will really look forward to it. It's a tight turnaround but once we have a trophy on the line, we take it very seriously and in this tournament, we want to make the play-offs.

"We are still enjoying what we achieved last season and being treble champions, but next season has already begun. It will be a new team on the ice representing the Belfast Giants.

"Somebody pointed out to me that no team has ever won back-to-back trebles so that's another challenge for us. Everyone will be gunning for us, and the focus isn't about doing it over again, it's about getting better."