WC: 2025 Switzerland

[jonas2244]

Will be a tough WC and a tough selection for Fischer. Time to bring new faces.

Already opted out:
- Corvi
- Thürkauf
- Haas (I guess, he rarely played this year and was injured often)
- Herzog also didn't play in the playoffs.

Josi is again injured, sounds like another concussion for me. Chances are very slim he can play (And the upcoming olympics probably much more important).
Suter is UFA and could get a sgnificant rise, doubt he'll come.
Kurashev is UFA but I guess he'll return to Switzerland. But he's not a game-changer.
The rest is probably playing playoffs with some chance dropping out early, especially Hischier and Meier.

Players I'd like to see at least to get a look:
Dionicio, Muggli, Riva, Zanetti, Bragano, Aebischer, Johnson (altough he was better earlier in the season), Chanton, Le Coultre
Rochette, Knak, Nussbaumer, Rohrbach, Lehmann, Schmid (Our offense-depth is getting really thin).

And we probably all agree that Charlin should be one of the three keepers at the WC. I hope he recovered from his injury and wasn't rushed back by the Tigers when Boltshauser injured himself.
Genoni? I don't know. But I was sceptical last year. Akira Schmid had 88% in the AHL playing as number two. Connor Hughes was better (also playing on a better team) but will play playoffs.
Wüthrich had some great games latly, Waeber, too. Kevin Pasche also playing really well.
But the step from being a good keeper in the NL to stealing games at a WC semi final is pretty big.
But beside Pasche and maybe Aeschlimann all potential keepers are already available for the first week.

 

[Eye of Ra]

Baechler really impressed me in EHT, i think he has a shot.

Why are Moy and Martschini never an option? Top players in NLA season after season.

Fazzini and Fuchs could they be a option?

 

[jonas2244]

Yeah Baechler is an option, too. I made a list of younger players that's why I didnt' talk about Moy, etc.

Moy fails to impress in preparation games, but I'm in favor of him. Martschin's play works in NLA but I doubt it really works at a WC.

Fazzini the same, his skating his mediocre, outside of his shot he has not much to offer. Fuchs is like his father a very smart player, but I'm not sure if his skillset is good enough. He could be an option as a Center for a 3rd line, replacing Haas. But I'm all in favor of dumping younger players into those roles, even if it's going to be a tougher WC.

 

[jonas2244]

First roster:

Torhüter (3): Stéphane Charlin (SCL Tigers), Leonardo Genoni (EV Zug), Ludovic Waeber (EHC Kloten)

Verteidiger (9): Iñaki Baragano (SC Rapperswil-Jona Lakers), Tim Berni (Genève-Servette HC), Giancarlo Chanton (Genève-Servette HC), Rodwin Dionicio (EHC Biel-Bienne), Tobias Geisser (EV Zug), Ludvig Johnson (EV Zug), Roger Karrer (Genève-Servette HC), Romain Loeffel (SC Bern), Dario Wüthrich (HC Ambri-Piotta)

Stürmer (14): Thierry Bader (SC Bern), Attilio Biasca (EV Zug), Luca Fazzini (HC Lugano), Grégory Hofmann (EV Zug), Marco Lehmann (SC Bern), Marco Miranda (Genève-Servette HC), Tyler Moy (SC Rapperswil-Jona Lakers), Mischa Ramel (EHC Kloten), Fabian Ritzmann (SC Bern), Dario Rohrbach (SCL Tigers), Sven Senteler (EV Zug), Axel Simic (EHC Kloten), Dario Simion (EV Zug), Jonas Taibel (SC Rapperswil-Jona Lakers)

Are we missing someone we could have expected?

 

[stv11]

Most of the biggest names missing are Geneva and Lugano players, but given the season they just had it's no surprise. Richard, Le Coultre, Alatalo and Aebischer were pretty bad. Mirco Müller could have made it though, and maybe Praplan, but I prefer giving younger players a shot at forward.

Then there is Scherwey. Did I miss an injury announcement?

Overall, that roster is a bit underwhelming considering that 9 teams are already out of the playoffs. I hope Charlin can show something, he was pretty bad last year against Slovakia and at the EHT this season, but there aren't many better options. Loeffel and Geisser are the only defensemen with WC experience. I wouldn't mind seeing Chanton, Baragano or Berni make it, but this defense really needs Kukan, Glauser and at least one NHL player.

