Switzerland: Swiss players in North America

[torero]

Sven Bärtschi

I wanted to share with you how impressed i was about how Bärtschi went in a year from almost unknown (to me) young swiss player to serious NHL prospect.

http://www.hockeyprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=1016

The discussions and more importantly the observations in the training camp was even more impressive

http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=942927
I invite you to read what "Steven" posted. He seems to be a knowledgeable and dedicated fan (who else would go to training camps and write such reports for free ?)
in spanish you call these guys "un afficcionado" He covered almost all players for every day in his articles ! worth reading.

Of course to be rookie of the year in WHL, highest scorer in WHL as a rookie is already an achievement ... the point he scored in playoffs were remarkable.

He is presently fighting to get nothing less than an NHL spot ! will he get it or not ? future will tell.

But all this together !! hats down. RESPECT

Well done Sven. Keep training as hard as you do. Sweat pays directly, indirectly and even on a second or third level. So keep sweating ... and your future will be even brighter.

The future is bright, the future is red and white. Olé

 

[torero]

Interesting article by Yannick Weber

http://www.bernerzeitung.ch/sport/hockey/Ohne-Geduld-geht-es-nicht-/story/15282009

... Streit, Josi and Weber will be training in august with .... SCB ! of course !

 

[torero]

Aebischer in North America !

YESSSSsssss

without knowing the details ... i am very happy for him.

Tout de bon David !



In fact i am so delighted to express my hapiness here in a public place. I am in Belgium and NO ONE cares about hockey ! so even if you don't care, it is so good for me to express it.

 

[swissexpert]

Still can't believe those ignorant scouts take Aebischer out of all the talented Swiss goalies...
It's clear they've never watched an NLA game the past seasons. Aebischer is done, he can be happy if he starts the games in the AHL. They'd much rather give Conz, Genoni or Bäumle a chance.

 

[stv11]

The contacts were denied by Roland Habisreutinger:

http://slapshot.ch.sportalsports.co...cle/tnt_eishockey/2011/08/17/16269500000.html

Makes sense, I can't believe an NHL team would risk to have him as a third goalie.

 

[swisdan]

Still can't believe those ignorant scouts take Aebischer out of all the talented Swiss goalies...
It's clear they've never watched an NLA game the past seasons. Aebischer is done, he can be happy if he starts the games in the AHL. They'd much rather give Conz, Genoni or Bäumle a chance.

Neither of this three players are available. They have contrats.

 

[swissexpert]

Neither of this three players are available. They have contrats.

So had Diaz, Wick, etc..

I'm not saying they should trade them now, because the season starts soon. But I'm sure if they'd have informed them early, it wouldn't be a problem to agree on an NHL-clause.
NHL teams don't need to care about euro-contracts. If they're really interested in someone, the player and the coaching staff won't refuse a good offer.

 

[swisdan]

Yes i'm ok with your point, if they would approach those players early. I don't think it would be a great problem. But at this period, Aebischer is available and i don't think a lot of others goalie are on the market.

But if it's a fake rumours as Stv just said, it explains a lot. ;-)

 

[stv11]

It seems that it's a lot more than a rumor. Well, as a hockey fan I can only say: What the h....

But as a Lugano fan, wwwwoooooohhhhhoooooo

 

[torero]

Hello guys,

Do you know something on this young player ?

Sven Andrighetto

http://www.planetehockey.com/news-adn-prep-sven-andrighetto-impressionne,27561.html

interesting article of course it is only 2 games and ... but maybe you know more about his past and his potential ?
tks

 

[smitty10]

I think the reason that Winnipeg signed Aebischer instead of a guy like Conz is that it's passed the date (July or August 15) where you can sign Europeans who already have contracts and their clubs will be compensated. Aebischer was a UFA. I think there are better available goalies though..

 

[torero]

Our traditional intra-season list of Swiss young guys playing abroad :

Sutter Dave - 21.02. 92 Seattle Thunderbirds/WHL
Trutmann Dario - 17.09. 92 Plymouth Whalers/OHL
Andrighetto Sven - 21.03. 93 Rouyn-Noranda Huskies/QMJHL
Bärtschi Sven - 05.10. 92 Calgary Flames/NHL // Portland Winterhawks WHL
Kuonen Raphaël - 13.03. 92 Cedar Rapids Roughriders/USHL
Martschini Lino - 21.01. 93 Petersborough Petes/OHL
Muller Devin - 04.03. 92 Salmon Arm Silverbacks/BCHL
Richard Tanner - 06.04. 93 Guelph Storm/OHL
Ryan McGregor - 13.3.91 Harvard University
Allessio Bertagia ... Brandon Wheat Kings
Eric Arnold ... Moose Jaw Warriors


Dean Kukan - 07.08.93 Lulea J20
Luca Bolthauser - 17.7.93 Farjestatd J20
Hächler Cédric - 01.07. 93 Malmö J20/SWE

Actually if I mention Bärtschi, it would be faire to mention :
Nino Nidereiter - ? Islanders NY // Portland Winterhawks WHL

I am sure i forgot some, so if you feel an urge to add some guys or give more explanations or additional informations on a player. Be my guest ! Por favor ... or Pajalsta ...

