They just released the prelimary roster for the U-18 WC.... and they put all the underagers on the roster I expected (hoped), minus Schmidli.
On attack, it's an intersting situation, cause the 95borns are lacking top-end talent as well as depth. Unlike the 96ers and 97ers, when it comes to elite talent.
96ers: Fjala is a lock. And the combination of size, skill and toughness of N.Rod is intriguing. Guys like Suter and T.Meier have convinced both with the NT (u-17 or U-18) as well as with their play in swiss U-20 championship.
97ers: Malgin. He may won't make the team yet (with guys like Hischier, Rod and Fuchs on C) , but with his performance-level he showed on any level this year, they just had to invite him. Look out!
On D: 95ers have both very good talent and depth as well. So the underagers will have a tough time to make the final roster.
96ers might don't have the elite talent like the 95ers or 97ers but beside Maurer, the top talent is untypically big (Harlacher, Schmutz, Kindschi, Heldner)
97ers: I'm sure most have heard of Siegenthaler. And Karrer while not as big or strong as Siegenthaler is a nice offensive talent.
GK: Can't say much about them. But it's been a while since Switzerland has produced anybody close to elite.
Coach: Last chance for Celio, I hope. And if he still can't coach... get rid of him. (May Gaydoul got some more work for Ex-Chlotener...)
My prediction:
(If Mueller comes over)
GK:?
D: Müller Büsser
Baltisperger Dufner
Kindschi Rathgeb (who can play forward as well)
Grossniklaus
F: Wieser Hischier Högger
Fazzini Fuchs Fjala
Suter Rod T.Meier
Aeschlimann Brändli Hügli
(M.Marchon)
Thoughts?
I attended the first Swiss exhibition game in Lenzerheide today and the coaching staff brought to my attention, that they already made their first cuts in the part of the camp which they held in Romanshorn....
And boy oh boy what a surprise, they cut Fiala (along with Michael Fora, Atanasion Molina, Silvio Schmutz and Kris Schmidli)!!
I totaly can not understand this move and from the explanations just sounded like Manuele Celio wanted to set an expample... But insane to cut the best player on their offense... They told, that he wasn't focused enough and couldn't bring himself into the team... What a crap! I don't know what they're expecting from a 16 year old kid??
Like duga said, I hope this is the last tournament of Celio. He just needs to go... Enough bad coaching and wierd roster decisions!?
These were the Lines on the exhibition game vs. Denmark (5-0 for Switzerland):
1. Sturm
Luca Fazzini - Jason Fuchs - Pius Suter
2. Sturm
Patrick Bandiera - Denis Malgin - Fabio Högger
3. Sturm
Tim Wieser - Ramon Pfranger - Marc Aeschlimann
4. Sturm
Noha Rod - Patrick Brändli - Timo Meier
EF: Andri Spiller
1. Verteidigung
Yannick Rathgeb - Mauro Dufner
2. Verteidigung
Jonas Siegenthaler - Roger Karrer
3. Verteidigung
Simon Kindschi - Cedric Maurer
4. Verteidigung
Tim Grossniklaus - Edson Harlacher
Torhüter
Nicola Aeberhard
Backup
Ludovic Waeber
Healthy scratch:
Daniel Guntern (G)
Maxim Mauerhofer (G)
Phil Baltisberger (D)
Xeno Büsser (D)
Luca Hischier (C)
Michael Hügli (LW)
Marc Marchon (RW)
However, Denmark was no competition...
Fazzini had a very good game. Has a great shot and his one-timer is lethal... He's a pure shooter - reminds me a lot of Inti Pestoni and his skating has improved a lot...
Högger displayed his speed and solid two-way game. But he still can't take as much influence on the offense as expected....
Aeberhard didn't have a lot of work to do, but he looked calm and always under controll... Is a bigger version of Melvin Nyffeler, not very fast and somehow always makes the save.