The ZSC Lions, here with Juho Lammikko on the puck, start the new season as favorites and defending champions
Image: Keystone
A new face at ZSC: With the Finn Santtu Kinnunen, a strong defenseman has joined the team
Image: Keystone
Ambri Piotta coach Luca Cereda is the longest-serving coach in the National League and one of six head coaches with a Swiss passport
Image: Keystone
Swede Martin Filander (from EHC Biel) is one of three new head coaches in the National League
Image: Keystone
Returns to Ambri-Piotta, at least temporarily, after five seasons in the NHL: Dominik Kubalik
Image: Keystone
One of 36 new import players in the National League: Finland's Oula Palve, last season's top scorer in his home country, plays for Ajoie
Image: Keystone
The ZSC Lions, here with Juho Lammikko on the puck, start the new season as favorites and defending champions
Image: Keystone
A new face at ZSC: With the Finn Santtu Kinnunen, a strong defenseman has joined the team
Image: Keystone
Ambri Piotta coach Luca Cereda is the longest-serving coach in the National League and one of six head coaches with a Swiss passport
Image: Keystone
Swede Martin Filander (from EHC Biel) is one of three new head coaches in the National League
Image: Keystone
Returns to Ambri-Piotta, at least temporarily, after five seasons in the NHL: Dominik Kubalik
Image: Keystone
One of 36 new import players in the National League: Finland's Oula Palve, last season's top scorer in his home country, plays for Ajoie
Image: Keystone
Internationally, Switzerland is one of the best in ice hockey. But the National League championship also has a lot to offer nationally. The most important questions ahead of the season opener on Tuesday.
14.09.2024, 04:30
14.09.2024, 04:31
SDA
Who is the top favorite?
As balanced as the top Swiss league may be, on paper there can only be one favorite: the ZSC Lions. The defending champions from Zurich still have a top line-up both offensively and defensively. Compared to the championship season, sporting director Sven Leuenberger has only had to make very few changes to the squad. With the Finn Santtu Kinnunen, a strong defender has joined the team. The departures of seasoned players such as Simon Bodenmann (retirement), Reto Schäppi (to Kloten) and Phil Baltisberger (SCL Tigers) have been compensated for by talented youngsters from the team's own ranks. The few changes in the team also harbor the danger of championship blues. However, coach Marc Crawford will do everything in his power to prevent this from happening. In addition to the immense quality of the team, a big plus is its routine: the current ZSC squad has the experience of almost 2000 NHL games.
Who are the biggest challengers?
Last season, ZSC was challenged to the very end by Lausanne HC in the playoff final. Following the departure of Connor Hughes, the Vaud-based team is relying on a young Swiss goalie duo in Kevin Pasche (21) and Thibaut Fatton (22), thus showing courage. With five new foreigners, the face of the team has changed considerably, but not the demands, which remain high. This also applies to EV Zug, the champions of the 2021 and 2022 seasons, who are aiming to return to the top after a rebuild of the team. Genève-Servette and Fribourg-Gottéron will also be contenders again this season. While Geneva experienced a difficult final season after winning the championship for the first time in 2023 and even missed out on the play-offs after winning the Champions Hockey League, Fribourg is still longing for its first championship title. Servette have to play their first eight games away from home due to the renovation of Les Vernets Hall.
What does the play-off promise?
Because the play-in means that there will be a two-way tie (after six and ten teams), the qualification has become even more exciting. While Davos, Lugano, Biel and Bern want to prove once again that they are good enough for the playoffs, the Rapperswil-Jona Lakers, Ambri-Piotta and the SCL Tigers are determined to get back there. The last time the Leventines and the Emmentals qualified for the play-offs was five years ago. Ajoie and Kloten are likely to have the hardest time. The last two promoted teams are looking to take the next step in their development.
Who is backing a new coach?
Two clubs, Kloten and Biel, sacked their coaches last season. After interim solutions, both are starting the championship with a new head coach. Kloten is now under the direction of former Finnish national team coach Lauri Marjamäki, while Biel is relying on a Swede in Martin Filander. Filander will be in charge of the major shake-up in Seeland following the departure of numerous top Swiss players and the resignation of Beat Forster (now assistant coach). There has been little movement in the Freiburg squad. Following the departure of Christian Dubé, however, there is a new boss at the helm in the form of his former assistant Patrick Emond. Like his predecessor, Emond is Canadian.
With Christian Wohlwend (Ajoie), Thierry Paterlini (SCL Tigers), Luca Gianinazzi (Lugano), Jan Cadieux (Servette), Luca Cereda (Ambri-Piotta) and the Canadian-Swiss dual citizen Josh Holden (Davos), six head coaches in the National League currently have a Swiss passport. Cereda is also the longest-serving coach in the league (in office since 2017/18), while Gianinazzi is the youngest at 31.
What new attractions await the fans?
In addition to local stars such as Denis Malgin and Calvin Thürkauf, foreign personnel will once again provide plenty of spectacle on Swiss ice in the coming months. For many years, the league was "flooded" with Canadians; some, such as (the controversial) Todd Elik, have achieved great popularity in this country. But the trend is long gone. Of the 94 foreigners, only 13 are from the country of the record world champions. That is 12 fewer than in the previous season. SC Bern fits the picture perfectly, with not a single Canadian in its ranks for the first time since the 1969/70 season. Sweden and Finland have the most import players with 30 each, while the Rapperswil-Jona Lakers have a Swedish sextet, four of whom are newcomers.
All in all, the 14 clubs have signed 36 new foreign players. Ambri has scored a late coup with the (temporary) return of Czech world champion Dominik Kubalik. The Finnish whirlwind Jerry Turkulainen and his compatriot Oula Palve (most recently top scorer in the league in his home country), both of whom are now playing for Ajoie, could become a major attraction. For Bern, the Swedish giant Victor Ejdsell is a real sniper. And Lausanne has the long-time KHL defenseman David Sklenicka to marvel at.
