The deal negotiated by Infront Sports & Media, the CHL’s exclusive media and marketing partner, will give iClinic significant exposure at each of the 125 ice hockey matches that make up the 2017-2018 season

The company’s logo will appear on two rink boards in each arena, as well as on the official media and press conference backdrops.

They will also have the right to run an advertisement on the arenas’ video screens.

Eye surgeon and iClinic chief executive Dr Ivo Ďurkovič said the deal complemented his company’s increasing presence across Europe.

“We are delighted to start supporting the CHL,” said Ďurkovič.

“iClinic is expanding and so we also want to be seen outside of Slovakia.

“Most of our patients already come from Austria, Germany and Switzerland.

“We see hockey as an important part of the culture of many European nations and CHL recognises the same values as we do - no compromise in the pursuit of excellence.”

The 2017-2018 CHL season begins on August 24 and will conclude in February.

A new qualification system means 32 professionally ranked teams will take part, all selected purely on the basis of sporting merit.

That includes 24 of the best teams from the founding national leagues as well as eight wild cards from the Challenge Leagues.

Sweden’s Frölunda Indians and British club Nottingham Panthers automatically qualified as the winners of the 2016-2017 CHL and Continental Cup respectively.