The offense doesn't look great either. Senteler and Miranda have been decent depth players at previous tournaments, Simion can score a few goals with the right linemates, Hofmann had some pretty good tournaments already but suffered many injuries since, and the rest still needs to prove they can play at that level. I liked Lehmann last year, I wouldn't be surprised if he makes it. Then it's about who has a convincing training camp.

 

[jonas2244]

Scherwey has back issues.

I'm a little bit surprised that Johnson is there and Muggli not. Johnson had a great season but cooled a little bit off lately while we did expect a little bit more from a guy with the potential of Muggli but he took a lot of responsibility and I thought he had decent few playoff games (in a very bad team). Maybe also injury-related.

D-men we can hope for Kukan and Glauser, Marti will also be there. And Fischer likes Fora. I also like Frick, he's no game changer but in my opinion the much stable version of Fora (but shoots on the other side). From NA just Moser is an option but Tampa played pretty good in the last weeks.

 

[stv11]

Egli is another option on defense. Frick isn't as good as he was 5-6 years ago, not sure I'd like to see him. Marti should make it, but he's hardly a game changer. Maybe Jung or Gross can get a look.

We're looking at a best case scenario of Moser, Kukan, Loeffel, Glauser, Marti, Geisser and hopefully one or two young guys as depth.

 

[Eye of Ra]

Egli is another option on defense. Frick isn't as good as he was 5-6 years ago, not sure I'd like to see him. Marti should make it, but he's hardly a game changer. Maybe Jung or Gross can get a look.

We're looking at a best case scenario of Moser, Kukan, Loeffel, Glauser, Marti, Geisser and hopefully one or two young guys as depth.

I doubt Moser comes, he is probably a lock for Olympics. But all the best swiss Ds from European Leauges should play, this is their chance to get a Olympics ticket.

 

[jonas2244]

Not a big fan of Jung and Gross. Streule is an interesting name. Rathgeb is probably playing the best game of his life, don't know if it's enough.

Another question is, will Ambühl get one last dance? It's not out of range.

I'm pretty sure Moser would come if he's healthy and available. He always came and as he's end of contract next year he probably cannot play on home ice 2026.

 

[Eye of Ra]

Another question is, will Ambühl get one last dance? It's not out of range

Is he still good enough is the question.

 

[Jon Riley]

I honestly think that Martschini deserves to at least be seen at one WHC. I mean he may very well not fit with international hockey, but we will never know until we see him and this seasons of all good seasons he had seem like pretty much the last chance.
Also, what's the status with Rochette, could he be called? I kinda lost track of all the decisions and rules

 

[stv11]

Rochette is eligible and I see no reason why he wouldn't be called.

Regarding Martschini, he was pretty good in 2019 until he failed to make a play on Canada's OT goal. But size alone doesn't seem to disqualify him given that Ramel is on the team (although Ramel is 6kg heavier).

 

[jonas2244]

The probable reason Muggli didn't get a call was that the Caps assigned him to the Hershey Bears. They won their division, so the may be up to a deep playoff run.

Streule is also done for the season, so no option.

 

[jonas2244]

Marc Marchon is added to the roster, Loeffel gets another week of rest

 

[jonas2244]

Fischer said he'll call up Ambühl after Davos is eliminated as everyone who was part of the team last year will get his chance to show up.

Nati-Trainer Fischer hat gute Nachrichten für Ambühl-Fans

Mit dem allfälligen HCD-Saisonende und seinem vielleicht letzten Heimspiel am Donnerstag ist noch nicht Schluss für Andres Ambühl. Nati-Trainer Patrick Fischer hat gute Nachrichten für alle Fans der HCD- und Nati-Legende.

www.blick.ch

 

[stv11]

I'd be surprised if he makes it, he really lost a step this season.

At least it guarantees tomorrow's game won't be his last. I can't watch and I would have hated to miss it

 

[jonas2244]

During the game today they said Martschini got an invitation but declined.

 

[jonas2244]

Quite some positives after the first two games. Dionicio showed his skillset, I really liked Johnson, but it's probably too early for him. The rest was solid, Bernis development stalled a little bit after he left Columbus. But he's still young and has time to develop.

On offence Ritzmann probably the most surprising player, played really well. I also liked Taibel. And Rohrbach and Moy should get a shot at the WC.

