WJC: 2022 Switzerland roster talk

[jonas2244]

Yeah, I mean I agree on Bayer and Paterlini.

But hell, you're sitting in your chair without any insight into the team and what led to this decision. I normally would agree with you regarding the ice-time of Meier and Hofer, but yeah, I don't have any details and I don't think it's fair to judge anyone without knowing more.

 

[Speyer]

With Knak in the lineup and some players like Fahrni and Délemont making some progress in the NL(A) I expect a slightly stronger team than in the winter. Still a pretty pedestrian group in comparison to "rival" hockey powers like Germany and Slovakia. They probably should have given Rochette a chace since this roster really needs all the talent it can get. But that door is probably closed now. Also Bayer as a coach certainly has his limitations. He is not as good as his predecessors Wohlwend and Paterlini. Apparently he has even the same anger issues like Wohlwend (and directed against his own players) from what you hear. So I don't expect him to elevate this team whatsoever.

 

[Eye of Ra]

D with Zanetti, Bischel, Delemont, Meier, Sidler is fine. 2 of Helfer, Dionicio and Aeschbach should probaly be added. Albelin knows how to coach.

Pasche is pretty good in net.

Upfront perhaps any of the following could be added:

Kevin Nicloet, doing good in U20 Sweden.

Ray Fust, doing good in USHL.

Gregory Weber, had 3 goals in U18 WC

 

[Hinterland]

D with Zanetti, Bischel, Delemont, Meier, Sidler is fine. 2 of Helfer, Dionicio and Aeschbach should probaly be added. Albelin knows how to coach.

Pasche is pretty good in net.

Upfront perhaps any of the following could be added:

Kevin Nicloet, doing good in U20 Sweden.

Ray Fust, doing good in USHL.

Gregory Weber, had 3 goals in U18 WC

Albelin is a grade a moron. At least in terms of hockey. Doesn't have a clue, at least not more than Fischer and the rest of that clown show. You can have him back if you want. The sooner the better. Fust should learn to skate faster than Malgin in slowmotion, then we can talk again.

 

[Eye of Ra]

Albelin is a grade a moron. You can have him back if you want. The sooner the better.

What? Why?

 

[Hinterland]

What? Why?

Why not? A year ago there were rumors about him having SHL head coach offers but they weren't true. No SHL team would hire him. Why would they?

It's said he's responsible for PK, defense and tactics of the national teams. Well, I still don't know if any of those teams even has a tactic, some sort of a game plan. If there is one, it's not visible. Taking stupid penalties and a lack of discipline is the only thing we get to see on a consistent basis. Defense is horrible, so are PK's. If we allow few goals in a tournament, it's because of good goaltending from Berra, Genoni, Fatton etc.

If you can organize an SHL gig for the guy, please do so and make him take the rest of the clowns with him. We'll be forever grateful.

 

[Speyer]

Why not? A year ago there were rumors about him having SHL head coach offers but they weren't true. No SHL team would hire him. Why would they?

It's said he's responsible for PK, defense and tactics of the national teams. Well, I still don't know if any of those teams even has a tactic, some sort of a game plan. If there is one, it's not visible. Taking stupid penalties and a lack of discipline is the only thing we get to see on a consistent basis. Defense is horrible, so are PK's. If we allow few goals in a tournament, it's because of good goaltending from Berra, Genoni, Fatton etc.

If you can organize an SHL gig for the guy, please do so and make him take the rest of the clowns with him. We'll be forever grateful.

Taking dumb penalties has been a major issue for all our national teams from the senior one to the U18 one. This has even ruined some junior tournaments completely. PK's have been terrible for the junior teams, for the senior team a bit less. The same could be said about the PP's even though Albelin isn't responsible for this. Since no high end forward prospects are produced anymore the PP's have been totally ineffective. They need to streamline the approach and get pucks to the net since the skill is just not there to outplay the opposing goaltender. All in all there is a lot of untapped potential when it comes to coaching in the whole Swiss hockey programm.

 

[Eye of Ra]

Is the roster for the aug tourney out?

Maybe Kimo Gruber and Valdemar Williams Hull should be on it

 

[Speyer]

Is the roster for the aug tourney out?

Maybe Kimo Gruber and Valdemar Williams Hull should be on it

The roster for the preparation camp is out, not the final one for the tournament. There is no 05 born player on it and probably righfully so. Guys like Gruber and Braillard probably have more talent than some of forwards that will make the roster but they are to green for the U20 level. On top of that they are needed for the Ivan Hlinka Mermorial anyway.

