The Champions Hockey League revealed the five finalists for its MVP award over the weekend. All five are among the four teams still alive in the competition but at least two of them will be eliminated on Tuesday when the semifinals wrap up.
In the order they were announced, they are:
Sven Andrighetto RW (SUI), ZSC Lions Zurich
Andrighetto, 31, currently leads the CHL with 12 assists and 19 points in 10 games, usually playing on a line with the dangerous Denis Malgin. Andrighetto is a regular member of the Swiss national team and played over 200 NHL games with the Montreal Canadiens and Colorado Avalanche between 2014 and 2019.
Maxime Lagacé G (CAN), Färjestad Karlstad
Lagacé has appeared in nine of Färjestad’s 11 CHL games so far this season, posting a record of 7-1 with two shutouts, a 1.54 goals-against average and a .929 save percentage. Now in his second year in Sweden, Lagacé was never drafted but played in 20 NHL games with the Vegas Golden Knights, Pittsburgh Penguins and Tampa Bay Lightning.
Antti Raanta G (FIN), Genève-Servette
The second goaltender nominated, Raanta didn’t start playing in the CHL until October after signing with Genève-Servette following an 11-year NHL career. He made up for lost time, however, allowing only four goals total in his first four games. Despite a 6-1 loss last week, he still has a .944 save percentage and has saved 5.15 goals over expected.
Michael Špaček RW (CZE) – Sparta Prague
With a lethal shot from the slot, Špaček is the CHL’s leader in goals with eight so far, five of which have been on the power play. The 27-year-old former Winnipeg Jets prospect has scored those goals with two different teams as he started the season with Genève-Servette before transferring to his native Czechia in early December.
Oskar Steen C (SWE), Färjestad Karlstad
Steen, 26, is second in both assists with 11 and points with 17 in 11 CHL games, and he’s also a point-a-game player for Färjestad in the SHL. Steen is in his first season back with his hometown team after a five-year term in North America that saw him play 60 NHL games with the Boston Bruins.
The winner will be determined by a combination of a vote by fans, which is available on the CHL website, and by a panel of experts. It will be announced on Feb. 18 on the ice after the final and before the championship trophy is awarded.
Below are the previous MVP winners along with the teams they played for that season. The only two-time recipient is American right winger Ryan Lasch, who currently plays in Finland for the Lahti Pelicans and is the CHL’s all-time scoring leader.
2023-24 – Sami Vatanen D (FIN), Genève-Servette
2022-23 – Christian Heljanko G (FIN), Tappara Tampere
2021-22 – Frederik Tiffels LW (GER), Red Bull Munich
2020-21 – CHL season cancelled
2019-20 – Ryan Lasch RW (USA), Frölunda Gothenburg
2018-19 – Trevor Parkes RW (CAN), Red Bull Munich
2017-18 – Šimon Hrubec G (CZE), Oceláři Třinec
2016-17 – Joel Lundqvist C (SWE), Frölunda Gothenburg
2015-16 – Ryan Lasch RW (USA), Frölunda Gothenburg
2014-15 – Mathis Olimb C (NOR), Frölunda Gothenburg