WJC: 2024 WJC20 Switzerland roster talk

[Hinterland]

First of all, can some team hire Christian Wohlwend already? I don't want that grade a moron to get anywhere near the Swiss kids ever again but if he doesn't get a job in club hockey I'm sure the SIHF clowns are gonna give him one. Marco Bayer is an idiot as well but at least, for the first time in his tenure, we saw some kind of a strategy and the team seemed to be on the same page, buying into the system. Granted, it's easier to play solid defense with Lian Bichsel on the roster than without. Still, for the most part that was solid whereas in recent years Swiss teams would eventually falter and make brutal mistakes or take dumb penalites even vs teams outside of the top5. That wasn't the case in the recent tournament.


Then, here's my 2nd stab (updated May 23) at the potential roster:


Elijah Neuenschwander (06)
Laurin Solèr (06)
Christian Kirsch (06)

Lian Bichsel "C" (04), Eric Schneller (05)
Rodwin Dionicio (04), Nick Meile (04)
Simone Terraneo (04), David Moser (04)
Louis Füllemann (04), David Lekic (05)
Kai Knak (04), Gaël Christe (04)

Jonas Taibel "A" (04), Miles Muller "A" (04), Andrin Locher (04)
Leo Braillard (05), Tommaso De Luca (04), Antoine Guignard (04)
Noah Greuter (04), Mattheo Reinhard (04), Jordan Forget (06)
Janick Liechti (04), Jamiro Reber (06), David Bosson (06)
Julien Rod (04), Robin Nico Antenen (06), Lenny Giger (06)

Click to read more...

 

[Eye of Ra]

First of all, can some team hire Christian Wohlwend already? I don't want that grade a moron to get anywhere near the Swiss kids ever again but if he doesn't get a job in club hockey I'm sure the SIHF clowns are gonna give him one. Marco Bayer is an idiot as well but at least, for the first time in his tenure, we saw some kind of a strategy and the team seemed to be on the same page, buying into the system. Granted, it's easier to play solid defense with Lian Bichsel on the roster than without. Still, for the most part that was solid whereas in recent years Swiss teams would eventually falter and make brutal mistakes or take dumb penalites even vs teams outside of the top5. That wasn't the case in the recent tournament.


Then, here's my first stab at the potential roster:


Jari Stacher (04)
Diego Leuenberger (04)
Ewan Huet (05)


Lian Bichsel "C" (04), Eric Schneller (05)
Rodwin Dionicio (04), Nick Meile (04)
Simone Terraneo (04), David Moser (05)
Louis Füllemann (04), David Lekic (05)
Kai Knak (04), Gaël Christe (04)

Valdemar Hull (05), Miles Muller "A" (04), Lenn Zehnder (05)
Janick Liechti (04), Jonas Taibel "A" (04), Andrin Locher (04)
Leo Braillard (05), Mattheo Reinhard (04), Alain Graf (05)
Noah Greuter (04), Kimo Gruber (05), Antoine Guignard (04)
Julien Rod (04), Cyril Pont (04), Jordan Forget (06)

You wanna keep Tommy Albelin?

 

[Hinterland]

You wanna keep Tommy Albelin?

Nah, still waiting for you to find him an SHL gig. Pretty much all of the SIHF coaches are useless and incompetent. The only good one they had in recent years they let go.

 

[Kuracmugger]

First of all, can some team hire Christian Wohlwend already? I don't want that grade a moron to get anywhere near the Swiss kids ever again but if he doesn't get a job in club hockey I'm sure the SIHF clowns are gonna give him one. Marco Bayer is an idiot as well but at least, for the first time in his tenure, we saw some kind of a strategy and the team seemed to be on the same page, buying into the system. Granted, it's easier to play solid defense with Lian Bichsel on the roster than without. Still, for the most part that was solid whereas in recent years Swiss teams would eventually falter and make brutal mistakes or take dumb penalites even vs teams outside of the top5. That wasn't the case in the recent tournament.


Then, here's my first stab at the potential roster:


Jari Stacher (04)
Diego Leuenberger (04)
Ewan Huet (05)


Lian Bichsel "C" (04), Eric Schneller (05)
Rodwin Dionicio (04), Nick Meile (04)
Simone Terraneo (04), David Moser (05)
Louis Füllemann (04), David Lekic (05)
Kai Knak (04), Gaël Christe (04)

Valdemar Hull (05), Miles Muller "A" (04), Lenn Zehnder (05)
Leo Braillard (05), Jonas Taibel "A" (04), Alain Graf (05)
Janick Liechti (04), Mattheo Reinhard (04), Andrin Locher (04)
Noah Greuter (04), Kimo Gruber (05), Antoine Guignard (04)
Julien Rod (04), Cyril Pont (04), Jordan Forget (06)

Doesn’t look very promising but maybe some players can make huge steps if they get NL or SL ice time. Maybe fülleman if he gets more NL play. And Schneller if he comes back to Switzerland.

