Fondue Season

There's good news and there's bad news.

I can start planning my holiday season now that the Spengler Cup schedule is up.
In addition to the Canadian side, 5 teams are entered:

HC Davos (Swiss National League)
SKA St. Petersburg (KHL)
Spartak Moscow (KHL)
Sparta Prague (Czech Elite League)
Servette Geneva (Swiss National League)

Dec 26 Sun	GS – SKA	Torriani
	DAV – SM	Cattini
Dec 27 Mon	SP – L1	Torriani
	CAN – L2	Cattini
Dec 28 Tue	W1 – SP	Torriani
	W2 – CAN	Cattini
Dec 29 Wed	A2 – B3	Quarter-final
	B2 – A3	Quarter-final
Dec 30 Thu	A1 – W7	Semifinal
	B1 – W8	Semifinal
Dec 31 Fri	W9 – W10	Championship

This is a new format - 6 teams, two groups, Torriani    & Cattini.
In past years its been 5 teams playing a single round-robin with the Top-2 advancing to the championship game.
Another noticeable difference is that the DEL isn't represented. Traditionally a German side is invited to the tournament.  It was a bad period against Mannheim that ultimately kept Canada out of the Final at last year's event.

The roster will be announced in December.

And the bad news is:
"Hockey Canada announced Friday that Hockey Hall of Famer Mark Messier will serve as head coach of Canada’s national men’s teams at the 2010 Spengler Cup. Mark Messier has extensive experience representing Canada at the international level as a player, including the 1984, 1987 and 1991 Canada Cups, the 1989 IIHF World Championship and the 1996 World Cup of Hockey. The St. Albert, Alta. native totaled nine goals and 23 assists for 32 points in 38 games playing for Canada.
This will be Messier’s second appearance with Team Canada off the ice, as he served as Canada’s general manager at the 2010 IIHF World Championship.
“I am excited for this opportunity to coach Canada on the world stage,” said Messier. “I have always taken pride in representing Canada at an international level as a player, and look forward to the challenges in front of us at the Deutschland Cup and Spengler Cup."

They couldn't find anyone qualified?

Messier will be assisted at the Spengler Cup by:
Doug Shedden (Wallaceburg, Ont.) has previous international coaching experience, guiding Finland to a bronze medal at the 2008 IIHF World Championship.

I know nothing about the Deutschland Cup. Its runs in November. Its a four team event. We'll keep you posted..