WC: 2018 - Team Switzerland

swissexpert

Registered User
Sep 21, 2009
2,720
974
countries like Denmark and Latvia will be turning out NHL players like Sweden and Finns

How should that happen? They've caught up a bit lately, but those kinda statements are very naive.
Have you once watched their domestic leagues? They didn't even have a hockey stadium big enough to host the WHC.
Denmark doesn't care about hockey, and Latvia is financially a beggar in relation to the big nations.
Do you realize that Sweden and Finland each have about 75'000 hockey licenses?
Latvia has 6500 and Denmark 4500...

Switzerland has built a good foundation for some success over the last decade but even that won't ever get us near Sweden long-term.

That being said, we'll win tonight! HOPP SCHWIIZ!!
 

VainGretzky

Registered User
Jun 4, 2015
13,013
10,390
How should that happen? They've caught up a bit lately, but those kinda statements are very naive.
Have you once watched their domestic leagues? They didn't even have a hockey stadium big enough to host the WHC.
Denmark doesn't care about hockey, and Latvia is financially a beggar in relation to the big nations.
Do you realize that Sweden and Finland each have about 75'000 hockey licenses?
Latvia has 6500 and Denmark 4500...

Switzerland has built a good foundation for some success over the last decade but even that won't ever get us near Sweden long-term.

That being said, we'll win tonight! HOPP SCHWIIZ!!
Look where swiss hockey was 30 years ago to today , there are also many bigger hockey nations than Denmark that are not as good as them , Lets look at NHL in 1978 49 players in the Usa laced up for at least one game and less than 25 with 50 or more, Last season 256 players did , miracle on Ice changed the optics of hockey in the USA forever . Thest types of acheivmnents get kids enrolling in Hockey , the better the nations become the more get involved it attracts better coaching and instruction from Former players . Look how many new nations have joined the IIHF in the last 20 years , the popularity world wide made this tournament expand from 8 to 16 teams . Teams like Italy and Hungary who used to be sorta reputable as nations are not even on the map anymore because their nations became stagnant , and never advanced . Winning brings kids into sports fact.
 

swissexpert

Registered User
Sep 21, 2009
2,720
974
Hungary is a very bad example, they are as good as never before (unless you look back at times before WW2...) and will probably be playing in the top division soon.

So what is your reasoning to think that Denmark with it's 27 hockey rinks will rise like the USA? You can't even compare these countries. The hockey was already there, they just didn't go to the NHL like today. And while Vegas or Arizona didn't know the sport then, people in Minnesota, Boston or New York have always played hockey.
And what is the Danish/Latvian success you're talking about? What have they done equal to the miracle on ice that will change their hockey-identity?
 

duga

Registered User
Jan 28, 2010
897
80
Zuerich
Gerber was incredible.

Once i was watching Ottawa play with Gerber in net. He was blanking the adverse team. I was hoping that the adverse team shoots more on the goal so as to make the number unreal. So much i had confidence in Gerber; or rather so much he was irradiating confidence in his game.

I guess no team wanted ever to face a Gerber "ON".

:bow: :bow: :bow: Martin Gerber


Gerber in his best days was truly impressive.

Even more so when you consider the up-hill climb he had to do, out of the dungeon of swiss hockey to international recognition... not unlike Corvi's path.

Let's hope Enzo can reach similar heights.
 

torero

Registered User
Oct 5, 2007
4,585
326
West Sussex
www.scb.ch
Gerber in his best days was truly impressive.

Even more so when you consider the up-hill climb he had to do, out of the dungeon of swiss hockey to international recognition... not unlike Corvi's path.

Let's hope Enzo can reach similar heights.

Not wanting to spend too much time on Gerber ... (although he deserves plenty of time :bow:) But it is a pity that he was inconsistent and specially when it was becoming important. He brought Carolina up to the playoffs when they became Champions ... Then he had intestinal flue and and Cam ward took over and carried the load. And started a career long contract with the Huricanes. Then Gerber went to Ottawa, where he had tough time with another goalie that was ... actualy not bad but toxic IMO. It resulted into a negative environment for him. He was never really lucky.

++

Would you believe that Corvi has some NHL future ? isn't it a bit fast to project him there ?
i would more see a Shappi , Scherwey , Haas for the time being.
 

Jon Riley

Registered User
May 2, 2015
829
322
Oslo
Well, if you consider the curve of his improvement over time and extrapolate it in the future, I would expect Corvi hit McDavid's status in a couple of weeks and reach the level of hockey almighty deity in max six months.
 
