U17: Five Nations Tournament (Visp, Switzerland)

[Maverick41]

I wonder what will happen with the US game tomorrow vs. Switzerland. Since Germany refused to play today, the win was awarded to the US team by a score of 5-0.

 

[GermanSpitfire]

My understanding was that the 'starter' for the World Juniors this Xmas was also quite good... I don't know his name but he didn't play. Was he drafted too?

Yeah, Germany has 2 returnees from last years team in Florian Bugl and Arno Tiefensse, then Nikita Quapp who was drafted this past season, these guy likely will be the 3 guys Germany brings with them.

Starter will likely be Bugl with an outside chance of Quapp surpassing him. Tiefensse should be the #3 but he’s a quality #3 at that.

Goaltending is definitely not a weakness for German’s u-20 team this time around.

 

[GermanSpitfire]

I wonder what will happen with the US game tomorrow vs. Switzerland. Since Germany refused to play today, the win was awarded to the US team by a score of 5-0.

Probably for the best, Germany likely would have been shelled for 10+

 

[Czechboy]

I wonder what will happen with the US game tomorrow vs. Switzerland. Since Germany refused to play today, the win was awarded to the US team by a score of 5-0.

That seems backwards... it's a small tourney and I get winning it isn't that big a deal but I think it should've been the Germans awarded the win.

 

[Maverick41]

That seems backwards... it's a small tourney and I get winning it isn't that big a deal but I think it should've been the Germans awarded the win.

The tournament is held in accordance with IIHF rules, and under those rules, at least as far as I am aware, the game could have been played because 2 Covid cases do not mandate a cancellation of a game, and therefore the team that refuses to play takes the loss. It is what it is.

Tomorrow I will probably have some time to check out the game between Germany and the Czechs from yesterday.

 

[Antiillafire]

Sisik having a really good tournament

 

[kudla]

Swiss birthyears 04 and 05 aren't looking very good

 

[Speyer]

Swiss birthyears 04 and 05 aren't looking very good

Not much there after Bichsel unfortuantely. Expected much more from Gruber and to a lesser extent from guys like Hull or Schneller in this tournament. Right now we are clearly behind the Czechs and Slovaks for the forseable future...

 

[Kuracmugger]

Not much there after Bichsel unfortuantely. Expected much more from Gruber and to a lesser extent guys like Hull or Schneller in this tournament. Right now we are clearly behind the Czechs and Slovaks for the forseable future...

I always feel like that our junior national teams should do better than they do but maybe we‘re just not as good as we believe but at last year’s wjc I’m certain that it was also a matter of coaching tho but in this tournament it felt like underperforming IMO. But it’s cool to hear about schneller he is a very close friend of mine

 

[Czechboy]

Not much there after Bichsel unfortuantely. Expected much more from Gruber and to a lesser extent from guys like Hull or Schneller in this tournament. Right now we are clearly behind the Czechs and Slovaks for the forseable future...

Future looks a little bleak

Present I think the Swiss would beat Slovakia and give the Czechs a hell of a run - let's call it 50-50. Biggest current Swiss problem is no NHL goalie when you used to have 2 or 3 very good ones. I know everyone likes the Euro goalies you have but I still think an NHL goalie is key.

Currently Czechs and Slovaks don't have a Josi and he's all world!

 

[Dirtyf1ghter]

In terms of potential, the gap is huge between Czech Republic and Switzerland.

9 regular NHL players, no high level goalkeeper, unconvincing defenders behind Josi-Kukan, lack of depth in attack.

In Europe, no Swiss perform outside the NLA. The performance of Jan Kovar and Roman Cervenka shows that the Swiss evolving in NLA do not have the level to integrate a Czech squad.

Switzerland is clearly 7th for a few years before moving back to 8th. It is even possible that Germany will go ahead.

