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WC: 2015 — Team Switzerland

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Completely forgot that Almond was eligible :help: It changes the picture regarding offensive wingers. I just hope he'll calm down with the crosschecks to the head, he won't get a free pass with IIHF officiating.

Rubin wouldn't make it above the current wingers and the Bern players, although he probably would have been taken if he was available already. Same with Künzle if ZSC is out.

Rod could get a shot depending on what happens with the other centers, but I see Haas and Froidevaux ahead of him. He would need both Plüss and Romy to decline IMHO.
 
Not an easy job for Hanlon to select the best group of forwards.

There are so many names from Bern, Servette, Davos and the ZSC I'd consider to be a candidate.

Plüss, Bertschy, maybe Rüfenacht, Almond, Romy, Rod, Ambühl, Hofmann, Sciaroni, Simion, Marc Wieser, :eek::eek::eek::eek:i, Schäppi, Trachsler, Dan Fritsche, Baltisberger.

I just hope the defence gets some support from NA. Diaz would be nice, Nashville will probably (or hopefully) be on a long playoff-run. I'm pretty sure Streit will decline. Weber is in good shape and I'm sure he'll join the team if the Canucks get eliminated.
 
jonas2244 said:
Not an easy job for Hanlon to select the best group of forwards.

There are so many names from Bern, Servette, Davos and the ZSC I'd consider to be a candidate.

Plüss, Bertschy, maybe Rüfenacht, Almond, Romy, Rod, Ambühl, Hofmann, Sciaroni, Simion, Marc Wieser, :eek::eek::eek::eek:i, Schäppi, Trachsler, Dan Fritsche, Baltisberger.

I just hope the defence gets some support from NA. Diaz would be nice, Nashville will probably (or hopefully) be on a long playoff-run. I'm pretty sure Streit will decline. Weber is in good shape and I'm sure he'll join the team if the Canucks get eliminated.
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The way I see it, among the wingers already on the team, Hollenstein and Brunner are locks for the top 6, Suri and Martschini could play on the third line and Walker and Bieber on the fourth, so there would be two open spots for players who can produce some offense. Assuming we can't count on Niederreiter, Fiala or S. Bärtschi, the most likely guys for these positions should be Moser, Almond and Bertschy (I think he would work well with :eek::eek::eek::eek:i, that's a combination I'd like to see). For someone else you listed to crack the roster, he would need to get picked before any of Suri, Martschini, Walker or Bieber, but with Hanlon's emphasis on skating and fast transition, I see it as difficult. In any case, Schäppi or Wieser would be fine on the fourth line. The other possibility is to have Suri, Martschini or both end up in the top 6. In this case, I think that Hofmann would be a perfect fit for the third line. I'd be surprise if Rüfenacht, Sciaroni, Simion, Fritsche or Baltisberger make the team, although Rüfenacht and the ZSC players (if out of the playoffs) could be decent 2nd week additions.

Regarding centers, two of Romy, Plüss and :eek::eek::eek::eek:i should fill the top six. Unless all three are available, Ambühl should center the third line. Fourth line spot could go to Trachsler, or maybe Schäppi. If two of the top three choices decline, then I'm really not sure what to do. I guess Almond would play center.
 
Come on. Guys like Baltisberger, Simion or Rod are not serious candidates...

The same about Gartner or Rufenacht. They was not in good shape all season. Same for Moser even if i would perhaps take him cause we dont lots of depth..
 
swisdan said:
Come on. Guys like Baltisberger, Simion or Rod are not serious candidates...
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Agree on Baltisberger and Rod, Simion I'd consider, but I just like him so maybe I'm not very subjective on this. :)

But they are more serious than Gardner I think.

Moser is a player who just can play much better at a IHWC with differenct teammates and with a different system. And he's just a type of player we don't have much.
 
Syracuse Crunch is already in the AHL PlayOffs, but if somehow Tanner Richards is going to be available it would be nice to see this kid playing at the WC.
 
Sverra said:
Syracuse Crunch is already in the AHL PlayOffs, but if somehow Tanner Richards is going to be available it would be nice to see this kid playing at the WC.
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He probably wouldn't make the team even if he was available, to be honest.
 
