Switzerland
I begin with Switzerland because, Holy Molly, it has been one busy summer!
Plenty of teams moving around in SWHL A and B as the SIHF has been pushing top clubs to invest in the women's game, offering them the opportunity to join without having to start all the way down from the fourth tier.
SC Bern and HC Davos decided to go the easy way by simply acquiring existing top flight clubs and renaming them. Bern took over last year's finalist EV Bomo Thun (
https://www.swisshockeynews.ch/inde...mo-thun-officially-becomes-the-sc-bern-frauen) while Davos integrated HC Thurgau Ladies who won the third place series (
Jetzt steigt auch der HCD ins Frauen-Hockey ein). They are joined by SWHL B champions HC Fribourg-Gottéron Ladies who integrated the NL club last year. It more than doubles the number of NL clubs also engaged in women's top division, the other two being women's powerhouse ZSC Lions Frauen and last year's newbies HC Ambrí-Piotta Girls. They now represent the majority in the eight-team SWHL A.
With this influx of top clubs and the professionalisation of the league, HC Ladies Lugano decided to call it a day last March (
Si chiude la storia dell'HC Ladies Lugano - La Gazzetta Del Ticino). Not only money was an issue but infrastructure as well. The club has been contending for ice time with HC Lugano, the club they split from 5 years ago, and ended up using subpar facilities (
"Lugano non è più un luogo attrattivo"). But new ownership and management gave hope for a brighter future and the club was able to confirm its place in the league (
La storia continua: rinasce il Lugano Ladies Team).
However recent developments have jeopardised everything. On 31st August, new president Cesare Badila was arrested for a range of fraud crimes committed over the years. In short, the man has been using a large number of companies to contract debts as well as a hefty Covid support grant from the Swiss government to finance his lavish lifestyle.
Therefore none of the money promised ever reached the club's accounts and its very existence is now again in doubt as the club still holds preexisting debts accumulated under the previous management. On their side, HC Lugano was quick to make a press release after the news broke, stating having no involvement with the women's team and maintaining its intention of bringing girls into the game but no mention on whether it is willing to save the team. This seems anyway doubtful as the club still has its pandemic debt to recover from. The city also declared not being in a position to help and also reminds it has been asking for more details about the change of hands but was left without reply. Current management will decide in the coming days whether it continues or not (
Lugano, un disastro per le Ladies l’arresto del presidente).
This would be a very sad end for a stronghold of Swiss women's hockey. Under its different forms, Lugano won 8 league titles, reached another 10 finals, won 3 Swiss/National Cups and made 4 EWCC Super Final appearances.
On the players' front, the biggest news has been obviously Alina Müller joining ZSC until the new PWHL comes calling. Four other players came over from the PHF on a more permanent basis, Anna Kilponen for ZSC being the most prominent one.
Bern kept Bomo's core players such as top scorers Otamo and Duvin or the Marty sisters just to name a few. Among the recruits, D Lara Christen from Langenthal stands out. Davos also kept a good number of players. They were able to sign D Janine Hauser from ZSC and G Caroline Spies from Langenthal but lost Shannon Sigrist and Zoé Mächler to Zurich and up and coming Leonie Kutzer and Annic Büchi to Zug.
Over the summer, most of Lugano's main players, including veteran Nicole Bullo, joined Ambrí-Piotta, making them a potential playoffs contender. A few players went the other way but now who knows where they will be in the near future. Another player who joined Lugano is Japanese international Yoshino Enomoto but this may end up being one costly trip.
Neuchâtel hasn't made much of a splash. But its NA recruits should improve its roster a bit. Meanwhile Langenthal has lost quite a good few of its best players without replacing them in terms of quality and will have a hard time keeping the rhythm.
Fribourg-Gottéron kept SWHL B top scorer Betty Jouanny but its next 3 stayed down with Lausanne. G Jade Dübi and D Marion Gremaud will bring some top flight experience as most players signed came from SWHL B.
Finally ZSC Lions saw some of its young guns leaving for Zug and a couple of experienced players to Davos. But the arrivals of Sigrist, Mächler, Kilponen and other players more than compensate their departure. The temporary addition of Müller should also help them getting a strong start.
My prediction
1. ZSC Lions Frauen
2. SC Bern Frauen
3. HC Davos Ladies
4. HC Ambrí-Piotta Girls
5. Neuchâtel Hockey Academy Dames
6. HC Fribourg-Gottéron Ladies
7. HC Ladies Lugano
8. SC Langenthal Damen