 

[Hinterland]

Doesn’t look very promising but maybe some players can make huge steps if they get NL or SL ice time. Maybe fülleman if he gets more NL play. And Schneller if he comes back to Switzerland.

You think so? I mean we're almost a year away from the tournament and almost all of these guys have pro or CHL or Swedish junior league experience already. Only very few guys still playing mostly U20 in Switzerland. Also, the one I posted is an extended roster. Some cuts necessary should they all be healthy. I think that's a very decent group. My biggest worry are the goalies. I really hope we don't have to rely on Beglieri. Pro playing time for the three guys I listed would be important.

 

[Speyer]

Don't know much about the Goaltenders. Huet is the only one I have seen internationally and I didn't like him much in those games but it was a small sample size and he seems to have developed well since then. I'd imagine Beglieri will get a look too, despite not exactly setting the OHL on fire after a promising start. It's also unsure how many pro games those other Goaltenders will even get until next December.

The D-corps looks very solid. Bichsel, Fülleman, Dionico, Meile and Terraneo are a good core with pro experience. Maybe even a talented 06' player like Ustinkov or Meier could sneak in for a position on the third pairing.

The forwards look very weak on the other hand. The only serviceable players for this level, as of today, are Taibel and Müller. I could see this team having big problems to generate offense next year. I doubt Gruber will get an invite over someone like Simon Meier at this point, even though he should be on the team because of his shot alone. As for the 06' players, I like Jamiro Reber slightly more than Forget, but its not a huge difference. The federation suits should also definitely look into getting Tommaso De Luca a red passport if possible. I heard he was interested to play for Switzerland. I have no idea if he would be eligible though.

 

[GermanSpitfire]

I know it’s day dreaming but is it possible Florian Schenk has any chance at this team or is it 2 years too early?

 

[Speyer]

I know it’s day dreaming but is it possible Florian Schenk has any chance at this team or is it 2 years too early?

Based on his stats and what little I have seen from him I'd say no chance. But only absolutely outstanding prospects make team this young. The last one was Hischier, I think. Even Fiala and Meier could not make the roster at this age...

 

[Hinterland]

Don't know much about the Goaltenders. Huet is the only one I have seen internationally and I didn't like him much in those games but it was a small sample size and he seems to have developed well since then. I'd imagine Beglieri will get a look too, despite not exactly setting the OHL on fire after a promising start. It's also unsure how many pro games those other Goaltenders will even get until next December.

The D-corps looks very solid. Bichsel, Fülleman, Dionico, Meile and Terraneo are a good core with pro experience. Maybe even a talented 06' player like Ustinkov or Meier could sneak in for a position on the third pairing.

The forwards look very weak on the other hand. The only serviceable players for this level, as of today, are Taibel and Müller. I could see this team having big problems to generate offense next year. I doubt Gruber will get an invite over someone like Simon Meier at this point, even though he should be on the team because of his shot alone. As for the 06' players, I like Jamiro Reber slightly more than Forget, but its not a huge difference. The federation suits should also definitely look into getting Tommaso De Luca a red passport if possible. I heard he was interested to play for Switzerland. I have no idea if he would be eligible though.

I think both Reber and Forget have a chance to make the team if they do well. Forget could have the edge because there's a pretty good chance he's gonna play QMJHL next season. I think he'll make Victoriaville's team. Thanks to his Canadian passport he won't count as an import player despite opting to represent Switzerland. Reber is gonna find it harder to secure a spot in a better league.

 

[Speyer]

I think both Reber and Forget have a chance to make the team if they do well. Forget could have the edge because there's a pretty good chance he's gonna play QMJHL next season. I think he'll make Victoriaville's team. Thanks to his Canadian passport he won't count as an import player despite opting to represent Switzerland. Reber is gonna find it harder to secure a spot in a better league.

Fair enough, there is always a chance that Forget struggles in his first season in the Q though, as so many of our prospects have lately. I agree on Reber though, I don't see him playing in the SL next year because I have read that he is starting his professional formation as an office worker as a plan B, if hockey doesn't work out. So its probably either U20 again next year or the first team if he has a really good offseason, develops well and has the necessary amount of luck too. And those are a lot of variables that have to go in his way. I would definitely play him over guys like Salzgeber and Neuenschwander, as soon as he is ready, if I was Paterlini. You don't want to overcook a potential franchise player with those kind of ties to the club in juniors if you can help it.