On the other side Lehmann needs to step up if he wants to be able to challenge for a sport.

I guess Fischer will continue with this team and then call Davos and Fribourg/Lausanne players for week 3. From NA at the moment only Kurashev is an option, Suter is UFA, I doubt he'll come. THe rest is injured or playoff-bound.

 

[jonas2244]

My guess was right. Just Loeffel and Hofmann wil join the team for the games vs. France. After that players from Davos and Fribourg/Lausanne will join.

I'd expect Aeschlimann, Fora, Jung, Ambühl, Knak, Nussbaumer from Davos.

 

[stv11]

Yeah, pretty good games to start. Some inconsistencies between the two, like the Senteler line being better on Thursday while the Bader line did better on Friday, but overall two solid performances. Still a few too many individual mistakes, which explains the 6 goals against, but some were due to players getting used to the pace of international hockey.

I thought Moy was the best forward, but he needs to show he can do it against stronger opponents. I would also like to see more from Geisser and Berni. Dionicio has been great after his mistake early in the first game, although he made a few risky plays which might have backfired against stronger opposition. Probably too early for the WC, but I'd like to see him at the EHT tournament. Johnson was a good surprise. He'll probably be among the first cuts, but still a good experience for him.

The only player I didn't like was Wüthrich, he got easily beaten a few times and couldn't cover his guy on two goals. Not convinced by Charlin either, I hope he can do better against France and Latvia.

I also agree about Jonas's list of Davos players, Knak and Nussbaumer need to get a look, while Ambühl, Jung and Fora will be called as members of last year's team, according to what Fischer said. But I am not sure Aeschlimann is an improvement over anyone already on the team, especially if Berra is available too.

 

[jonas2244]

I said what I expect not what I'd do.

IMHO Berra is done with the National team after last year. I'm pretty sure we'll see Genoni with two out of Waber, Pasche, Charlin and maybe one of the NA keepers if available (Schmid would be a lock I guess).

I'd take Dionicio over Fora and Jung anytime. Besides some risky plays he is also defensive very reliable. Wüthrich was ok on Thursday but not good on Friday, I agree. The Senteler line on Friday was without Simion which surely had an impact.

Moy made some progress in my opinion, he was a shooter, now he's completed his game. He also plays a good two-way game

 

[Eye of Ra]

Always good discussions in Switzerland threads.

Throwback, 2013 silver team;

Reto Berra (G)
Martin Gerber (G)

Severin Blindenbacher (D)
Eric Blum (D)
Raphael Díaz (D)
Philippe Furrer (D)
Robin Grossmann (D)
Roman Josi (D)
Mathias Seger (D)
Julien Vauclair (D)
Patrick von Gunten (D)

Andres Ambühl (W/C)
Matthias Bieber (LW/C)
Simon Bodenmann (LW/RW)
Ryan Gardner (RW/C)
Denis Hollenstein (LW/RW)
Thibaut Monnet (LW/C)
Simon Moser (C/W)
Nino Niederreiter (RW/LW)
Martin Plüss (C)
Reto Suri (C/W)
Morris Trachsler (C)
Julian Walker (C/RW)
Luca Conti (C)

Only 3 NHLers still made the final. Dont need a team full of NHLers to have sucess in this tournament.

 

[stv11]

I said what I expect not what I'd do.

IMHO Berra is done with the National team after last year. I'm pretty sure we'll see Genoni with two out of Waber, Pasche, Charlin and maybe one of the NA keepers if available (Schmid would be a lock I guess).

I'd take Dionicio over Fora and Jung anytime. Besides some risky plays he is also defensive very reliable. Wüthrich was ok on Thursday but not good on Friday, I agree. The Senteler line on Friday was without Simion which surely had an impact.

Moy made some progress in my opinion, he was a shooter, now he's completed his game. He also plays a good two-way game

That's what I thought about Berra as well, but he's playing well and will be considered if there is no better alternative, which might unfortunately be the case. And you're right about Simion, he had a very good game on Thursday.

Moy looked like a pure playmaker during those two games, not the player we were used to. I guess it will depend who is available, it's tough to see him make the team if Hischier, Meier and Fiala can join, plus Malgin and Andrighetto. I would also like to see him perform against tougher opposition.

And the 2013 team had only one NHLer. Still the best team Switzerland ever!