Format
The Champions Hockey League was planned to be contested among 24 European national club champions and the runner-ups of the best six hockey leagues. However, for the first season, a shortened version was agreed upon with a group stage with 12 teams, the champions of the best seven leagues and a second team from each of the best four leagues. The second teams from the leagues placed 5–7, played a qualification tournament over one weekend to determine the twelfth and final participant of the Champions Hockey League.
The following table based on the 2008 IIHF League Ranking gives an overview over the qualifiaction process. Because of the cancellation after the first season, the lower ranked leagues never participated in the Champions Hockey League.
| Russia | Kontinental Hockey League | Two teams in the 2008-2009 CHL |
| Finland | SM-liiga | |
| Czech Republic | Czech Extraliga | |
| Sweden | Elitserien | |
| Slovakia | Slovak Extraliga | One team guaranteed in the 2008-2009 CHL + one possible qualifier |
| Switzerland | National League A | |
| Germany | Deutsche Eishockey Liga | |
| Belarus | Belarusian Hockey League | Teams from these leagues would have participated in later season of the CHL. |
| Latvia | Latvian Hockey League | |
| Denmark | Oddset Ligaen | |
| Austria | Austrian Hockey League | |
| Kazakhstan | Kazakhstani Championship | |
| Great Britain | Elite Ice Hockey League | |
| Norway | GET-ligaen | |
| France | Ligue Magnus | |
| Slovenia | Slovenian Ice Hockey League | |
| Italy | Serie A | |
| Hungary | OB I bajnokság | |
| Poland | Polska Liga Hokejowa | |
| Netherlands | Eredivisie | |
| Ukraine | Ukrainian Hockey League | |
| Romania | Liga Naţională de hochei |
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