5. Frölunda Indians

The Gothenburg outfit has limped forward this month only managing two regulation wins in nine matches with only bottom placed Timrå IK having a worse month.

However, with convincing wins in the semifinal matches against Czech HC Pilsen and lifting the Champions Hockey League trophy on home ice against Red Bull Munich this week, I think they'll accept a poorer performance in the SHL.

Top scorers this month, with six points each, were 19 year old Samuel Fagemo (who will be NHL drafted this summer) and 30 year old American Rhett Rakhshani, who was drafted in 2006 by the New York Islanders.

The team's poor form in the SHL also means that American Ryan Lasch slides down to 14th in the Total Points competition, where he had been in first place earlier in the season.

With high scoring defenseman and Canadian Olympian Chay Genoway injured and disappointing results, the management decided to get out the cheque book and bolstered the defense with two import players who have previous SHL experience.

The first was 26 year old Canadian, Brandon Gormley. The Arizona Coyotes drafted back decided to return to the SHL where he played with Mora IK last year after half a season in Finland.

The other back is 38 year old Philadelphia Flyers drafted David Printz, who at 193cm (6ft 3") is a aggressive defenseman in contrast to Gormley, a points scorer. The Swede moved from Timrå IK in a trade that allowed Sweden's Junior World Championship forward Filip Westerlund to move to Timrå for the remainder of the season. The aim is increase his ice time and develop so that the Arizona Coyotes' drafted 19 year old might reach his full potential enabling a move to North America in the future.

4. Djurgården IF

With seven wins this month, this is the Djurgården IF that everyone has been afraid of - a team that score goals with ease and Adam Reideborn excelling between the pipes to keep the goals against tally low. He currently leads the league with a SVS% of 92.90 and recorded his third shutout of the season in the team's second victory over Brynäs IF in two days on 19 January.

Up front Sweden's Junior World Championships top scorer Emil Bemström has been the league's top scorer in January with 12 points (6G+6A) in 11 games. Meanwhile former New Jersey Devils' Jacob Josefson is back to his pre-injury form scoring 10 points (3G+7A) in the month moving him back up to fourth on overall Total Points, two points behind teammate, Jakob Lilja.

The team has been bolstered at the back by the signing of 34 year old Canadian Jason Garrison who has played 555 games in the NHL, most recently with Edmonton Oilers. But this is a team of homegrown talent, shown in that seven if the squad for the Beijer Games are from the club. Jonathan Davidsson and Tom Nilsson will join the four named above in Stockholm for the tournament.

3. HV71

HV71 arrive at the international break with the best record for January winning seven out of 10 matches in regulation as well getting a point for an overtime loss. Their leading scorer has been New York Islanders drafted Robin Figren with nine points (4G+5A) and the team has knocked in 32 goals including smashing seven past bottom team, Timrå IK where Figren scored one Goal and two Assists.

Leading scorer for the season, however, remains the 28 year old former Djurgården IF forward, Markus Ljungh. Now in his fifth season in the SHL he is just nine points from the highest points scoring season of his career.

Likewise is former New Jersey Devils' Mattias Tedenby, also 28 yrs, who needs just seven points in the remaining 13 games. Ljungh and Tedenby are 11th and 13th overall on a Total Points separated by just two points.

2. Färjestad BK

With 10 matches played in January Färjestad BK find themselves in second after six wins with only one needing Overtime to get the result. They scored more goals this month than any of team - 36 - and had five players with seven or more points.

Leading the way was Boston Bruins drafted 20 year old, Oskar Steen with 11 points (5G+6A). In January alone he has broken his previous points record for an SHL season in this his third full season at senior level.

Two of Steen's teammates gained 1 Point Per Game in the seven games they played in the month. The first was 32 year old Detroit Red Wings drafted, Johan Ryno who missed three matches because of ongoing injury problems.