  • Like
Reactions: torero and Pouliot

BruinLVGA

CZ Shadow 2 Compact coming my way!
Dec 15, 2013
15,193
7,334
Switzerland
The Swiss have been slowly but surely climbing the world hockey ranks for years now , and soon in the future they and countries like Denmark and Latvia will be turning out NHL players like Sweden and Finns , Never figured out why the Norweigans hit those heights

Until they have viable (as in good level) domestic leagues, I severely doubt it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: swissexpert

BruinLVGA

CZ Shadow 2 Compact coming my way!
Dec 15, 2013
15,193
7,334
Switzerland
1. Look where swiss hockey was 30 years ago to today , there are also many bigger hockey nations than Denmark that are not as good as them , Lets look at NHL in 1978 49 players in the Usa laced up for at least one game and less than 25 with 50 or more, Last season 256 players did , miracle on Ice changed the optics of hockey in the USA forever . Thest types of acheivmnents get kids enrolling in Hockey , the better the nations become the more get involved it attracts better coaching and instruction from Former players . Look how many new nations have joined the IIHF in the last 20 years , the popularity world wide made this tournament expand from 8 to 16 teams . 2. Teams like Italy and Hungary who used to be sorta reputable as nations are not even on the map anymore because their nations became stagnant , and never advanced . Winning brings kids into sports fact.

1. There's a reason why Switzerland improved this way in the past 30 years.
Did you know that 30 years ago the only full pros were the foreign players hired by the teams? Swiss players had part time jobs. No kidding.
I have first hand experience in that: Roberto Triulzi (6 times Swiss champion, 109 games with the national team) had a job with the same company I was working in at that time. He was in the IT department.
Once they transitioned to being REAL pros (no more stupid part time jobs. Only 100% hockey) in the early 90s, you see the results today.

2. Hungary, except for a one year stint in the top group a couple of years ago, was never anything in hockey, to the best of my knowledge.
Italy had a good run, but that was only fueled by their federation's policy to rely heavily on Italian-Canadians and Italian-Americans (trivia: Jim Corsi, the guy behind the famous state, was their goalie and he was near unbeatable). Once they made the decision to have players who actually knew where Italy was on a map, that was it for them. They really had no youth system and hockey in Italy doesn't really have a following. As a matter of fact, their league pretty much folded.
 

duga

Registered User
Jan 28, 2010
897
80
Zuerich
Not wanting to spend too much time on Gerber ... (although he deserves plenty of time :bow:) But it is a pity that he was inconsistent and specially when it was becoming important. He brought Carolina up to the playoffs when they became Champions ... Then he had intestinal flue and and Cam ward took over and carried the load. And started a career long contract with the Huricanes. Then Gerber went to Ottawa, where he had tough time with another goalie that was ... actualy not bad but toxic IMO. It resulted into a negative environment for him. He was never really lucky.

++

Would you believe that Corvi has some NHL future ? isn't it a bit fast to project him there ?
i would more see a Shappi , Scherwey , Haas for the time being.


Ah, the good old Ray Emery. I do remember him. Not exactly the type of character you want to take over your Nr. 1 position, I suppose. Tosio, Hextall, Emery, Brust, Schumacher, Higuita, Kahn, Solo. Some GKs tend to be borderline crazy.

And Cam Ward, I always will remember him as the GK, who looked absolutely helpless, whenever A. Syomin (my all-time favorite sportsman) decided to beat him with a highlight-reel shot/move from pretty much anywhere in the O-zone, even moreso than M.Brodeur.

IIRC as a GK for the swiss NT, Gerber was very reliable though, even in very important moments. (Minus the one game, they lost against Sweden, 5 years ago...:()

About Corvi. Whenever we were discussing future swiss NT rosters in the last 2-3 years in here, I was trying to bring him up. His unique skillset was just too obvious not to be tested on international level. Now that he's proving that not only his skills do work on this level, but that he also reads the plays quick enough in a very cool manner on both sides of the ice and most surprisingly isn't intimidated by the physical play, I see no reason, why he shouldn't be able to make an NHL-roster comes next autumn. He certainly will get offers. Question is, for a guy, who never played outside of his comfort area (Graubünden), is there enough commitment to go the risky way and enter terra incognita. According to Andreas Hänni, rumors were that this could be a matter with Corvi. But to be honest, when you see the joy in his eyes and the lust for sneaky plays here in Denmark at this level, that might change...
Especially if he gets an offer from Minnesota. Im sure the other swiss NHL players are pushing him as well to try it.

