Friday 1 July 2016, the The French Ice Hockey Federation (FFHG) announced the identity of the new Savoyard Ice Hockey club, born out of the merger of the Chamonix & Morzine Ice Hockey Clubs.
Nicknamed "The Pioneers", the new club will represent the Haute-Savoie and aims to play a leading role in the coming season 2016-2017 of the "Saxoprint Magnus League".
The name, "Pioneers" refers to the adventurous spirit of the first mountaineers who climbed the Alpine summits including the Mont-Blanc. Home matches will alternate between the Richard Bozon ice rink in Chamonix and the Skoda Arena, Morzine.
This year, most training is to take place at the Richard Bozon rink in Chamonix-Mont-Blanc.
The club's administrative centre is based in Scionzier, a town located at 43 km from Chamonix. The coach of the Pioneers is Stéphane Gros. Stéphane was the coach of the Chamonix Hockey Club.
Leadership team :
- Bernard Molliet - President;
- William Bonin - General Director;
- Michel Bibollet - Vice-president;
- Frédéric Baud - Vice-President.
The logo and the club's website were also announced. More info on the Pioneers official website.
The Pioneers are ready to conquer the summits of a new season of "Saxoprint Ligue Magnus" 2016-2017!
Follow all the news about the pioneers on their social networks: Facebook and Twitter.
FFHG announce Saxoprint as new co-sponsor for the 2016 Magnus League!
Wednesday 1 June 2016, the FFHG unveil the "Saxoprint Magnus League," as the new name of Ice Hockey France Championship. So the name of a company specializing in online printing.
The new name and logo will be used by 12 elite clubs and the FFHG from beginning of the pending 2016-2017 season that starts on 13 September 2016. The new logo will be present in the center circle of all Saxoprint Ligue Magnus ice rinks.
The new sponsor, Saxoprint, will strengthen the Championship of France's development policy and help to increase the visibility of all the participating hockey clubs.
Structure of Saxoprint Magnus League 2016-2017
New formula: 12 clubs, 44 matches.
The FFHG hockey championship from the 2016/2017 season has two less clubs, down from 14 to 12; with a season of 44 games. The competition has two phases: a regular season and the playoffs.
Saxoprint Magnus League implements additional time Golden Goal.
In case of a draw at the end of normal time, up to 10 minutes is played in search of a Golden Goal. After 10 minutes, if no goal is scored, a penalty shootout decides the winner.
The regular season: from 13 September 2016 to 24 February 2017.
- 12 teams, ranked from 1 to 12 in a single pool play;
- Each team play home and away;
- Each match decides a winner;
- In case of a drawn match, at the end of normal time, is played an additional time of 10 minutes;
- If no goal is scored, a penalty shootout decides the winner.
Play Offs: from 28 February to 9 April 2017.
The top eight of the regular season participate in the playoffs;
- Each match decides a winner;
- In case of a drawn match, at the end of normal time, is played an additional time of 10 minutes;
- If no goal is scored, a penalty shootout decides the winner.
The quarterfinals, the semifinals and the final are played in 7 series of matches.
- The 1st and the 2nd matches are held at the highest ranked team home.
- The 3rd and the 4th matches are held at the lowest ranked team home.
- The 5th match is held at the highest ranked team home, only when necessary.
- The 6th match is held at the lowest ranked team home, only when necessary.
- The 7th match is held at the highest ranked team home, only when necessary.
The teams play in the following order:
- The highest ranked team against the lowest ranked team.
- The second highest ranked team against the 2nd lowest ranked team.
- The 3rd highest ranked team against the 3rd lowest ranked team.
- The 4th highest ranked team against the 4th lowest ranked.
The semifinals winners play in the final and the winner is declared champion of France.
Poule de Maintien: from 28 February to 21 March 2017
- Teams ranked from 9 to 12 in the regular season participate in the Poule de Maintien.
- Teams play each other at home and away.
- Points from the regular season, between teams participating in the Poule de Maintien, are retained to create a new Poule de Maintien table. Points acquired in the pool games are applied to the new table.
- At the end of the season, the 12th placed is relegated to Division 1.
Saxoprint Magnus League Points system:
Win in normal time: 3 points;
Win in additional time: 2 points;
Win on penalties: 2 points;
Loose in additional time: 1 point.
Loose on penalties: 1 point.
Loose in regulation time: 0 points.