Interesting interview of Hanlon, for those who understand French:

http://www.bluewin.ch/fr/sport/video.id-4133058871001.glen-hanlon-explique-sa-strategie.html

He says he will take chemistry in past tournaments into account, so we shouldn't except anything entirely different from Simpson's lineups. Good chance we'll see Hollenstein with :eek::eek::eek::eek:i, Suri with Ambühl or Walker with Trachsler.

Regarding Tanner Richards, even in case he's available, which is unlikely in the first place as I assume it would need both his AHL and NHL teams to be out in the first round against lower seeds, he would need to overtake players who have more international experience and have been in training camp longer than him. Unless there is a serious shortage at center, I don't see it happening.

It's more realistic to hope on Niederreiter, Fiala or Bärtschi, but as any of them requires some combination of results, I would build the team assuming none of them will come. Still, I guess there is a more than 50% chance of at least one being out in the first round.
 
stv11 said:
Interesting interview of Hanlon, for those who understand French:

http://www.bluewin.ch/fr/sport/video.id-4133058871001.glen-hanlon-explique-sa-strategie.html

He says he will take chemistry in past tournaments into account, so we shouldn't except anything entirely different from Simpson's lineups. Good chance we'll see Hollenstein with :eek::eek::eek::eek:i, Suri with Ambühl or Walker with Trachsler.
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I am not a fan of this strategy, because if you always consider past chemistry you not going forward and try the new guys or new ways... But at least that explains some players' choices and probably he'll do some soft changes, I am ok with that.

stv11 said:
Regarding Tanner Richards, even in case he's available, which is unlikely in the first place as I assume it would need both his AHL and NHL teams to be out in the first round against lower seeds, he would need to overtake players who have more international experience and have been in training camp longer than him. Unless there is a serious shortage at center, I don't see it happening.
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Me neither, but I still would like to see him :)
In my eyes we have a shortage at real centers... and we will have one in the future, therefore I would love to give him the international experience now and not in 2018. But that's just one point of view. I completely get your statement.

stv11 said:
It's more realistic to hope on Niederreiter, Fiala or Bärtschi, but as any of them requires some combination of results, I would build the team assuming none of them will come. Still, I guess there is a more than 50% chance of at least one being out in the first round.
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Yes would be nice to have at least one of them.
 
Moser out too, not that many potential top 6 wingers left.

Sverra said:
I am not a fan of this strategy, because if you always consider past chemistry you not going forward and try the new guys or new ways... But at least that explains some players' choices and probably he'll do some soft changes, I am ok with that.
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You can't build a new team from scratch every year with just a few exhibition games, taking past chemistry into account is necessary. And I think that people really overrate the need to introduce new players, having 2 or 3 news guys every year is enough to sustain a national team if you consider that there is a need for 30 to 35 players who can play from age 20 to 36. Last season, Fiala, Kukan and Schäppi got in, two years ago it was Grossmann, :eek::eek::eek::eek:i, Suri, Bodemann and Walker, the year before Hollenstein, in 2011 Moser and Bieber... and now we could see Martschini, Bertschy and Löffel get chance. No need for five or more new players at every tournament.


Sverra said:
Me neither, but I still would like to see him :)
In my eyes we have a shortage at real centers... and we will have one in the future, therefore I would love to give him the international experience now and not in 2018. But that's just one point of view. I completely get your statement.
Click to expand...

Center depth is not great, although there are some prospects coming (Malgin, Rod...), but I don't get that need to weakend the current team to give lesser players some experience hoping for good results in 2018. Why not just build the best possible team now and get results in 2015?
 
A good result 2015 is very important, because the Top-8 teams in the world rankings after this tournament get an automatic spot for the olympic games 2018.
 
Fora will join the team for the games against Finland. He probably won't go to Prague, but it will be interesting to see what he can do at this level.

Mayer, Zurkirchen, Löffel, Blum, Plüss, Romy, Almond, Bertschy and Pestoni now available, hopefully we can count on all of them. Seems that Bertschy is still injured.

