Fixtures

France Ligue Magnus 09/12 18:00 1 Nice vs Chamonix Mont-Blanc - View
France Ligue Magnus 09/16 18:05 2 Chamonix Mont-Blanc vs Briancon - View
France Ligue Magnus 09/23 18:05 4 Chamonix Mont-Blanc vs Bordeaux - View
France Ligue Magnus 09/26 18:00 5 Angers vs Chamonix Mont-Blanc - View
France Ligue Magnus 09/30 18:05 6 Chamonix Mont-Blanc vs Rouen - View
France Ligue Magnus 10/03 18:05 7 Chamonix Mont-Blanc vs HC Amiens Somme - View

Results

Club Friendlies (Regulation Only) 09/04 18:00 - Chamonix Mont-Blanc v EHC Visp L 3-4
Club Friendlies (Regulation Only) 08/28 18:00 - Chamonix Mont-Blanc v EHC Olten W 4-3
Club Friendlies (Regulation Only) 08/26 17:45 - EHC Olten v Chamonix Mont-Blanc W 2-3
Club Friendlies (Regulation Only) 08/23 18:00 - Grenoble v Chamonix Mont-Blanc L 5-3
Club Friendlies (Regulation Only) 08/15 18:00 - Chamonix Mont-Blanc v Grenoble L 2-5
Club Friendlies (Regulation Only) 08/12 19:00 - Chamonix Mont-Blanc v HC Sierre W 3-2
France Ligue Magnus 03/10 19:05 3 [7] Chamonix Mont-Blanc v Angers [2] L 1-2
France Ligue Magnus 03/08 17:30 3 [2] Angers v Chamonix Mont-Blanc [7] W 1-2
France Ligue Magnus 03/05 19:00 3 [7] Chamonix Mont-Blanc v Angers [2] L 1-5
France Ligue Magnus 03/04 19:00 3 [7] Chamonix Mont-Blanc v Angers [2] L 0-4
France Ligue Magnus 03/01 17:30 3 [2] Angers v Chamonix Mont-Blanc [7] L 4-0
France Ligue Magnus 02/28 19:30 3 [2] Angers v Chamonix Mont-Blanc [7] W 3-5

The Pionniers de Chamonix Mont-Blanc (French for 'Chamonix Mont-Blanc Pioneers') are a French ice hockey team based in Chamonix, Haute-Savoie. They play in the country's top tier, the Ligue Magnus. For their inaugural 2016–17 season, they were known as Pionniers de Chamonix-Morzine.

History

Origins

In 2016, France's Ligue Magnus adopted an expanded schedule and cut its number of teams from 14 to 12. The league's two Haute-Savoie clubs, the Chamois de Chamonix and the Pingouins de Morzine-Avoriaz, decided to merge their respective professional teams in order to better face the economic and competitive challenges presented by the new setup. The result of that fusion was a joint team called the Pionniers, splitting its home games between Chamonix and Morzine-Avoriaz. The amateur sections remained separate and retained the Chamois and Pingouins names.

While both towns are located within the same department, they are not particularly close, with Chamonix nested in the Mont Blanc massif and Morzine-Avoriaz part of the Chablais region. Following negotiations between the two municipalities, it was agreed that Chamonix would be the united team's training base for its inaugural season, as well as the owner of its league franchise.

2016-17 season

2016–17 Chamonix-Morzine logo

The precarious balance between the two organizations was quickly challenged when the new Pionniers limped out of the gate to a dismal record. Mid-February 2017, head coach Stéphane Gros was dismissed as the team was dead last in the standings. The move was not unexpected from a sporting standpoint, but it further aggravated the Morzine-Avoriaz side as Gros had career ties to both clubs, while his replacement Christophe Ville was viewed as purely a Chamonix man. The Pioneers still finished the season in last place and Morzine-Avoriaz renounced the partnership after a single season.

Aftermath

As the fusion agreement was more protective of Chamonix's interests, Morzine-Avoriaz suffered the most damaging fallout. Chamonix kept the organization's trademarks and visual identity, and most importantly its position in the French hockey rankings. While their twelfth-place finish should have sent them to the lower division, they ended up being saved from relegation by the withdrawal of Dijon from the Ligue Magnus.
Morzine-Avoriaz on the other hand returned to its previous identity, the Penguins, and had to start all over at the country's fourth level, the Division 3, in 2017–18.

The Chamonix Ice Hockey Team, based in the picturesque alpine town of Chamonix, France, is one of the country's most historic and renowned ice hockey clubs. Established in the early 20th century, the team has a rich tradition of excellence and is celebrated for its passionate fan base and competitive spirit. Known for their skillful gameplay and resilience on the ice, Chamonix has secured numerous national championships and has been a prominent fixture in French ice hockey. The team’s home games are played at the Chamonix Ice Rink, where fans gather to support their team amidst the stunning mountain backdrop. With a commitment to developing local talent and promoting the sport in the region, the Chamonix ice hockey team remains a symbol of sporting pride and alpine camaraderie in France.