The other, 24 year old Michael Lindqvist, pictured, who played with Hartford Wolf Pack at the beginning of the season, was suspended for Spearing for two of the games he missed. That meant he missed the match against Frölunda where the team collected two match penalties in just seven minutes of play. The first when Linus Johansson checked Chay Genoway into the boards and then when Jesse Virtanen was called for Highsticking on Pathrik Westerholm. The Karlstad club went into to win 3-0 with Steen gaining three points (1+2) and Ryno 1 Assist.

Last weekend the 39th round of matches was played in the SHL and with just 13 matches to go the league takes a short pause for the pre-World Cup international tournament the Beijer Games, this year taking place in Sweden.

The table remains tight with just 10 points separating the top 10 places in the league.

Over the next few days we can take a look at the top teams’ form in January.

1. Luleå HF

It might only been four regulation wins out of 10, but on the other hand it is only three outright losses that is keeping Norrbotten club at the top of the table. To keep up at the top they will need Joel Lassinantti to continue in his top form. He currently lies in first on Goals Against Average with 1.83 this season.

At the other end of the ice, January has been 22 year old Robin Kovacs' month leading the team with nine points (5G+4A). The 2015 New York Rangers drafted forward is on the way to his best season in the SHL, his second at Luleå after a year with the Rangers' in the AHL development team, Hartford Wolf Park in 2016/7.

Despite a quieter month with just three points (1G+2A), American Jack Connelly still leads the team with 27 putting him in 13th overall. If he gains just 10 more points in the remaining 13 games the 29 year old will match his best ever season of his seven in the SHL.

Last night in a totally packed Scandinavium in Gothenburg, 12,400 fans saw Frölunda Indians take their third Champions Hockey League trophy in five years.

The tie was a rematch of the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics quarterfinals between Germany and Sweden which saw the Germans stun the Swedes on their way to a surprise Silver medal.

Several players from that game were present last night, including Frölunda and Sweden’s captain, Joel Lundqvist, one of Germany’s Assistant Captains that night, Patrick Hager as well as a Norwegian and a Canadian who suffered defeat at the Germans’ hand last year.

But there would be no repeat victory for Germany’s Red Bull Munich,who were appearing in their first CHL final.

The game provided end to end entertainment and had it not been for the skills of Indians’ keeper, Johan Gustafsson and Red Bull’s German Olympic hero, Danny aus den Birken in net the score would have been much higher.

But in the end it would be penalties that decided with all four goals scored on the Power Play.

First, Frölunda’s rising star, Samuel Fagemo found the net with a blistering shot at 10:32; then the competition’s top scorer, American Ryan Lasch netted at 24:16 to give the home team a 2-0 lead.

As the game wore on Munich got more and more physical in their challenges as they tried to knock the Indians off their stride and find that little extra to get on the board.

Unfortunately that meant that German Olympian, Yannic Seidenberg served 2+2 PIM for Checking to the Head on Frölunda’s Rhett Rahkshani at 33:50. The American left the ice and did not return and Seidenberg can count himself very lucky not to receive a Match Penalty for the dangerous challenge.

Ponthus Westerholm took full advantage of as he came in to replace the injured 2006 New York Islanders drafted player on their first Power Play unit finding the net at 34:27.

But typical of their attitude throughout the whole CHL, Munich refused to give up.

At 50:49 the German team were on the Power Play again and after the whistle had blown for an offensive zone face off for the visitors, Hager and Frölunda’s Norwegian forward Mats Rosseli Olsson tangled up in front of the net. What started as pushing and shoving escalated and the German let frustration getting the better of him, dropping his right glove and laying into the Norwegian. That led to both of them sitting out, but the German forward got 2+10 for Roughing, effectively ending his participation in the match for the player who scored most goals for the Germans during the Olympics.

Still with a man advantage, Red Bull pulled the keeper to make it six-on-four being instantly rewarded with a goal from another German Olympian, Yasin Ehliz who received the puck from none other than Seidenberg.

So it was 3-1 at 51:29 - but there would no no late comeback for the visitors and that’s how it remained to the end of the game. The arena erupted as Frölunda’s players and fans celebrated wildly their third win in four final appearances in just five years. Stats which go to prove without doubt that they are the best European team in the CHL era.

