SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League’s Rochester Americans have accepted an invitation to participate in the prestigious Spengler Cup tournament in Davos, Switzerland, in 2013.
The Spengler Cup is a six-team tournament that takes place each year from Dec. 26-31, hosted by HC Davos of Switzerland’s elite National League A.
This will be the second time that an American Hockey League team will participate in the Spengler Cup. The Rochester Americans also competed in the 1996 event, finishing third. They remain the only professional hockey club from North America ever to take part in the tournament.
“The American Hockey League is privileged to once again take part in one of the most historic hockey tournaments in the world,” said David Andrews, President and CEO of the American Hockey League. “We are appreciative of the relationship which we have developed with the Spengler Cup Organizational Committee and thank them for inviting the Rochester Americans to participate in this year’s event.”
“The Rochester Americans are extremely honored to have been selected to play in the 2013 Spengler Cup and represent the American Hockey League,” said Americans President Ted Black. “This is a truly unique opportunity that will provide an incredibly valuable experience for our players. In addition, the chance for the Amerks to participate in the Spengler Cup for the second time will add another chapter to the great history of this storied franchise.”
“When you know how pressured the AHL schedule is and how busy the teams are, you realize how lucky we are to have the Rochester Americans in the Spengler Cup,” said Fredi Pargätzi, President of the Spengler Cup Organizational Committee. “What I find particularly pleasing and important is the fact that those in charge of the Buffalo Sabres fully support the Americans’ participation in the Spengler Cup.”
The first Spengler Cup took place in 1923 and was started by Davos-based physician Dr. Carl Spengler. It is the oldest and most famous ice hockey tournament in the world. The club tournament’s magic formula is a mix of its location in the Swiss spa town of Davos, the unique arena, the timing between Christmas and New Year’s, the coming together of various ice hockey philosophies and its longstanding tradition.