 

[Speyer]

Bichsel won't be attending the world juniors because of differences with the SIHF. He wanted to work on his game individually and joining the training camp for the U20's late. The Swiss federation didn't like this and therefore cut him from the roster. This is not the first time this happens. Similar cases happened in the past with guys like Fiala, Malgin and recently Rochette, who would have been a potential player for the tournament as well. The federation is shooting itself in the foot once again. No reason to even watch the WJC from a Swiss perspective at this point as the team wont competitive whatsoever and the coaching staff is terrible.

 

[Shawn Heins 44]

Bichsel won't be attending the world juniors because of differences with the SIHF. He wanted to work on his game individually and joining the training camp for the U20's late. The Swiss federation didn't like this and therefore cut him from the roster. This is not the first time this happens. Similar cases happened in the past with guys like Fiala, Malgin and recently Rochette, who would have been a potential player for the tournament as well. The federation is shooting itself in the foot once again. No reason to even watch the WJC from a Swiss perspective at this point as the team wont competitive whatsoever and the coaching staff is terrible.

I agree, while I like the team first approach, you cannot tell me that any player would have had a problem with the seperate preparation for Bichsel, he had a stressful summer and would still be a great add. The only ones having a problem are the coaches and Weibel, just unbelievable. But nothing will change for sure.

 

[Speyer]

I agree, while I like the team first approach, you cannot tell me that any player would have had a problem with the seperate preparation for Bichsel, he had a stressful summer and would still be a great add. The only ones having a problem are the coaches and Weibel, just unbelievable. But nothing will change for sure.

The SIHF is just so stupidly unflexible here. This offseason is crucial for his future progress and NHL outlook and Bichsel already lost some of it due to the whole draft process. But I don't expect people who never went above the NLA level in hockey or failed in NA after a handful of games to understand this. Also the "everybody is equal" doctrine that Fischer introduced is laudable in theory but, its actual implementation is hypocritical. NHL and NLA players are not the same when it comes to the National Team. They have a special status and enjoy privileges.

 

[filip85]

. NHL and NLA players are not the same when it comes to the National Team. They have a special status and enjoy privileges.

What privileges ?

 

[Speyer]

What privileges ?

Ok maybe I worded at a little wrong there are no actual "privileges". But is it really fair to a fringe player who proved himself during camp, played every exhibition game when Fiala comes in for the quarter final and takes his roster spot? Also a player like Hischier can play terrible for a whole tournament (WC 2021) and still wont be bumped down the lineup. So there might be no privileges in the actual sense but there is a clear hierarchy in the team and the NHL players are on top of the Pyramid. And those players are not the same as lets say Christoph Bertschy, even if Fischer says so. I also don't like counter examples to this argument like the Malgin Situation in 2019. He was young and barely a NHL regular at this point. There is no way Fischer could and would ban star players like Hischier or Josi for two years if they didn't attend a SIHF appointment.

 

[Shawn Heins 44]

The SIHF is just so stupidly unflexible here. This offseason is crucial for his future progress and NHL outlook and Bichsel already lost some of it due to the whole draft process. But I don't expect people who never went above the NLA level in hockey or failed in NA after a handful of games to understand this. Also the "everybody is equal" doctrine that Fischer introduced is laudable in theory but, its actual implementation is hypocritical. NHL and NLA players are not the same when it comes to the National Team. They have a special status and enjoy privileges.

I mean I guess they can have a different opinion or the opinion that if Bichsel feels that he needs a break now the WJC is maybe not the best for him this summer, fair enough, but the way they communicated is just such a terrible look of a child that has been told off and is pissed now. I mean just release a statement that both parties think it is in the best interest and move on. So unprofessional.

 

[Hinterland]

Since the clowns are still running the national teams I can't say I'm surprised. Nothing is gonna change until they're all fired.

 

[Speyer]

I mean I guess they can have a different opinion or the opinion that if Bichsel feels that he needs a break now the WJC is maybe not the best for him this summer, fair enough, but the way they communicated is just such a terrible look of a child that has been told off and is pissed now. I mean just release a statement that both parties think it is in the best interest and move on. So unprofessional.

I mean its not just that he will miss the WJC, he is suspended from the national teams "until further notice" (Lars Weibel). So he might be cut from future tournaments as well. Its more than just bad communication its another self indulgent decision from some NLA alumni in the federation whose career achievements won't impress any top prospect, so they try to compensate that with strictness and stubbornness.