We can happily add
(which i forgot)



Another 2 ... making 15 young guns with / 13 without Sven and Nino.

 

[stv11]

I think the reason that Winnipeg signed Aebischer instead of a guy like Conz is that it's passed the date (July or August 15) where you can sign Europeans who already have contracts and their clubs will be compensated. Aebischer was a UFA. I think there are better available goalies though..

He's actually under contract, but his club wouldn't mind to unload him.

 

[torero]

The traditional NHL/AHL Swiss players list

Jonas Hiller - ANA
Luca Sbisa - ANA
Mark Streit - NYI
Nino Niederreiter - NYI / Portland
Sven Baerschi - Calgary / Portland
Yannick Weber - Habs
Rafael Diaz - Habs / Hamilton
Alain Berger - Hamilton
Robert Meyer - Hamilton
Roman Josi - Predators / Amirals

Martin Gerber - Växjö Lakers SWE

Tryout

David Aebischer - Winipeg Jets
Philippe Seydoux - Abotsford heats


who says that swiss hockey isn't in a healthy and serious upward movement

13 young guns (11 without Nino and Sven)
11 players in the big league and the farm team league (9 without Nino and Sven)
2 tryout

I do not remember a year with so many mercenaries ! and so few goalies ! (proportionaly)
are we starting to produce not only holes but also the cheese around ?

 

[torero]

it is interesting to note that the 11 players in NHL/AHL are in fact concentrated in 5 organisations (out of 30 organisations) and 80% of the organisations having swiss players have more than 1 swiss player !

Could we see in this that organisations are trying and when they feel successfull with a swiss player, they go for another therefore tend to start having more than 1 ??
(to be taken as negative exemples ... NYR with Ambuhl, Ottawa simply being very Insensitive as per the nationality)

A quick "conversion" exemple being Calgary ... they "inherit" Baerschi, they discover they made a hell of a deal ... and out of nowhere .... Seydoux gets a trial with their farm team.

Acceleration with the Habs, they had Aebischer, a unfruitfull mariage .... then they get Streit, who starts adjusting to NA ice, improves and gets mobed/ignored/denied his acquired level; he goes and blossoms into a star with the NYI, and leaves a sour taste ... while Yannick Weber works his way as a top young defender who turns this year into a rookie/regular/1st year NHL'er. And they acquire actively 2 swiss, namely Diaz and Berger. Nice acceleration.

That is the luck for Switzerland now. The teams have a salary cap. Therefore they have a much stronger incentive to find good deals, undervalued players. So if a country is undervalued, you may see a rush on this country's assets. (hockey players in this case). Are we witnessing such a move ?
That is the macro picture.

and the micro picture could be that on average, the organizations are run with a lot of conventional wisdom, therefore adopting slowly new concepts or views. That is the break on the move.

Very simplistic ... i know ... but always interesting to try and understand the ropes that pull on the facts.

 

[torero]

I will always have regrets on Wick, Blindenbacher, Stephan, (Steiner because i like his style ... that gave ideas to Seydoux) and Ambuhl (and Gerber) who, in my view, in another context, and a bit more time and luck, could have blossomed not necessarily into top stars but into a 3rd liner or 2nd ... 1st not being exculded upfront but more unlikely we agree (me mues nit ubertribe ! )

 

[swissexpert]

I will always have regrets on Wick, Blindenbacher, Stephan, (Steiner because i like his style ... that gave ideas to Seydoux) and Ambuhl (and Gerber) who, in my view, in another context, and a bit more time and luck, could have blossomed not necessarily into top stars but into a 3rd liner or 2nd ... 1st not being exculded upfront but more unlikely we agree (me mues nit ubertribe ! )

Those 4 all had their chances. They gave up after one year instead of trying further.
If Streit would've given up after his first NA-experience, he'd have never played an NHL game. (The exception is Ambühl, who really had no chance to etablish himself. But even I, as a Davos fan did never see an NHL player in him)

And I don't even say it's wrong what they did. In case of Wick, he can be a leader, topscorer and league champion here. Is that really much worse than a 3rd line NHLer? (Ok, I say yes, but I'm very NHL focussed)
Is it really fun to change home every other week and get called-up and down from AHL to NHL-backup? Because that's what Stephan was about to do, the organization didn't trust him and he knew it. Can't blame him for going to Switzerland where he has money, family and home.

