filip85
Registered User
- Feb 7, 2017
- 1,589
- 780
WC: 2019 - Team Switzerland
- Thread starter filip85
- Start date
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BruinLVGA
Just got me a Beretta 92XI Squalo!
No he needs to get clearance by the Hurricanes first. But he has indicated that he willing to come. Since he is not a rookie (like Malgin in 2017) or a unestablished player (like Kukan this year) the only way they could deny him, is if they find some injury in the last medical checkup...
BruinLVGA
Just got me a Beretta 92XI Squalo!
Would be nice but as always, other teams will be getting much stronger reinforcements than Switzerland. We have almost all of our big name players already on the roster.
The hype is huge again already in Switzerland. But it's only due to the scheduling. If we played the three strong teams to start we could stand here with 3 losses instead of 4 wins.
Star Ocean
Registered User
- Dec 30, 2018
- 3,583
- 2,003
I dont disagree with you. I don't think we are favourites for a medal now and think to the swiss media get excited to easily. Its more like if we want to stand a chance against the top nations in the knockout stage we need evety help we can get. And Niederreiter is also a much needed type of powerforward we havent yeat on our roster with the exception of maybe Moser.
torero
Registered User
I think that this is the year !!
We have never been that well positioned to get a medal ... and more.
So if there is a year, it shall be this one !
We have never been that well positioned to get a medal ... and more.
So if there is a year, it shall be this one !
Next year at home would be better.
There is no success sofar, they just played all the weaker teams until now.
Starting from tomorrow we will find out if this year will be successful.
I think it's fair to say that this tournament has been successful so far, 12 points against the weaker teams were never a given (it actually only happened once before), especially since three of those wins were the result of dominant performances. Whatever happens now (short of four blowout losses), this tournament can already be compared to 2010, 2008, 2005 and 1991 as one of the most solid showing by Switzerland at a WC. A win against one of the big teams would raise it to 2017 level, only behind 2018, 2013 and 1992 (considering the modern era only).
That being said, I don't think that adding Niederreiter will be enough for a medal run this year. He will obviously help a lot with goal scoring and crease play, but this team still has two glaring weaknesses. First, the special teams are not good enough. PK has been ok so far, but mostly thanks to weak PP by opponents, but the PP has been nothing short of terrible, and I don't think that having Nino around the net will be enough improve it. There's not enough support for the puck carrier and too many forced passes, the players look confused even though they all regularly play on the PP with their clubs.
Second, there's not enough depth on defense. I don't think that the Loeffel-Genazzi pair can hold on against top level opposition, and playing four games with just five defenders is not possible.
Compared to 2018, last year's team scored many PP goals, and could afford to use Frick as a 7th defenseman for the entire playoff round. While Fora and Frick now have more experience and can be trusted with more responsibilities, Müller and Kukan are both better than Weber and made the top four way better than that of this year's team.
That being said, I don't think that adding Niederreiter will be enough for a medal run this year. He will obviously help a lot with goal scoring and crease play, but this team still has two glaring weaknesses. First, the special teams are not good enough. PK has been ok so far, but mostly thanks to weak PP by opponents, but the PP has been nothing short of terrible, and I don't think that having Nino around the net will be enough improve it. There's not enough support for the puck carrier and too many forced passes, the players look confused even though they all regularly play on the PP with their clubs.
Second, there's not enough depth on defense. I don't think that the Loeffel-Genazzi pair can hold on against top level opposition, and playing four games with just five defenders is not possible.
Compared to 2018, last year's team scored many PP goals, and could afford to use Frick as a 7th defenseman for the entire playoff round. While Fora and Frick now have more experience and can be trusted with more responsibilities, Müller and Kukan are both better than Weber and made the top four way better than that of this year's team.
Comparison between Switzerland and Czech, as you can see, our PP is atricious and while we played Russia and Sweden, we had at least half of PP without a single shot against weaker teams like Latvia and today Italy. We also allowed many goals in PK against lesser teams. All I want to say is that you have way more organized penalty killing and obviously more effective, which will pay it’s dividends against big teams.
Four PP goals may sound good, but two were scored during the 9-0 win against Italy and the other two in the last two minutes of the game against Austria, when the game was pretty much over already. And the lack of goals doesn't tell the whole story, the play is absolutely terrible.
I very much agree.
We have seen a lot of good things during the first week from this team no doubt. But there are quite a few questionmarks remaining.
The specialteams, especially the PP, certainly needs some fixture. At least there's still time left to get rid of that issue.