 

[jonas2244]

I mean its not just that he will miss the WJC, he is suspended from the national teams "until further notice" (Lars Weibel). So he might be cut from future tournaments as well. Its more than just bad communication its another self indulgent decision from some NLA alumni in the federation whose career achievements won't impress any top prospect, so they try to compensate that with strictness and stubbornness.

I could maybe understand that you say you won't take Bichsel to the tournament if he doesn't attend the full preparation.

I cannot understand that you send all the blame on a player through a post on social media and ban him from further calls until further notice. That's just a) pure stupidity and b) very, very unprofessional.

 

[Speyer]

I could maybe understand that you say you won't take Bichsel to the tournament if he doesn't attend the full preparation.

I cannot understand that you send all the blame on a player through a post on social media and ban him from further calls until further notice. That's just a) pure stupidity and b) very, very unprofessional.

The extreme enforcement of the "team over everything" philosophy was always questionable in my opinion. It wasn't right that Fiala was cut from the WC team, when he declined to play the U20 WJC in the same year because his NHL career was legitimately on the line at the time. It also wasn't right to ban Malgin for like two years from the NT for not wanting to take part in the prospect camp after a long NHL season. I really don't like ad hominem arguments in general but here you have to ask yourself: Do career NLA players like Weibel and Fischer really know what its like to live on another continent, be away from family and friends, play 80+ games a year and still report for the NT whenever possible? Looking at Fischers handful of NHL games in the desert i'd argue no. So I find it a bit much if those guys demand from players who are allowed to live 3 months per year in Switzerland to attend every stupid training camp during that time to remain elegible for the NT. Also, pretty much every other participating nation had top prospects flat out declining to play in the tournament because it will take place during the off season. As far as I know nobody other than Bichsel had to face any type of consequence for that.

 

[Kuracmugger]

Regarding the Bichsel Situation:
I saw swiss ice hockey‘s post first and firstly had the same thoughts as many in the comment section, thinking Bichsel was to arrogant or felt to good to play for the NT. The Statement and post of the federation was really one sided and written to their favour. It portrayed Bichsel as arrogant or not willing to play for the NT. After some reasearch and reading this forum i have the same opinion as most people here. The Federation should‘ve given him the break. He‘s really our only big talent and he was definitely a lock for the team. And also he‘s not unwilling to play he just wants a break not the same as Fiala few years agi. Even if he played bad at the camp before the tournament they wouldn’t cut him. Maybe they should have founded a solution without publicly posting it. Maybe let Bichsel arrive some days later and say he was sick or injured. All in All bad handling by the federation by losing our best player fot the tournament and maybe more.

 

[swissfan1980]

What happend to Noah Meier? Why isn’t he on the roster?

 

[Speyer]

What happend to Noah Meier? Why isn’t he on the roster?

I didn't even notice that he was missing. I feel like he must be hurt otherwise it would make zero sense to not take him to edmonton. But with the recent roster selection politics of the SIHF he maybe just looked at Bayer the wrong way once last year. Its definitely getting harder and harder to care about this tournament if you think about how the team could have looked like in the best case scenario...

 

[Swissfan5411]

.

 

[Speyer]

I know he is not injured... why he is no longer in the team, only the coach knows

If this is true Bayer is just nuts. Meier is at least the second best defenseman abvailable (third if you count Bichsel). Unless he prefers to prepare himself for the season with the Lions there is just no viable explantation to leave him off of the roster. I just don't see how you can sabotage your own team like that as coaches. Roster selections have been fishy in the past but at least then the questionable snubs wouldnt have made that much of a difference. But this year with Bichsel, Gruber (U18) and Meier its just plain weird and irrational. But since nobody in this country cares about junior hockey the coaches can basically do whatever they want as long as Weibel and Fischer back them up.

 

[Kuracmugger]

If this is true Bayer is just nuts. Meier is at least the second best defenseman abvailable (third if you count Bichsel). Unless he prefers to prepare himself for the season with the Lions there is just no viable explantation to leave him off of the roster. I just don't see how you can sabotage your own team like that as coaches. Roster selections have been fishy in the past but at least then the questionable snubs wouldnt have made that much of a difference. But this year with Bichsel, Gruber (U18) and Meier its just plain weird and irrational. But since nobody in this country cares about junior hockey the coaches can basically do whatever they want as long as Weibel and Fischer back them up.

A friend of mine who plays for the u18 national team has told me that it’s said gruber wasn’t nominated because of his behavior but just rumors…