View source for Pionniers de Chamonix Mont-Blanc

{{Infobox KHL team
|clubname=Pionniers de Chamonix Mont-Blanc
|image=[[File:Pionniers_de_Chamonix_Mont-Blanc_logo.png|150px]]
|nickname=Pionniers
|founded=2016
|folded=
|city=[[Chamonix]]
|arena=[[Richard Bozon Ice Rink]]
|league='''[[Ligue Magnus]]'''<br/><small>2016–Present</small>
|division=
|colours={{color box|#9A0B09}} {{color box|#FFFFFF}} {{color box|#000000}}
|website=[https://www.pionniers-chamonix.com/ Les Pionniers]}}

The '''Pionniers de Chamonix Mont-Blanc''' (French for Chamonix Mont-Blanc Pioneers) are a [[France|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,<ref>{{cite web | url =https://www.lessorsavoyard.fr/art/faucigny/chamonix-morzine-tout-savoir-sur-les-pionniers-du-hockey-ia933b937n165936 | title =Chamonix / Morzine : tout savoir sur les Pionniers du hockey  |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->  | date =19 July 2016 | website =lessorsavoyard.fr | publisher =Groupe Rossel-La Voix | access-date =5 October 2021}}</ref> splitting its home games between Chamonix and Morzine-Avoriaz.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.parlonssports.fr/creation-dune-nouvelle-equipe-avec-la-fusion-de-morzine-et-de-chamonix/|title=Création d’une nouvelle équipe avec la fusion de Morzine et de Chamonix| last=Alapetite| first=Alexis|date=2016-04-13| work=parlonssports.fr| access-date=2017-02-28 |language=fr-FR}}</ref> The amateur sections remained separate and retained the Chamois and Pingouins names.<ref>{{cite web | url =https://megevehockeyclub.fr/matchs/apercu/22/20180930-tournoi-megeve-tiers-de-glace | title = U11: Tournoi Megève Tiers de glace |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->  | date =30 September 2018 | website =megevehockeyclub.fr | publisher =Megève Hockey Club |quote=Pingouins, [...] chamois [...] ont bien compris qu'il faut maintenant compter sur les Boucs de Megeve...| access-date =6 October 2021}}</ref><br>

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,<ref>{{cite magazine | author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date= |title=La naissance des Pionniers |magazine=Altus-Vallée de Chamonix |location=Chambéry |publisher=Grands Espaces |issue=19 |page=18 | quote =Pour cette saison 2016/2017, le « camp de base » de l’équipe sera Chamonix, avec des entraînements principalement à la patinoire Richard Bozon.}}</ref> as well as the owner of its league franchise.<ref name="dauph-d3">{{cite web | url =https://www.ledauphine.com/sport/2017/10/24/comme-on-se-retrouve | title =Comme on se retrouve…  | last =Théveniau | first =Yves | date = 24 October 2017 | website =ledauphine.com | publisher =Groupe EBRA | access-date =5 October 2021}}</ref><br>

===2016-17 season===
[[File:Pionniers De Chamonix-Morzine logo.png|thumb|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.<ref>{{cite web | url =https://france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr/auvergne-rhone-alpes/haute-savoie/hockey-glace-operation-derniere-chance-pionniers-chamonix-morzine-1127577.html | title =Hockey sur glace: les Pionniers de Chamonix Morzine lancent leur contre-offensive |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->  | date =19 July 2016 | website =france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr | publisher =France TV | access-date =5 October 2021}}</ref>
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.<ref>{{cite press release | title =Changement d’entraineur pour le Chamonix Morzine Hockey Club | publisher =Chamonix Morzine Hockey Club | date =17 February 2017 | url =https://www.chamonix-planet.fr/changement-dentraineur-chamonix-morzine-hockey-club/ | access-date =5 October 2021 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url =http://www.hockeyhebdo.com/news-lm---stephane-gros-n-est-plus-entraineur-des-pionniers-,22665.html | title =Hockey sur glace - LM : Stéphane Gros n’est plus entraineur des Pionniers. | last =Juillet | first =Alexandre | date =17 February 2017 | website =hockeyhebdo.com | publisher = Média Sports Loisirs | access-date =5 October 2021}}</ref> The Pioneers still finished the season in last place and Morzine-Avoriaz renounced the partnership after a single season.<ref name="dauph-d3"/>

===Aftermath===
As the fusion agreement was more protective of Chamonix's interests, Morzine-Avoriaz suffered the most damaging fallout.<ref name="dauph-d3"/> Chamonix kept the organization's trademarks and visual identity, and most importantly its position in the French hockey rankings.<ref name="dauph-d3"/> While their twelfth-place finish should have sent them to the [[FFHG Division 1|lower division]], they ended up being saved from relegation by the withdrawal of [[Ducs de Dijon|Dijon]] from the Ligue Magnus.<ref>{{cite web | url =https://www.nicematin.com/hockey/ligue-magnus-les-hockeyeurs-nicois-doivent-maintenir-le-cap-169527 | title =Ligue Magnus: les hockeyeurs niçois doivent maintenir le cap |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> | date = 26 September 2017 | website =nicematin.com | publisher =Groupe Nice Matin | access-date =5 October 2021}}</ref><br>
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 [[FFHG Division 3|Division 3]], in 2017–18.<ref name="dauph-d3"/>

== References ==
<references />

[[Category:Ice hockey teams in France]]

{{Wikipedia}}