The tournament is, admittedly, a bit of an afterthought on the international calendar. It’s not nearly as star-studded as the World Championships and it takes place at the same time as the World Juniors, so it doesn’t get as much attention as either of those events. But it’s a fantastic little oddity: an invite-only club tournament over the Christmas break in a gorgeous building in Davos, Switzerland – their roof is awesome, and likely a big inspiration for the big rink’s at Winsport.

This year’s tournament features one player, Jonathan Aspirot, currently under contract to the Calgary Flames as well as several teams featuring some Flames connections. So let’s delve into hockey’s wackiest, weirdest holiday tournament, the 2024 Spengler Cup.

The teams

The tournament is split into two groups: Cattini and Torriani. Cattini features Team Canada, HC Davos and Straubing Tigers. Torriani features HC Fribourg-Gotteron, Karpat Oulu and HC Dynamo Pardubice. As you’ll see when we get into the schedule, each team plays two games within their group, and then the playoff round begins.

Team Canada

In the 1980s and 1990s Hockey Canada used to have a year-round national team as part of its build-up for the Winter Olympics, but that was disbanded when NHL players were allowed to participate in the Olympics. So the Spengler Cup team, since then, is pulled together just for the tournament and comprised of a unique mix of players every year. Canada’s won nine Spengler Cups since 1998, the last being in 2019, and they’re tied with HC Davos with the most overall wins with 16.

This year’s Canadian team features Aspirot, but it also features former Flames forward Josh Jooris and a bunch of former NHL prospects. Sam Gagner is probably the biggest name on the team.

HC Davos

The host team, Davos won last year’s tournament. They’re currently fourth place in Switzerland’s National League standings.

Davos features zero former Flames. However, they do have Rasmus Andersson’s brother, Calle, as well as a slew of familiar names to North American fans including Brendan Lemieux, Filip Zadina, Adam Tambellini and Julius Honka.

Straubing Tigers

An invite this year, Straubing is currently in seventh place in Germany’s Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL).

The closest thing to a Flames connection on their roster is Zac Leslie, a former Stockton Heat player currently on loan from Adler Mannheim for this tournament. The Tigers also have some familiar names, though, such as leading scorer Taylor Leier, former Jets prospect J.C. Lipon, and journeyman goalie Zane McIntyre.

HC Fribourg-Gotteron

Another invite, Fribourg-Gotteron last appeared in the 2012 Spengler Cup. They’re currently in ninth place in the National League.

This club features several Flames connections, including goaltender Reto Berra, defenceman Raphael Diaz and forward Linden Vey. They also feature the likes of Lucas Wallmark, Jacob de la Rose and Daniel Audette.

Karpat Oulu

Karpat is an invite this season. They’re currently ninth place in Finland’s Liiga.

Karpat features no real Flames connections and no prominent former North American players.

HC Dynamo Pardubice

Keep an eye on Pardubice. They lost in last year’s Spengler Cup final to Davos and they’re currently atop Czechia’s Tipsport Extraliga.

Former Flames forward Roman Cervenka is on Pardubice’s roster. But they also feature such familiar names as Martin Kaut, Jakub Zboril, Libor Hajek and David Musil.

The schedule

This schedule is frantic, with a team that reaches the finals playing four or five games over the course of six days. (All times are Mountain.)

Dec. 26: HC Fribourg-Gotteron vs. HC Dynamo Pardubice (7am, TSN3/4); HC Davos vs. Team Canada (noon, TSN3)
Dec. 27: Karpat Oulu vs. Fribourg-Gotteron/Dynamo Pardubice loser (7am, TSN3); Straubing Tigers vs. HC Davos/Team Canada loser (noon, TSN3)
Dec. 28: Karpat Oulu vs. Fribourg-Gotteron/Dynamo Pardubice winner (7am, TSN3); Straubing Tigers vs. HC Davos/Team Canada winner (noon, TSN3)
Dec. 29: 2nd-place Torriani group vs. 3rd-place Cattini group (7am, TSN5); 2nd-place Cattini group vs. 3rd-place Torriani group (noon, TSN5)
Dec. 30: 1st-place Cattini vs. 2nd Torriani/3rd Cattini winner (7am, TSN5); 1st-place Torriani vs. 2nd Cattini/3rd Torriani winner (noon, TSN2)
Dec. 31: championship game (4am, TSN3/4)

We won’t lie: our attention will primarily be on the World Juniors during the holidays. But be sure to take time out to watch at least a period or two of the beautiful chaos that is the Spengler Cup tournament.

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