Panthers Heading To Continental Cup

News broke yesterday afternoon that Danny Stewart’s Nottingham Panthers will, late on this year, compete in the 2025/26 IIHF Continental Cup, a competition they won back in 2017.

It is the reward they’ve been presented with for winning the 2025 EIHL Play-offs, done so following an exciting, 4-3(OT) success, against Cardiff Devils (who won the 2025 Continental Cup), shy of eight weeks ago.

It’ll be a slightly different Panthers side that takes to the ice this coming season, but the addition of European action for the club will no doubt work in Stewart’s favour for any potential, incoming signings.

A competition which began in the 1990s, and has seen dominance by primarily Central, and Eastern European sides, with Belarussian outfit Yunost Minsk (3) and Swiss pairing of HC Ambri-Piotta, and ZSC Lions (2) leading the way.

Although Panthers rivals, Sheffield Steelers, finished in third place in the 2009/10 edition, it would be Nottingham’s finest who’d be the first British winners, eight years agon, in Ritten, Italy.

Omar Pacha, Chief Executive Officer for the Nottingham Panthers, said of the announcement of a return to continental competition that; “The Panthers have a great tradition and record in Europe of which we are very proud.

“We are excited for our fans who have not experienced competitive European hockey for over five seasons.

“For our players and coaches, this will be a great chance to put their talents on show and a fantastic opportunity to add another chapter to the club’s successful European record.

“While our primary focus remains on domestic competitions, we fully recognise the opportunity to compete for another piece of European silverware.

“Historically, balancing success across all competitions with the added fixtures has been challenging for EIHL teams, but we’re committed to giving our best on every front.”

That tradition, and record, in which the Panthers have to on the continent saw them enter the Continental Cup in the second round stage, the year they went on to win the competition.

Winning eight of their nine outings overall the Panthers, led by Canadian duo, Corey Neilson (HC) and Brad Moran (capt) began their run to silverware in the October of 2016, in Jaca, Spain, claiming victories over HK Liepāja (Latvia, 3-1), Zeytinburnu Belediyespor (Turkey, 12-1), and CH Jaca (Spain, 13-2) then in November in Odense, Denmark with wins over Odense

Bulldogs (Denmark, 5-4), and Ducs d’Angers (France, 4-3), followed by their only loss, to HC Donbass (Ukraine, 3-1).

Having qualified for the final round, the Panthers headed to Ritten, Italy, in January 2017, seeing off the Bulldogs (2-0), Beibarys Aytyrau (Kazakhstan, 3-2) and hosts Ritten Sport (Italy, 4-1), to win the cup.

Victory in Italy would see the Panthers attain qualification for the following seasons’ Champions Hockey League, where they won their Group Stage with matches against SC Bern (Switzerland), TPS (Finland) and Mountfield HK (Czech Republic).

The Panthers, this time with American pairing Tim Wallace (HC) and Sam Herr (capt) leading the way, were also runners-up in the Continental Cup, during the 2019/20 season, eventually finishing behind Danish side, SønderjyskE Ishockey, a side they beat 4-2 in the third round group stage, along with Gothiques d’Amiens (France, 4-2), whilst losing to Hungarian outfit, Ferencvárosi TC (3-2).

Close to success in the final round, in Vojens, Denmark, the Panthers’ only defeat was to the afore-mentioned Danes, 2-1 (2OT), whilst seeing off the challenges of Cracovia (Poland, 4-3), and Neman Grodno (Belarus, 4-3).

Now, the time is soon upon them, for the new generation of Panthers to write their name into the area’s sporting folklore, entering the competition at the third round (semi-final) stage, this coming November, details of which will be released some point next month.