The Belfast Giants have been invited to take part in European competition next season.

The Superleague Champions do not automatically gain an invite into the Continental Cup, but the Giants have been asked to represent the ISL as their reward for winning the league.

They have not as yet accepted the invitation and will examine the financial aspects before doing so with a decision expected within the next couple of weeks.

Giants' Managing Director Bob Zeller said: "We have been invited into the Continental Cup and we would like to be there.

"We want to be there and it is likely we will as long as the cost is not prohibitive.

"Contrary to what people think we still are not in profit and we cannot do this without being sensible."

Not only do the Giants want to participate in the competition, they want to bring it to Belfast.

They will ask the International Ice Hockey Federation to consider playing a round of the Continental Cup in the Odyssey Arena.

"We might like to host a round, but we have got to determine all the permutations before doing so.

"We are pretty sure we would like to do that, but it takes a lot of planning to get it staged and we would need to get moving on it quickly."