Falling Snow said:
There is no reason for that. If that is the case, he should retire from the national team. If Calgary don't make the playoff's im optimistic that Hiller and Diaz will join the team.
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Hiller hasn't showed up since 2008, I don't expect him to come.
 
Hollenstein - Pluss - Brunner
Almond - Romy - Pestoni
Suri - :eek::eek::eek::eek:i - Martschini
Schappi - Trachsler - Ambuhl
Froidevaux/Lemm,Bieber
 
According to planetehockey.com, GSHC announced that Romy and Loeffel will join the team for the games against Russia. Almond should be called too, although it's not official yet.
 
Very good first game, agressive both in the defensive and offensive zone, and fast transition. It looks like Hanlon's system could be the right compromise between Krüger's and Simpson's.

The lineup was pretty much what could be expected:

Manzato

Helbling - Grossmann
Leeger - Schlumpf
Kamerzin - Kparghai
Genazzi

Hollenstein - Haas - Brunner
Suri - Lemm - Martschini
Bodenmann - Froidevaux - Herzog
Bieber - Sannitz - Walker
Rossi

Manzato made a strong case for the 3rd goalie positon, assuming Berra and Flüeler are the top two. Very good game by Grossmann, by far the best defenseman, and Genazzi was a pleasant surprise, but I expected a bit more from Kamerzin given that he was the last defender cut last year.

Among the forwards with the biggest chance to make it, Hollenstein was the best skater, and Suri and Walker had a strong game too. Brunner and Bieber weren't bad, but have to do more, while Martschini, despite a good effort, didn't create as much offense as we could have hoped.

Regarding the other forwards, very good game by Froidevaux, Bodenmann looked good and may have a better chance to make it than I thought, and Herzog did well for his first international game. I don't think Haas will make it, but I wouldn't be surprised if he develops into a WC caliber center in a few years.

I'd say that the main things to take from this game are:
- Grossmann could get more responsabilities that first thought.
- It will be very difficult for potential fourth line wingers to take Bieber and Walker's spots.
- Froidevaux is more than an afterthought who would only make it if there is a shortage of centers.
- Bodenmann is not out yet, while Martschini isn't in yet.
- Haas shouldn't be forgotten when talking about future centers.
 
Tks for the comments !

Waiting with impatience the next game.

i am impressed by Herzog ... wonder what his situation is now with Toronto ? is he still under contract with them ?
 
stv11 said:
You can't build a new team from scratch every year with just a few exhibition games, taking past chemistry into account is necessary. And I think that people really overrate the need to introduce new players, having 2 or 3 news guys every year is enough to sustain a national team if you consider that there is a need for 30 to 35 players who can play from age 20 to 36. Last season, Fiala, Kukan and Schäppi got in, two years ago it was Grossmann, :eek::eek::eek::eek:i, Suri, Bodemann and Walker, the year before Hollenstein, in 2011 Moser and Bieber... and now we could see Martschini, Bertschy and Löffel get chance. No need for five or more new players at every tournament.
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Completely agree. I never stated that we need to have 2 or 3 new guys every year. I made the argument only for Richards and only because I'm not with you regarding your next quote


stv11 said:
Center depth is not great, although there are some prospects coming (Malgin, Rod...), but I don't get that need to weakend the current team to give lesser players some experience hoping for good results in 2018. Why not just build the best possible team now and get results in 2015?
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Yeah there are some good prospects coming. But same could be said years ago with Hofmann, Haas... but how can they build chemistry at NT Level, if they never play?
I am okay to build just the best team for the Worlds Championship, but at some point you need to start trying 1-2 or to new guys.

And yes we do this, but it looks like we never do this at the center position, imho.
 
Martin Plüss also retires from the national team.

Hanlon adds:
Romy, Loeffel, Almond, Blum, Rüfenacht, Scherwey and Kukan.

Hanlon cuts:
Fora, Kparghai, Kamerzin, Lemm and Rossi.
 
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It's a surprise Pluess retired from the swiss team. He was a marvellous player for this team. I respect him very much for all the job he did. Switzerland will miss him.
 
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