 

[Hinterland]

Fair enough, there is always a chance that Forget struggles in his first season in the Q though, as so many of our prospects have lately. I agree on Reber though, I don't see him playing in the SL next year because i have read that he is starting his professional formation as an office worker as a plan B, if hockey doesn't work out. So its probably either U20 again next year or the first team if he has a really good off season, develops well and has the necessary amount of luck too. And those are a lot of variables that have to go in his way. I would definitely play him over guys like Salzgeber and Neuenschwander, as soon as he is ready, if I was Paterlini. You don't want to overcook a potential franchise player with those kind of ties to the club in juniors if you can help it.

Even if Forget does struggle Victoriaville is likely to play him through it until he picks it up. He'll still be among the youngest players in the league and won't count towards their import slots so they'd be stupid not to. Other Swiss kids don't get that kind of a leash in Canada.

The thing is that the Jabola experiment, to everyone's surprise, wasn't particularly successful. For WJC20 tournaments I don't think you should rely on players without significant pro or top junior league (Canada or Sweden) experience as long as you can avoid it because that means the player will face a much stronger competition than he's used to. If you're a pro or playing top junior leagues you're probably used to playing at least a similar level of competition than, on average, you're gonna face in the tournament. In Switzerland we usually have enough experienced players and if you're playing U20's in Switzerland your chances of making the WJC20 are usually trending towards zero.

That's why, except goalies, I only listed players already playing in a good league or I expect to do so this year. Reber is a huge talent of course and if he does play pro hockey he has a good chance to make the roster but right now others are probably ahead of him in that regard.

 

[Jersey Fan 12]

Don't know much about the Goaltenders. Huet is the only one I have seen internationally and I didn't like him much in those games but it was a small sample size and he seems to have developed well since then. I'd imagine Beglieri will get a look too, despite not exactly setting the OHL on fire after a promising start. It's also unsure how many pro games those other Goaltenders will even get until next December.

The D-corps looks very solid. Bichsel, Fülleman, Dionico, Meile and Terraneo are a good core with pro experience. Maybe even a talented 06' player like Ustinkov or Meier could sneak in for a position on the third pairing.

The forwards look very weak on the other hand. The only serviceable players for this level, as of today, are Taibel and Müller. I could see this team having big problems to generate offense next year. I doubt Gruber will get an invite over someone like Simon Meier at this point, even though he should be on the team because of his shot alone. As for the 06' players, I like Jamiro Reber slightly more than Forget, but its not a huge difference. The federation suits should also definitely look into getting Tommaso De Luca a red passport if possible. I heard he was interested to play for Switzerland. I have no idea if he would be eligible though.

There is a 2004-born goalie from Switzerland named Luke Rizzello playing prep school hockey at Cushing Academy. He is fairly big but hasn't yet played for Switzerland.

Is there anything to see in terms of potential or is his ceiling more of a college hockey goalie at this point?

 

[Speyer]

There is a 2004-born goalie from Switzerland named Luke Rizzello playing prep school hockey at Cushing Academy. He is fairly big but hasn't yet played for Switzerland.

Is there anything to see in terms of potential or is his ceiling more of a college hockey goalie at this point?

I don't know him, but its telling that he has never even played in the highest Swiss junior leagues for his age group if you keep in mind in how weak our junior program is compared to top nations. According to his EP profile he also barely played any games in the last few years, even though that website can put out incomplete stats sometimes. But just based on his profile there I highly doubt he will ever suit up for our U20 team or make it in the NCAA as a starter. But again I haven't seen him play personally so you never know.

 

[Jersey Fan 12]

I don't know him, but its telling that he has never even played in the highest Swiss junior leagues for his age group if you keep in mind in how weak our junior program is compared to top nations. According to his EP profile he also barely played any games in the last few years, even though that website can put out incomplete stats sometimes. But just based on his profile there I highly doubt he will ever suit up for our U20 team or make it in the NCAA as a starter. But again I haven't seen him play personally so you never know.

He is Cushing's starter this year. But lack of an NCAA commitment to this point is telling. Will be interesting to see if he can secure a spot in either NAHL or USHL in next two seasons - a la Akira Schmid.

 

[Speyer]

He is Cushing's starter this year. But lack of an NCAA commitment to this point is telling. Will be interesting to see if he can secure a spot in either NAHL or USHL in next two seasons - a la Akira Schmid.