There were rumors for quite some time that Haas, beside Suter and Praplan, was scouted by NHL-teams. So, he's definitely an option as well. Scherwey and Vermin probably are gaining some interest as well. Hofmann has stated this year, that he wants to try it overseas as well.

Schäppi is more unlikely I guess, not explosive or skilled enough for small ice purposes. It's still the skill players that normally attract interest from overseas.

That's how I see it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: torero

filip85

Registered User
Feb 7, 2017
1,589
779
Latvian success you're talking about? What have they done equal to the miracle on ice that will change their hockey-identity?

Latvia, given it's population number, has already done a miracle by staying in Elite for 22 years and reaching quarters for several times. That is just my opinion :) And hockey is clear no1. sport in Latvia, while in Denmark is behind soccer, handball both mens and womens.
 

swissexpert

Registered User
Sep 21, 2009
2,720
974
Latvia, given it's population number, has already done a miracle by staying in Elite for 22 years and reaching quarters for several times. That is just my opinion :) And hockey is clear no1. sport in Latvia, while in Denmark is behind soccer, handball both mens and womens.
I totally share the opinion that they've done a great job in developing hockey players and also gaining quite an interest among the population.

That doesn't change my point that they'll never produce NHLers like Swe or Fin.
Just an opinion too, of course.
 

Jon Riley

Registered User
May 2, 2015
829
322
Oslo
I know I should not be, but I am gutted.
So.damn.close.

It has been a good ride, absolutely incredible what came out of the players, all of them.
We already knew how good guys like Josi are. I did not know how good guys like Fora could be.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BruinLVGA and duga

jonas2244

Registered User
Jan 4, 2010
3,330
684
Yeah, Fora played the game of his life. All defenders, Kukan was amazing, Untersander without any mistake. We don't have to talk about Mueller anymore, who was probably the best defensive Defender of the tournament. And Diaz is such a great guy, his interview after the game was amazing, pure class. And he probably played his best hockey there.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BruinLVGA

Speyer

Registered User
Sep 23, 2016
1,697
1,201
Im Wald
I am just empty. I had a bad feeling going in the shootout from the start. We are much less used to high pressure Situations like this than the Swedes. Dammit this is going to suck for a few days...
 

King Weber

Registered User
Apr 9, 2015
4,594
1,547
would be really surprised if most of the non-NHL Swiss players don't have a bunch of NHL teams interested in them right now. Especially so for Corvi, Fora and Hofmann.
 

jonas2244

Registered User
Jan 4, 2010
3,330
684
They're probably all already on the list. Fora got scouted heavily this year, also Gaetan Haas. Hofmann is still bound to the Carolina Hurricanes I think.
 

Speyer

Registered User
Sep 23, 2016
1,697
1,201
Im Wald
would be really surprised if most of the non-NHL Swiss players don't have a bunch of NHL teams interested in them right now. Especially so for Corvi, Fora and Hofmann.

In 2013 when we reached the finals a few NLA guys were great too, but nothing really materialized except a two way contract for Simon Moser in Nashville. I think Corvi would probably be the most likely candidate. Maybe Haas as he was scouted by Calgary this season.
 

filip85

Registered User
Feb 7, 2017
1,589
779
Hopefully next year Suter, Bartschi, Malgin, Hischier will all be available. With all them Swiss are set for another run.
 

jonas2244

Registered User
Jan 4, 2010
3,330
684
Some players are RFA or UFA next year (Andrighetto, Bärtschi, Mueller, Fiala) which normally isn't a time where they are coming to the WC. We'll see.
 

BruinLVGA

CZ Shadow 2 Compact coming my way!
Dec 15, 2013
15,193
7,334
Switzerland
would be really surprised if most of the non-NHL Swiss players don't have a bunch of NHL teams interested in them right now. Especially so for Corvi, Fora and Hofmann.

Hoffman was at the 2017 Carolina camp (I think they own his rights for NA), but got cut.
He had such a good season: 22 goals in the NLA regular season and then 14 goals in the playoffs... Now 5 goals at the Worlds... I think that he might be in NA next year.
 

jonas2244

Registered User
Jan 4, 2010
3,330
684
Fischer told today on Swiss television that Josi broke his hand in the semifinal and Moser had a broken finger.
 

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Ad