WC: 2019 - Team Switzerland

[filip85]

Slowly but surely we are getting closer to this year WC. What is status of Swiss NHL-ers, will everybody come if they are healthy ?

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[Speyer]

Slowly but surely we are getting closer to this year WC. What is status of Swiss NHL-ers, will everybody come if they are healthy ?

Malgin and Bärstschi might not come even if they are healthy. Malgin has no levrage on the Panthers organisation and has been denied last year. Bärtschi has had so many concussiond that I am surprised he hasnt retired yet, so I am not sure if he and the Cannucks want him to risk his health at the WC. The other ones (at least the notable ones) should report if they are healthy and out of the playoffs.

 

[jonas2244]

Müller, Andrighetto, Malgin and Meier are RFA which normally keeps a player away from WC. Sbisa is UFA and he played his last WC 2012, so I doubt he'd come this year.

 

[jonas2244]

Hischier confirmed he'll play if he stays healthy.

 

[jonas2244]

Hm, could be a tough job for Fischer. From those out of playoffs only Hischier has a contract for next year.
Malgin is RFA and injured for quite some time now. Bärtschi is injured and I highly doubt he is available. Fiala, Andrighetto and Kukan are in a close race for a playoff spot, of those 3 only Kukan is under contract. Nino will probably play at least one playoff-round, same applies to Josi, Weber and Meier (who is also RFA). Sbisa maybe is keen to play some hockey after a dissapointing year, but he's UFA too and also into the playoffs.

Additionaly there are other injuries from the players in Switzerland. Haas got a puck to his hand yesterday, Untersander just returned, he may doesn't want to risk anything, Geering is out, Sutter is out, Baltisberger, Corvi battling the whole season with injuries, etc.

 

[Speyer]

Hm, could be a tough job for Fischer. From those out of playoffs only Hischier has a contract for next year.
Malgin is RFA and injured for quite some time now. Bärtschi is injured and I highly doubt he is available. Fiala, Andrighetto and Kukan are in a close race for a playoff spot, of those 3 only Kukan is under contract. Nino will probably play at least one playoff-round, same applies to Josi, Weber and Meier (who is also RFA). Sbisa maybe is keen to play some hockey after a dissapointing year, but he's UFA too and also into the playoffs.

Additionaly there are other injuries from the players in Switzerland. Haas got a puck to his hand yesterday, Untersander just returned, he may doesn't want to risk anything, Geering is out, Sutter is out, Baltisberger, Corvi battling the whole season with injuries, etc.

Do you think its a sure thing that the RFA players won't report to the National Team if they are out of the playoffs? Didn't Josi play in 2013 (when he won MVP) while being an RFA, despite his concussion history?

 

[jonas2244]

It's not a sure thing but it is something that could play a role in their decisions.

 

[Speyer]

It's not a sure thing but it is something that could play a role in their decisions.

I could see Meier still reporting if SJ doesnt go too deep in the playoffs, he just alwsys seems to very proud to play for the NT, more than others. But if the team is weaker this year, the contract factor could even be more significant.

 

[stv11]

Hm, could be a tough job for Fischer. From those out of playoffs only Hischier has a contract for next year.
Malgin is RFA and injured for quite some time now. Bärtschi is injured and I highly doubt he is available. Fiala, Andrighetto and Kukan are in a close race for a playoff spot, of those 3 only Kukan is under contract. Nino will probably play at least one playoff-round, same applies to Josi, Weber and Meier (who is also RFA). Sbisa maybe is keen to play some hockey after a dissapointing year, but he's UFA too and also into the playoffs.

Additionaly there are other injuries from the players in Switzerland. Haas got a puck to his hand yesterday, Untersander just returned, he may doesn't want to risk anything, Geering is out, Sutter is out, Baltisberger, Corvi battling the whole season with injuries, etc.

I wouldn't be too pessimistic anyway. Sometimes injuries can be a chance to try new players and it can work out pretty well. See 2017, lots of newcomers and a solid tournament with some great hockey. The mood wasn't great in 2013 either.

On the other hand, the first training camp roster should look pretty good with ZSC providing both good veterans and interesting youngsters, plus guys like Hofmann, Loeffel, Fora or Berra already available.

 

[jonas2244]

Fischer says in an interview with MySports that those without contract probably won't rapport (He names Fiala, Müller and Andrighetto).

 

[jonas2244]

According to a RTS-journalist the Devils allow Hischier to join the Swiss team for the upcoming World Championship.

 

[filip85]

According to a RTS-journalist the Devils allow Hischier to join the Swiss team for the upcoming World Championship.

What about Baertschi ? He seems to recovered. Scored goal tonight. Is it possible that he will come ?

 

[jonas2244]

I doubt it, too many injuries, especially concussions. The Canucks probably don't want to risk anything. But we'll see.

 

[Retroglyphs]

Fischer says in an interview with MySports that those without contract probably won't rapport (He names Fiala, Müller and Andrighetto).

Ghetto will be sorely missed in this team. He was a beast at the last WHC in Copenhagen.

 

[jonas2244]

He will.