The D is a big concern, I agree. The left side was the weak side for once anyway, even before the loss of the unproven Moser. And now it probably forces the natural LD Genazzi into a bigger role than Im comfortable with. Genazzi-Löffel are a capable 4th, Fora-Frick a fine 3rd and Josi-Diaz a fine 1st pairing on this level. And Weber brings the level of a good Nr.5/6 D. I just hope the coaching stuff manages ice-time wisely, and doesn't overplay Josi and Diaz the next 2 games. Or even 3 if Latvia doesn't catch up in points.
The next opponents are well aware of the skating ability of the swiss and of the questionmarks regarding their physical strengh. Guys like Müller and Meier made them a much tougher team to play against. I expect the big3 to challenge the Swiss physically.
It could be the time for guys like Scherwey or Rod to shine. 4th line and the Haas-line should be fine too, I suppose. The next games will show if Martschini, Kurashev and Hofmann, can be trusted against stiffer competition and if the 1st line can stay effective.
We'll see if the Martinsen incident has an effect on Kurashev's play. That was dangerously wrong, how he tried to evade that check. I've never seen him doing anything like that before. If you do this in the NHL, even nowadays, you'll be badly injured quickly.
to be fair Martinsens feet were in the air (charging), he was elbowing and it was to the head. any sane ref would have given a major there not a mere 2 + 10... thats not your everyday NHL play
I think those two games this weekend will show what's possible. Defence lacks depth, indeed. I think Fora/Frick were very good until now and showed that they can be a good 2nd pairing. I wonder if they are also able to do it vs. Russia and Sweden. PP can still click in, often these are just small details. If it doesn't click it will get difficult, I agree. But Nino can help there, too. His net presence will help.
For those who are able to read German. A great article on Raeto Raffainer:
Mit dem Nationalmannschafts-Direktor Raeto Raffainer tritt bei Swiss Ice Hockey der Reformator ab | NZZ
Mit dem Nationalmannschafts-Direktor Raeto Raffainer tritt bei Swiss Ice Hockey der Reformator ab | NZZ
It might was an illegal check in the end.
But when you hit somebody, you have to rely on the reciever doing the expected and proper thing, and he clearly didn't. This messes up the timing, and can make a check look much worse than it was initially.
Eye of Ra
Grandmaster General of the International boards
no.
a best on best swiss team would probaly look like:
meier - hischier - nino
fiala - malgin - andrighetto
bärthshy - hofmann - moser
praplan - haas - corvi
josi - weber
kukan - mueller
sbisa - siegentaler
genoni
berra
Switch Corvi and Hoffman, take Sbisa out and put Diaz in and you will be quite close to it. Not entirely sure about Weber, Praplan and Hoffmann though
PP still meh, there were some positives, there were some chances, Kurashev had two, Martschini just doesn't hit the net.
Praplan had his worst game, Hischier/Fiala very unlucky in their defensive effort. Haas showed for the first time what he's really able to do. Martschini also did surprisingly well and I still would replace Praplan with Nino, not Lino.
Really happy with the effort of the Defense. Weber had one weak moment, when Gustafsson scored. Josi is just amazing, Diaz is also still a very good D-men. Frick/Fora is a great pairing and also Genazzi and Loeffel were able to step up. I think Frick/Fora should get more icetime.
Praplan had his worst game, Hischier/Fiala very unlucky in their defensive effort. Haas showed for the first time what he's really able to do. Martschini also did surprisingly well and I still would replace Praplan with Nino, not Lino.
Really happy with the effort of the Defense. Weber had one weak moment, when Gustafsson scored. Josi is just amazing, Diaz is also still a very good D-men. Frick/Fora is a great pairing and also Genazzi and Loeffel were able to step up. I think Frick/Fora should get more icetime.
torero
Registered User
I am definitely not basing my words on success so far. As you say ..we only played the bottom weakest teams of our group.
I am basing it on global circumstances ... we are not far from the best team we can ice and they play well !!
Even yesterday against Sweden, who is better overall, no question, we could have won this game. Obviously PP & "after scoring goal" attitude are things Fischer has to (and can) work on !! But we could have won it. And with the Russian,, Swedes are maybe the best team iced here. (on a relative basis i mean ... change 7 players and Swedes would be the best possible team, Russians are also close to that !! )
i think that on a one game, we can beat anyone who is here.
So it is more a probability i put forward.
As per a certitude of winning ... i am not illusioned by anything : had Canada, the US, Finland, the Czechs, ... the big roster , we would have much more problems runing into them. But as they are here and now, we have a fair chance.
The fact is that they all talk about big 6 or whatever. In fact their is a big 1, then you have 4 teams that are very close ... and quite far from us, still !! On our side this year, we are close to the best team more than most of them !! This is my point in big-mouthing that this is the year.