I mean its only natural that he hasn't gained NCAA attention yet if he is really just entering the map of US junior hockey and hasn't played for any of the Swiss national junior teams before. It would be a cool underdog story if he could carve out a pro career for himself but I really have no idea how good this USHS-Prep league is. And the sample size of games he played in it seems pretty small right now as well. Last fall Swiss OHL goaltender Alessio Beglieri had a very good start in the CHL to the point that some people thought he was a draft candidate this year. But after 10 or so games he came back to earth and is well below .900 in save % right now. So I guess we just have to wait and see how this guy will pan out long term. I really like underdog stories so I will be rooting for him.

 

[Jersey Fan 12]

I mean its only natural that he hasn't gained NCAA attention yet if he is really just entering the map of US junior hockey and hasn't played for any of the Swiss national junior teams before. It would be a cool underdog story if he could carve out a pro career for himself but I really have no idea how good this USHS-Prep league is. And the sample size of games he played in it seems pretty small right now as well. Last fall Swiss OHL goaltender Alessio Beglieri had a very good start in the CHL to the point that some people thought he was a draft candidate this year. But after 10 or so games he came back to earth and is well below .900 in save % right now. So I guess we just have to wait and see how this guy will pan out long term. I really like underdog stories so I will be rooting for him.

Prep hockey has lost some of its top players in recent years with the emergence of more junior teams and other high end American players now heading to some of the Junior A programs in Canada more frequently than they did in the past. Even some of the top prep school players often spend a year or two in junior hockey after graduating rather than making the jump directly to college hockey.

 

[Eye of Ra]

First of all, can some team hire Christian Wohlwend already? I don't want that grade a moron to get anywhere near the Swiss kids ever again but if he doesn't get a job in club hockey I'm sure the SIHF clowns are gonna give him one. Marco Bayer is an idiot as well but at least, for the first time in his tenure, we saw some kind of a strategy and the team seemed to be on the same page, buying into the system. Granted, it's easier to play solid defense with Lian Bichsel on the roster than without. Still, for the most part that was solid whereas in recent years Swiss teams would eventually falter and make brutal mistakes or take dumb penalites even vs teams outside of the top5. That wasn't the case in the recent tournament.


Then, here's my first stab at the potential roster:


Jari Stacher (04)
Diego Leuenberger (04)
Ewan Huet (05)


Lian Bichsel "C" (04), Eric Schneller (05)
Rodwin Dionicio (04), Nick Meile (04)
Simone Terraneo (04), David Moser (05)
Louis Füllemann (04), David Lekic (05)
Kai Knak (04), Gaël Christe (04)

Valdemar Hull (05), Miles Muller "A" (04), Lenn Zehnder (05)
Leo Braillard (05), Jonas Taibel "A" (04), Alain Graf (05)
Janick Liechti (04), Mattheo Reinhard (04), Andrin Locher (04)
Noah Greuter (04), Kimo Gruber (05), Antoine Guignard (04)
Julien Rod (04), Cyril Pont (04), Jordan Forget (06)

Matteo Wagner, Endo Meier, Jamiro Reber, Daniil Ustinkov and Timo Bunzli all had a great U18 WJC. They should be options for this team, no?

 

[Hinterland]

Matteo Wagner, Endo Meier, Jamiro Reber, Daniil Ustinkov and Timo Bunzli all had a great U18 WJC. They should be options for this team, no?

Reber and Ustinkov yes. The 05 guys? I don't know. If we select any 05 guys I'd prefer Braillard, Schneller or the guys that were stupidly cut from the WJC18 like Lekic, Hull or Gruber. I had a few more underagers on my initial roster suggestion but I'm no longer sure there's a point given how bad those 05 kids are.

I'm gonna have to update my roster suggestion sometime in the upcoming weeks or months.

 

[Speyer]

Reber and Ustinkov yes. The 05 guys? I don't know. If we select any 05 guys I'd prefer Braillard, Schneller or the guys that were stupidly cut from the WJC18 like Lekic, Hull or Gruber. I had a few more underagers on my initial roster suggestion but I'm no longer sure there's a point given how bad those 05 kids are.

I'm gonna have to update my roster suggestion sometime in the upcoming weeks or months.

The 04 born D cops is pretty deep with Bichsel, Dionicio, Terraneo, Meile, Füllemann, Moser etc. I'd say only one of Schneller or Ustinkov will crack the the roster if everybody is available. Ustinkov definitely needs to show more reliability wherever he plays next autumn than he did at the u18's. Lekic is out of Schöggis favour anyway so he won't make it. I really liked Bünzli at the tournament, especially offensively. And he also got better as the games went along. He should make the roster in 24/25 but probably not before that.