Situation right now:
Meier => Playoffs/Out of contract
Josi => Playoffs
Hischier => Probably coming
Fiala => Out of contract
Nino => Playoffs
Andrighetto => Playoffs/Out of contract
Denis Malgin => Out of contract
Bärtschi => Questionable due to injuries
Mirco Müller => Out of contract
Yannick Weber => Playoffs
Kukan => Maybe playoffs
Siegenthaler => Playoffs
Sbisa => Playoffs/Out of contract/Didn't play international for quite some time

With the AHL-guys the contract-situation is probably less important:
Rathgeb: Probably Playoffs
Praplan: Could be available
Thürkauf: Probably not good enough, didn't play much, also probably playoff-bound
Geisser: Playoffs
Kurashev: He probably would have needed the whole preparation to be able to show that he's able to compete

So, not much help to expect. Weber, Nino and Josi maybe after the first round. And maybe one of the RFA-guys signs an extension before the WC.

 

[jonas2244]

Some news from agents:

Hischiers agent Gaetan Voisard confirmed that he'll join the team for the game vs. France.
André Rufener said:
Baertschi will get a child and won't come
Andrighetto probably a no, even if he'd be out of the playoffs.
Mueller is still open
He asked the Islanders permission for Yannick Rathgeb to join the Swiss team.

 

[jonas2244]

Roster for the first week:

Goalies (3): Reto Berra (HC Fribourg-Gottéron), Gauthier Descloux (Genève-Servette HC), Robert Mayer (Genève-Servette HC).

Defense (9): Michael Fora (HC Ambrì-Piotta), Lukas Frick (Lausanne HC), Patrick Geering (ZSC Lions), Joël Genazzi (Lausanne HC), Andrea Glauser (SCL Tigers), Samuel Guerra (HC Ambrì-Piotta), Romain Loeffel (HC Lugano), Christian Marti (ZSC Lions), Claude-Curdin Paschoud (HC Davos).

Offense (11): Jérôme Bachofner (ZSC Lions), Chris Baltisberger (ZSC Lions), Alessio Bertaggia (HC Lugano), Christoph Bertschy (Lausanne HC), Enzo Corvi (HC Davos), Grégory Hofmann (HC Lugano), Denis Hollenstein (ZSC Lions), Marco Müller (HC Ambrì-Piotta), Raphael Prassl (ZSC Lions), Noah Rod (Genève-Servette HC), Samuel Walser (HC Fribourg-Gottéron).


Andres Ambühl, players from EHC Biel and NA will join for the second week.
Missing the name of Joel Vermin here. We could already have our goalies there, with Genoni going to the finals and changing teams this summer I could see him deny an invitation.

Edit: After thinking a little bit further. No Tanner Richard, no Reto Schäppi, no Pius Suter.

 

[stv11]

I was going to mention the same missing names, tough blow for the center depth. Surprised by Suter, he played during the relegation round even though those games were meaningless, and Vermin who didn't seem injured during the playoffs. Interesting to see Müller and Prassl. Not sure what Fischer sees in Paschoud and Bertaggia though.

Kreis, Fuchs, Brunner and Riat are possible addition from Biel.

Any ZSC fan thinks Berni would have been worth a shot?

 

[jonas2244]

Tanner Richard had an off-season surgery on his wrist, I could find out.

I see the same players from Biel, maybe add Diem. Plus Nico, with this roster Kurashev could be an option and worth a look.

If we could add Kukan, Diaz and Untersander the D-corp would look pretty competitive.

 

[stv11]

Hopefully all threee can join, I am not that convinced by the defense. Frick hasn't been as good as last year, Geering didn't have his best season either (but played for a team who never gelled, maybe he'll be fine in a different context), I'm not a big fan of Genazzi and Marti, Loeffel has his often talked about weaknesses, and Glauser, Paschoud and Guerra shouldn't make it.

But the center situation is even worse. I don't expect Haas to make it and no one else from Bern and Zug looks to be good enough. I guess that mean that Corvi will make it despite his poor season, Rod should play center and then we're looking at players like Fuchs or Walser.

 

[jonas2244]

There are a lot of examples of good players with bad seasons (due to a bad team or health issues) who could rise their level for the world-championship.
If Corvi gets Nino again on his side (which is quite possible) he could still be a good option. Behind that, yeah, you're right. Ambühl was always a better winger but he could be an option. Reto Suri could also be on the table, having a good season. And he's a veteran and a great teamplayer. Beside Suri and Diaz I can see Simion getting a shot. I really like Leuenberger but that's probably too early.
Bern has Untersander, Moser, Rüfenacht and Scherwey. Heim plays great currently, but for him it's probably the same with Leuenberger.
Burren is better than Glauser, Paschoud and Guerra. He reminds me a little bit of Yannick Weber, don't know why actually.

 

[stv11]

I don't see Simion making the team. Not that he's doing bad, but the depth on the wings is pretty good. I agree about the Bern players, Diaz and Suri (who is having his best season in a long time), and I would add Martschini who finally seems able to perform in the playoffs. Schlumpf is another option, he's better than some defenders on the current roster.

 

[jonas2244]

I agree on Schlumpf but he denied last year and Fischer did a quite negative comment on that in public, we'll see if he gets an invitation.

 

[jonas2244]

So, 20 minutes did some research:

Tanner Richard => As I said injured
Joel Vermin => Also injured, sounds a little bit minor to me.
Pius Suter and Reto Schäppi => Not actually injured but are allowed to get a rest to recover and bulk up for next year.
Gilles Senn => Travels to New Jersey

 

[filip85]

So, no Pius Suter at all or he joins later ?