European Cup

The European Cup, also known as the Europa Cup, was a European ice hockey club competition for champions of national leagues which was contested between 1965 and 1997, governed by the International Ice Hockey Federation (International Ice Hockey Federation). 
==History==
Inspired by the success of football's European Cup (now UEFA Champions League), the International Ice Hockey Federation decided to start the competition in 1965 during a meeting in Tampere, Finland. The idea was brought up by a German, Dr. Sabetzki, and approved by a majority of the delegates. 
However, the tournament was often plagued with problems. Teams from different countries were generally of wildly differing standards due to different levels of development in ice hockey across Europe, resulting in many uncompetitive, one-sided games. Significant organisational difficulties were also posed by the refusal of some Soviet Union teams to play away games in certain places. This resulted in no final being held some years, and more than one final being held in others. The competition was discontinued after 1997. In its place, the European Hockey League and the Continental Cup, and later the International Ice Hockey Federation European Champions Cup, were started.
==Format==
Teams were seeded and drawn into groups of four teams, with the winners of each group progressing to the next round, where they were drawn into groups again. Each round was played over a long weekend (Friday to Sunday) in a single venue, until one final group was left, the winner of which would be considered champions. After the European Cup was discontinued, the Continental Cup would adopt this format.
==Winners==
===Knockout, 1966-1978===
Season	Winner 	Score 	Runner-up
1966 	ZKL Brno 	6–4, 7–5, 6–2, 6–1	EV Füssen
1967 	ZKL Brno 	3–2, 5–4 	Ilves
1968 	ZKL Brno 	3–0, 3–3 	Dukla Jihlava
1969 	CSKA Moscow 	9–1, 14–3 	EC KAC
1970 	CSKA Moscow 	2–3, 8–5 	Spartak Moscow
1971 	CSKA Moscow 	7–0, 3–3 	Dukla Jihlava
1972 	CSKA Moscow 	8–2, 8–3 	Brynäs
1973 	CSKA Moscow 	6–2, 12–2 	Brynäs
1974 	CSKA Moscow 	2–3, 6–1 	Tesla Pardubice
1975 	Krylya Sovetov Moscow	2–3, 7–0 	Dukla Jihlava
1976 	CSKA Moscow 	6–0, 4–2 	Poldi Kladno
1977 	Poldi Kladno 	4–4, 4–4 (2-1 PS) 	Spartak Moscow
1978 	CSKA Moscow 	3–1 	Poldi Kladno
===Group, 1979-1990===
Season	Winner 	Runner-up 	Third 	Venue
1979 	CSKA Moscow	Poldi Kladno 	Ässät 	Innsbruck, Austria
1980 	CSKA Moscow	Tappara 	Slovan Bratislava	Innsbruck, Austria
1981 	CSKA Moscow	HIFK 	Poldi Kladno 	Urtijëi, Italy
1982 	CSKA Moscow	TJ Vítkovice 	SC Riessersee 	Düsseldorf, West Germany
1983 	CSKA Moscow	Dukla Jihlava 	Tappara 	Tampere, Finland
1984 	CSKA Moscow	Dukla Jihlava 	Dynamo Berlin 	Urtijëi, Italy
1985 	CSKA Moscow	Kölner EC 	Dukla Jihlava 	Megeve, France
1986 	CSKA Moscow	Södertälje SK 	SB Rosenheim 	Rosenheim, West Germany
1987 	CSKA Moscow	TJ VSŽ Košice 	Färjestads BK 	Lugano, Switzerland
1988 	CSKA Moscow	Tesla Pardubice	Tappara 	Davos, Switzerland
1989 	CSKA Moscow	TJ VSŽ Košice 	Kölner EC 	Köln, West Germany
1990 	CSKA Moscow	TPS 	Djurgårdens IF 	Berlin, West Germany
===Knockout, 1991-1997===
Season	Winner 	Score 	Runner-up 	Venue
1991 	Djurgårdens IF	3–2 	Dynamo Moscow 	Düsseldorf, Germany
1992 	Djurgårdens IF	7–2 	Düsseldorfer EG	Düsseldorf, Germany
1993 	Malmö IF 	3–3 (1-0 PS)	Dynamo Moscow 	Düsseldorf, Germany
1994 	TPS 	4–3 	Dynamo Moscow 	Düsseldorf, Germany
1995 	Jokerit 	4–2 	Lada Togliatti 	Turku, Finland
1996 	Jokerit 	3–3 (3-2 PS)	Kölner Haie 	Köln, Germany
1997 	Lada Togliatti	4–3 (OT) 	Modo 	Düsseldorf, Germany
Category:International Ice Hockey Federation
Category:International competitions
Category:Established in 1965
Category:Disestablished in 1997
Category:European Cup