IIHF Continental Cup

The Continental Cup is a second-level ice hockey tournament for European clubs (behind Champions Hockey League), begun in 1997 after the discontinuing of the European Cup. It was intended for teams from countries without representatives in the European Hockey League, with participating teams chosen by the countries' respective ice hockey associations. Hans Dobida served as chairman of the Continental Cup until 2018.
==Format==
The competition began in 1997–98 with 42 clubs from 26 countries, which expanded to 48 teams for the next two years. The tournament was played in seeded rounds of qualifying groups. There were three rounds of qualifying groups, with winners of qualifying groups progressing to the next round. The three winners of the third round groups entered the semifinals, along with the host club. The first round was held in September, the second in October, the third in November and the finals in December.
In the 2000–01 season, with the European Hockey League on hiatus, the Continental Cup became the de facto European club championship. The format remained the same, with 36 teams from 27 countries.
With the beginning of the IIHF European Champions Cup from 2004 to 2005, participants included national champions of countries not in the Super Six (the top six European nations according to the IIHF World Ranking), as well as teams from Super Six leagues, which included HC Dynamo Moscow and HKm Zvolen.
==Winners==
Season 	Winner 	Runner-up 	Third 	 	Host
1997–98 	TJ VSŽ Košice 	Eisbären Berlin 	Ilves 	 	Tampere
1998–99 	HC Ambrì-Piotta 	HC Košice 	Avangard Omsk 	 	Košice
1999–2000	HC Ambrì-Piotta 	Eisbären Berlin 	Ak Bars Kazan 	 	Berlin
2000–01 	ZSC Lions 	London Knights 	Slovan Bratislava 	 	Zurich
2001–02 	ZSC Lions 	Milano Vipers 	HKm Zvolen 	 	Zurich
2002–03 	Jokerit 	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl 	HC Lugano 	 	Lugano Milan
2003–04 	Slovan Bratislava 	HK Gomel 	HC Lugano 	 	Gomel
2004–05 	HKm Zvolen 	Dynamo Moscow 	Alba Volán Székesfehérvár 	 	Székesfehérvár
2005–06 	Lada Togliatti 	HK Riga 2000 	ZSC Lions 	 	Székesfehérvár
2006–07 	Yunost Minsk 	Avangard Omsk 	Ilves 	 	Székesfehérvár
2007–08 	Ak Bars Kazan 	HK Riga 2000 	Kazzinc-Torpedo 	 	Riga
2008–09 	MHC Martin 	Dragons de Rouen 	HC Bolzano 	 	Rouen
2009–10 	Red Bull Salzburg 	Yunost Minsk 	Sheffield Steelers 	 	Grenoble
2010–11 	Yunost Minsk 	Red Bull Salzburg 	SønderjyskE Ishockey 	 	Minsk
2011–12 	Dragons de Rouen 	Yunost Minsk 	HC Donbass 	 	Rouen
2012–13 	HC Donbass 	Metallurg Zhlobin 	Dragons de Rouen 	 	Donetsk
2013–14 	Stavanger Oilers 	HC Donbass 	HC Asiago 	 	Rouen
2014–15 	Neman Grodno 	Fischtown Pinguins 	Ducs d'Angers 	 	Bremerhaven
2015–16 	Dragons de Rouen 	Herning Blue Fox 	GKS Tychy 	 	Rouen
2016–17 	Nottingham Panthers 	Beibarys Atyrau 	Odense Bulldogs 	 	Ritten
2017–18 	Yunost Minsk 	Nomad Astana 	Sheffield Steelers 	 	Minsk
2018–19 	Arlan Kokshetau 	Belfast Giants 	GKS Katowice 	 	Belfast
2019–20 	SønderjyskE Ishockey 	Nottingham Panthers 	Neman Grodno 	 	Vojens
2020–21 	Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic	Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic	Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic	Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic	
2021–22 	Cracovia 	Saryarka Karagandy 	Aalborg Pirates 	 	Aalborg
2022–23 	HK Nitra 	Ducs d'Angers 	Cardiff Devils 	 	Angers
 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	
==Medals (1997-2023)==
==IIHF Federation Cup==
The Federation Cup was an official European ice hockey club competition created in 1995. It was the second European competition for club teams, intended for those teams who could not qualify for the European Cup, especially for those from Eastern European countries. It was the direct predecessor of the IIHF Continental Cup, which was played two seasons later.
===Format===
In the first year of competition, 13 Eastern European teams from twelve countries participated in the tournament. In a KO-system with three qualifying groups, which qualifies the four participants in the finals. The following year was played in the same mode. Due to the increased number of participants (some Western European clubs had registered for the competition), an additional qualifying round was introduced.
===Federation Cup winners===
Season 	Winner 	Score	Runner-up 	Host
1994–95	Salavat Yulaev Ufa	4–1 	HC Pardubice 	Ljubljana,
1995–96	AS Mastini Varese 	4–3 	Metallurg Magnitogorsk	Trenčín,
==See also==
* IIHF European Cup
* Champions Hockey League
* IIHF Super Cup
* European Cup
==References==
==External links==
* Continental Cup at Eurohockey.com
 
Category:International Ice Hockey Federation tournaments
Category:Ice hockey tournaments in Europe