You can watch the CHL’s own match highlights below.

The Relegation Regulars (<20 pts)

SDE Hockey have a survival instinct and will enter the relegation battle for the fifth year in a row - that is every year they've been in the SDHL - knowing they've always won though to fight another season.

Six players have played over 100 matches with the club, including two Dutchwomen Julie Zwarthoed and Kayleigh Hamers and the 19 year old Swedish goalkeeper, Sofia Reideborn. Even captain and Englishwoman Leanne Ganney has been here before and they know collectively what it takes to remain in the SDHL.

It was assistant captain Zwarthoed and Ganney have led the way in points coming in a very respectable 24th and 28th in Total Points above talented players such as Hanna Sköld (LIF), Fanny Rask (HV71), Petra Nieminen (LHF).

Ultimately they might be disappointed with ninth place and four regulation wins with their top scorers repeatedly finding the net. If Lovisa Selander returns from the NCAA to her home club instead of taking net at NWHL club, Boston Pride who drafted her in December, they might surprise a few people next year.

Gothenburg HC in their second year in the top division have struggled gaining only six points all season with one regulation win as they sadly could not compete other the teams above them.

The team contains three of the five British internationals playing in Sweden but top scorers are Canadian Alyssa McMillian (played in NCAA and USports leagues) and Swede Anna Borgfeldt (Quinnipiac, NCAA). However, they only had 11 points each on the season putting them in a lowly 76th and 78th place respectively.

But it is not just going forward that has been a problem, the club has let in over 200 goals this season, with an average of nearly six in every game.

Both teams will start their best of three qualification matches on 28 February against DamEttan playoff qualification winners.

If they survive the qualification matches back to the SDHL another tough year awaits the club from Sweden's second city.

GbrynasThe Strugglers (36-40 pts)

Both Brynäs IF and AIK are not bad teams, but just have not been able to keep it together often enough over a full 60 minutes. They have both lost 21 regulation matches over the season whilst Brynäs IF have just 12 wins and AIK only 9.

Brynäs finishing a disappointing seventh place overall. Their season was undoubtedly hampered by injury to Canadian superstar, Jennifer Wakefield. She only played nine matches for the club this season but scored 18 points, including 13 goals. Veteran, Erika Grahm took up the points scoring duties at the Gävle club, earning the 28 year old Swede further international caps.

For AIK it was eighth place, with 26 year old Lisa Johansson their top scorer whom alongside 24 year old, forward and Olympian Sabina Küller has also been selected for international duty for Sweden for the club that has fewest import players of all the teams in the SDHL.

The Contenders (63-65 pts)

The three teams in fourth, fifth and sixth were Leksand IF, HV71 and Djurgården IF were separated by just three points and are all capable of beating the top three in the forthcoming playoffs.

For Leksand IF top scorers have been Sweden's Anna Borgqvist and Canadian import, Danielle Stone whilst 22 year old Julia Åberg has performance well in net also getting the chance to play for the Swedish national team. They will be looking to find their early season form again which saw them top the table and beat Luleå in back to back meetings.

HV71 have the league's top performing import netminder, Alba Gonzalo from Spain in her second season at the Jönköping club. The team is also the home of another batch of Finnish internationals. The team's top scorers are 45 year old, Riikka Sallinen (formerly Välilä) and 21 year Sanna Hakala both of whom who were in the top ten of Total Points. Two years ago they knocked out favourites Luleå in the semifinals and will be hoping for similar result this year.

Meanwhile Djurgården IF will be going into the playoffs without one of their (and Sweden's) best players - 20 year old, Hanna Olsson, who quit the club dramatically this month. That leaves the other Nordic members of the squad, Norwegian Andrea Dalen (who finished in 11th on Total Points) and Dane Josefine Jakobsen (15th), left behind to continue to provide firepower upfront if the Stockholm team are to defy the odds and take the title again as they did in 2016/7.