On F we look a lot thinner. Reber and Braillard should be no brainers here. Maybe there could be a case for Wagner depending on how he (and other players) will progress.

In any case its to early for predictions. One offseason could completely turn the tables for all of the mentioned players development and situations within their respective clubs. Maybe we will even see more 06 forwards like Forget or Ponzetto on the roster. Or some 04/05 players might come completely out of left field and take a spot on the team. And then there is Jennis strange selection bias as an X factor as well.

 

[jonas2244]

Tommaso De Luca now seems to play for Switzerland:

Tommaso De Luca kehrt nach Ambrì zurück

Der Hockey Club Ambrì-Piotta freut sich, die Rückkehr des 18-jährigen Centers Tommaso De Luca in die Leventina bekannt zu geben.

www.hockeyfans.ch

Article says he was joining Swiss U20 team for a camp. He probably is an option for next WJC. And a loss for Italy.

Tommaso De Luca at eliteprospects.com

Eliteprospects.com hockey player profile of Tommaso De Luca, 2004-12-29 Aosta, ITA Italy. Most recently in the NL with Ambrì-Piotta. Complete player biography and stats.

www.eliteprospects.com

 

[Hinterland]

Tommaso De Luca now seems to play for Switzerland:

Tommaso De Luca kehrt nach Ambrì zurück

Der Hockey Club Ambrì-Piotta freut sich, die Rückkehr des 18-jährigen Centers Tommaso De Luca in die Leventina bekannt zu geben.

www.hockeyfans.ch

Article says he was joining Swiss U20 team for a camp. He probably is an option for next WJC. And a loss for Italy.

Tommaso De Luca at eliteprospects.com

Eliteprospects.com hockey player profile of Tommaso De Luca, 2004-12-29 Aosta, ITA Italy. Most recently in the NL with Ambrì-Piotta. Complete player biography and stats.

www.eliteprospects.com

That's not really news anymore. Also, it wasn't just a camp. He played a five nation tournament in Poprad, Slovakia earlier this month.

 

[Hinterland]

The 04 born D cops is pretty deep with Bichsel, Dionicio, Terraneo, Meile, Füllemann, Moser etc. I'd say only one of Schneller or Ustinkov will crack the the roster if everybody is available. Ustinkov definitely needs to show more reliability wherever he plays next autumn than he did at the u18's. Lekic is out of Schöggis favour anyway so he won't make it. I really liked Bünzli at the tournament, especially offensively. And he also got better as the games went along. He should make the roster in 24/25 but probably not before that.

On F we look a lot thinner. Reber and Braillard should be no brainers here. Maybe there could be a case for Wagner depending on how he (and other players) will progress.

In any case its to early for predictions. One offseason could completely turn the tables for all of the mentioned players development and situations within their respective clubs. Maybe we will even see more 06 forwards like Forget or Ponzetto on the roster. Or some 04/05 players might come completely out of left field and take a spot on the team. And then there is Jennis strange selection bias as an X factor as well.

I think Lekic would be good enough to play but I'm not really mad if he misses out of this WJC20. Should have played the WJC18 but it's too late now. As you said, the 04 group is deep on defense so there's room for maximum one underager. That's also visible in my roster suggestion. There probably won't be room for Ustinkov. Schneller would be helpful though. Very mature player and the team could probably use another righty defender.

Upfront the 04 group is very thin though, even with DeLuca. The 05 forwards are very disappointing so I'm no longer sure it makes sense to select any of them except maybe for Braillard. That should open doors for the 06 forward kids like Reber, Forget, Ponzetto, Antenen or Giger. Right now I'd put them all on the roster but we'll see what the situation looks like after the summer.

 

[Gianpaolo]

Tommaso De Luca now seems to play for Switzerland:
Article says he was joining Swiss U20 team for a camp. He probably is an option for next WJC. And a loss for Italy.

After having played at WJC for Switzerland, he will become unelegibile for Italy and miss the Olympics in 2026 in his own country. Being selected for Switzerland at senior level will be a lot harder. It is not an easy decision for him.

 

[jonas2244]

Ah ok, I missed that in that case.

Bichsel might not be available next year, wich could open up room for another underager.

 

[Hinterland]

Ah ok, I missed that in that case.

Bichsel might not be available next year, wich could open up room for another underager.

Why would Bichsel not be available next year?