I'm happy for everyone who's going to try it, especially those who doesn't really have NHL chances like Steiner or Martschini, but I can understand the other side too.

 

[stv11]

I think you're a bit harsh on Ambühl. His style of play fits well in an NHL 3rd or 4th line role (at least more so than Wick's) and he has proven he can contribute against world class players.

Regarding Wick and Blindenbacher, given that few players makes it to the NHL after spending more than one year in the AHL, they better stay in Europe and hope to attract attention from another team from here. That's what happend with Gerber, Hiller and Streit (his season in North America didn't play much of a role in him being drafted and becoming an NHL player), and there's no reason to think other players can't follow that path.

Not sure why most people think that "paying his due in the AHL" is a necessary passage on the way to the NHL, this is not a better league than the top European ones and most European NHLers don't spend much, if any, time there.

 

[torero]

I must say that i also believe that Ambuhl could have been a NHLer.

I saw several games of him in AHL, and while sometimes he was absolutely absent, sometimes he was above the crowd. With his mates looking like slow : slow acting, slow/simple thinking.
Then he didn't have the size and/or power to do it all alone. But i could have projected him with decent players around him and the team in front would have been smoked.

As per Gerber, i am sure he could get a 2 way contract somewhere as a 3rd goalie.

++

I have the feeling that border line players are well exposed to the need to pay for having the right to play in NHL.
I was imaginingit was old-stylish NHL mgmt. (On this board we witnessed a scout arguing so simplistically on Blindenbacher and Swiss players. That guy, i am sure, believes the players has to earn it.)
This guy can surely say such a thing and being listened to ! Yet to do the same for a star is more difficult.

 

[Rafik Soliman]

Not sure why most people think that "paying his due in the AHL" is a necessary passage on the way to the NHL, this is not a better league than the top European ones and most European NHLers don't spend much, if any, time there.

Well it is the route to the NHL and I say most Players in the NHL had to go this route, when they weren't ready for the big show....

And you have to agree, that despite we're having a good and skilled league it is very different from every North American League. I believe, skill wise the National League is among the better in europe, but intensity wise, competitivness and the level of hockey sense is were we'll have to add and improve so we can say a Player out of the Swiss League should be able to step in right away into the NHL... But as for now I think a Swiss Player has to prove that he is able to adjust to the different Playing style and other (rougher) Team rules which you have to admit are different from Switzerland, were a Player is more of a prima balerina, than a guy who has to fight or compete hard every night or otherwise you're losing your place on the team...

 

[stv11]

Well it is the route to the NHL and I say most Players in the NHL had to go this route, when they weren't ready for the big show....

I'm not talking about guys playing there half a season or even less, but about those who spend more than one full season in the AHL. NHLers having followed this road are a minority, this was the whole point of that study published by the IIHF a few years ago, and I have seen some independant studies confirming this.

And you have to agree, that despite we're having a good and skilled league it is very different from every North American League. I believe, skill wise the National League is among the better in europe, but intensity wise, competitivness and the level of hockey sense is were we'll have to add and improve so we can say a Player out of the Swiss League should be able to step in right away into the NHL... But as for now I think a Swiss Player has to prove that he is able to adjust to the different Playing style and other (rougher) Team rules which you have to admit are different from Switzerland, were a Player is more of a prima balerina, than a guy who has to fight or compete hard every night or otherwise you're losing your place on the team...

The NLA is obviously different from North American league, but I disagree of your assessement of it. Skill wise, the level is poor (at least as far as hand skills are concerned) but hockey sense looks good to me. Regarding intensity, it's not so bad but obviously way lower than in North America. Still, many players make the jump to NHL directly from the Eliteserien, the top European league with the lowest intensity level.

The biggest problem you mention is, in my opinion, depth. Althought 4th lines are nowadays way better than what they were only 5 or 6 years ago, it's still far away from creating an everyday fight for roster spots and a strong NLB.

 

[torero]

News on the swiss rookies :

Gregory Hoffman ... seems to be moving up in the rankings. We will soon have more information's

Baertschi ... although he didn't score in a 6-1 defeat to the sharks ... he had the 2nd star and was highly praised by HF board fans.
http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=982531

Berger ... nice appreciation by fans again
http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=980597&page=6

Nino ... hasn't played so far. He shouldn't have too much impact ... since that type of games typically advantages light/small fast players. Nino being a bit bigger ... he could look slow and outpaced.

 

[swissexpert]

Berger and Nino with 2 goal games!

 

[torero]

Berger and Nino with 2 goal games!

krutoi

 

[torero]

Gerber is doing well in SEL ... 1st game 1 goal against on 39 shots !!
2nd 2 goals agains on 38 shots ... and a win by penalties ...

not wanting to make game words but (in french) : en va pas en faire un fromage ! mais c'est pas mal.