On September 25, 2024, this year's Hockey Europe General Assembly took place in the context of the IIHF Semiannual Congress in Rhodes.

All members were represented by Jenny Silfverstrand and Johan Hemlin (SHL), Gernot Tripcke (Penny DEL), Christian Feichtinger (Win2Day Ice Hockey League), Mikko Pulkkinen (Liiga), Martin Loukota (Tipsport Extraliga), Denis Vaucher (National League) as well as Jörgen Lindgren (CHL, connected online).

In his annual report Denis Vaucher was able to look back on a successful 2023/24 season in every respect. All leagues recorded excellent attendance figures. In summary, it can be said that European club ice hockey is booming. The good cooperation with the IIHF – among other in the European Professional Hockey Committee - has been strengthened and mutual understanding has increased. The already well-functioning collaboration with the E.H.C. Alliance is to be further expanded in the future. Talks are to be held with other independent professional leagues in Europe about a possible collaboration/admission within Hockey Europe. In addition, the existing network and know-how among the professional leagues is to be expanded and shared with all other interested leagues as required.

Denis Vaucher was re-elected president for a further season and stated: “It is a great honor for me to serve as president of Hockey Europe. Our goal, together with the European clubs and the IIHF, must be to continue to promote the growth of European ice hockey - whether at the professional level, in the development of young talent or in women's ice hockey.”

For years pro players, fans and hockey enthusiasts have been searching for a community-driven media outlet that covers the stories of the hockey community that happen outside the locker room, around the world and without a league agenda.

Today, we’re pleased to announce that Hockey of Tomorrow have created that media outlet at Hockey of Tomorrow (hockeytomorrow.com)

They will be focused on covering the conventionally uncovered. They will prioritize fresh diverse contributors writing about new topics, providing an alternative stage for their stories. More than that, they’re helping build a platform that gives people an opportunity to be a part of the sustainable growth of the sport of hockey. They're doing this through the following core pillars:

1. Contributors - Our platform is providing the opportunity for fresh voices to help spark a change in the existing hockey culture. This is a first in hockey.
2. Innovators - These are the entrepreneurs that are shaping the future of hockey through their startups or small businesses. We need to support their visions.
3. Changemakers - The non-profit organizations that are out there in the trenches moving the needle on accessibility and progress. They deserve a spotlight.
4. Partners - The brands and corporations that will want to help fund our mission of sustainably shaping the positive future of hockey.
5. Pro Player Collabs - We'll be doing cool things with even cooler players.

Hockey of Tomorrow becomes the content and media partner for the organization representing the interests of the top six hockey leagues across Europe.

Hockey of Tomorrow (HoT), a vibrant media and community platform where fresh voices cover hockey’s positive impact stories and the people changing the game, has agreed on a formal partnership with Hockey Europe. The platform will get exclusive access and cooperation to cover all tech, cultural and social impact news that comes out of the Swedish Hockey League, SM-liiga, Czech Extraliga, Deutsche Eishockey Liga, Austrian Hockey League, and the National League from Switzerland.

With a planned digital launch on March 24, 2023, HoT will host written, audio, and video content in long and short form, created by a meticulously recruited set of 15 diverse, up-and-coming, and fresh-voice contributors. Hockey Europe plans to ramp up operations in the foreseeable future and given its purpose to promote cooperation, amicable relations, and unity across European hockey, there was a strong affinity with Hockey of Tomorrow’s vision.

“Hockey Europe is entering a new, more active, and ambitious phase of its existence. The collaboration with Hockey of Tomorrow will help us communicate our ambitions as European hockey leaders. We’re thrilled to spotlight the important roles that our leagues hold internationally,” said Denis Vaucher, Hockey Europe President and CEO of the National League in Switzerland.

One of the main initial focuses for HoT will be to bring to life the league storylines, their cultural differences, and their contextual relevance within the hockey industry in North America.

“Hockey of Tomorrow has a fascinating challenge in front of it: to provide the North American hockey fan an opportunity to engage with European hockey, in English. Hockey across the top European leagues is so rich in history and baked in traditions, but the main issue is that it’s spread across a half dozen languages,” opined Thomas Sychterz, Founder and CEO of Hockey of Tomorrow.

The platform is careful to specify that it will be a step-by-step process and that it will take time to build trust and understanding.

“On a macro level, and people don’t realize this, Hockey Europe leagues represent over $1B of yearly revenue. That’s significant. Shedding some light for the Canadian or American fan on what’s happening across the ocean in hockey is right up our alley,” stated Sychterz.

Several long-form pieces of written content about the various leagues are ready to be published. Also, a podcast with league CEOs as guests will hit streaming platforms in a few weeks.

“The partnership is an exciting exploratory moment for the Hockey Europe organization and we’re looking forward to collaborating on the future of our beloved game,” added Gernot Tripcke, CEO of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga, the highest professional hockey league in Germany and one of Hockey Europes founding members.

About Hockey of Tomorrow
Hockey of Tomorrow is a media and community platform powered by over 150 pro hockey players looking to bring hockey into the future. Its values include diversity, innovation, culture and positive influence.

https://www.hockeytomorrow.com/