The fifth Champions Hockey League final will take place on 5 February 2019 in the Scandinavium, Gothenburg, Sweden. It will see four times winners, Frölunda Indians with home ice advantage against the first ever German team to reach the finals, Red Bull Munich.

Frölunda are certainly the favourites, but Munich, who have several of Germany's Olympic Bronze medal team in their roster, will be ready to play underdog and provide a shock result.

Frölunda Indians

The talented Indians have several players who have first hand experience of being beaten by the Germans at the Pyeongchang Olympics. That includes their captain and Swede Joel Lundqvist, Norwegians Mats Rosseli Olsson and Mattias Nørstebø and Canadian defensemen, Chay Genoway. But that will probably only make them more determined to get revenge and beat Munich.

And with the attacking quality they have they have every reason to be confident.

Genoway is the competition's top scoring defenseman and American forward, Ryan Lasch is the competition's Top Scorer so the Swedish team are not short of talent in front of net.

At the back Frölunda are not lacking in skillful players either. They have, for example, assistant captain Jonathan Sigalet. The 32 year old Boston Bruins drafted Canadian marshals the defense and is usually paired with young protégé and the 20 year Detroit Red Wings drafted, Gustav Lindström who is thriving in his first season in the SHL.

Whilst Joel Lundqvist is the only Frölunda player to have played more than 60 matches in the NHL, the team has is drenched in quality. Only two of the defensemen on the roster have not been NHL drafted and seven of the forwards are drafted players so they can field high quality players on every shift. And that does not count for the young Samuel Fagemo, who will be drafted this summer.

But whilst they may not have NHL match experience, this team also knows how to win the CHL. Not just the managers, but a huge amount of the players have been part of the double win in 2015/6 and 2016/7. That includes four forwards from the first win and three backs and eight forwards from that second win who are still on the squad.

And let's not forget netminder, Jonas Gustafsson, who appeared in both winning finals and was drafted by Minnesota Wild in 2010 and has played two full seasons in the AHL.

Make no mistake this is a talented team, but they can be neutralized and they can be inconsistent - remember they only just squeezed their way past HC Lugano in the first knockout match.

But when they play their best, like against HC Pilsen, they are almost unbeatable. I have back them from the beginning and believe they have got what it takes to win this year's CHL.

Red Bull Munich

Whilst this is Munich's, and indeed Germany's, first appearance in the CHL final, this team is familiar with success and should not be underestimated.

They have won the DEL three years in a row and on their way to this final have beaten teams from Sweden, Switzerland and Austria away from home in the pressurized knockout phases.

The team has considerably more NHL and AHL experience than their Swedish rivals with nearly 5000 matches combined in the North American leagues. This comes mainly from two import players, 35 year old, Matt Stajan with over 1000 games in the NHL and 34 year old John Mitchell who also played c. 500 matches in the world's top league. Mitchell's experience shows as he leads the team in points in CHL and DEL in this season.

But whereas Mitchell has 12 assists in the CHL, it is another Canadian import, Trevor Parkes who has most goals for the Germans with nine. He has played c. 200 AHL games but the 27 year old has he much greater success in the DEL where he is now in his third season. All three are in their first year in Munich and will be wanting to cash in on this unique opportunity.

But this team is not all about import players. Red Bull is the home club of six of Germany's Olympic Bronze medal team. They are defensemen Yannic Seidenberg and Daryl Boyle alongside forwards Patrick Hager, Frank Mauer and Yasin Ehliz. However, most crucially of all, netminder, Danny aus den Birken. He was the Winter Games best keeper and has been the DEL's best keeper every year Munich has won the national championship. At 33 year's old aus den Birken will be looking to take this golden opportunity to seize the top prize in European hockey. He, and his teammates, are hoping to pull off the surprise of the competition and take the CHL trophy from under the Swede's noses on 4 February.

Expect the Germans to keep it tight hoping to frustrate Lasch and Co. and then pick off them off late on in the game, whilst the Swedes are likely to come out flying and try to crush Munich's spirit as soon as the first whistle blows.