2021 Potential ranking
1 Canada
2 USA
3 Sweden
4 Russia
5 Finland
6 Czechia
7 Switzerland
8 Slovakia
9 Germany

2026 Forecast potential ranking
1 Canada
2 USA
3 Russia
4 Sweden
5 Finland
6 Czechia
7 Slovakia
8 Germany
9 Switzerland

 

[Speyer]

Future looks a little bleak

Present I think the Swiss would beat Slovakia and give the Czechs a hell of a run - let's call it 50-50. Biggest current Swiss problem is no NHL goalie when you used to have 2 or 3 very good ones. I know everyone likes the Euro goalies you have but I still think an NHL goalie is key.

Currently Czechs and Slovaks don't have a Josi and he's all world!

Yeah, when I stated we were clearly behind the Czechs and Slovaks, I meant mostly the current junior national teams (u20-u17). Regarding the A-teams I also still think we are ahead of Slovakia for now and not to far behind the Czechs. But once Josi and Niederreiter will start to decline the scales may tip out of our favor fast. As far as goalies are concerned that probably won't change in the near future either. We have some good young goalies in the NLA but none of them has the size for the NHL unfortunately.

 

[filip85]

In Europe, no Swiss perform outside the NLA.

They don't "perform" beause they don't have any valid reason to go out of the NL. In the NL they have money, very good league, short distances and sleeping in their bed every night. Martin Pluss played for Frolunda for four seasons and had 0.70 ppg which is very good for league like SHL.

 

[Czechboy]

Yeah, when I stated we were clearly behind the Czechs and Slovaks, I meant mostly the current junior national teams (u20-u17). Regarding the A-teams I also still think we are ahead of Slovakia for now and not to far behind the Czechs. But once Josi and Niederreiter will start to decline the scales may tip out of our favor fast. As far as goalies are concerned that probably won't change in the near future either. We have some good young goalies in the NLA but none of them has the size for the NHL unfortunately.

It's funny because I used to not like the Swiss senior teams.. called them the Euro soccer Greeks and hated their style.

Now I love the Swiss teams, explosive, creative and structured. Just beautiful to watch. I honestly had the Swiss as a Gold fav at World's this year with that lineup.

Swiss have all these amazing players but never at the same time. Forwards come to NHL right around same time both goalies left. I do think the swiss teams at pro on pro Olympics (assumign it happens) will be brutal to play. I think they could beat anyone and they've already shown they can hang with best on best Canada's.

 

[filip85]

It's funny because I used to not like the Swiss senior teams.. called them the Euro soccer Greeks and hated their style.

Now I love the Swiss teams, explosive, creative and structured. Just beautiful to watch. I honestly had the Swiss as a Gold fav at World's this year with that lineup.

Swiss have all these amazing players but never at the same time. Forwards come to NHL right around same time both goalies left. I do think the swiss teams at pro on pro Olympics (assumign it happens) will be brutal to play. I think they could beat anyone and they've already shown they can hang with best on best Canada's.

Please don't use this Americanised (idiotic) term, that implies whoever don't play in the NHL is an amateur.

 

[Czechboy]

In terms of potential, the gap is huge between Czech Republic and Switzerland.

9 regular NHL players, no high level goalkeeper, unconvincing defenders behind Josi-Kukan, lack of depth in attack.

In Europe, no Swiss perform outside the NLA. The performance of Jan Kovar and Roman Cervenka shows that the Swiss evolving in NLA do not have the level to integrate a Czech squad.

Switzerland is clearly 7th for a few years before moving back to 8th. It is even possible that Germany will go ahead.

2021 Potential ranking
1 Canada
2 USA
3 Sweden
4 Russia
5 Finland
6 Czechia
7 Switzerland
8 Slovakia
9 Germany

2026 Forecast potential ranking
1 Canada
2 USA
3 Russia
4 Sweden
5 Finland
6 Czechia
7 Slovakia
8 Germany
9 Switzerland

In terms of potential... maybe.

However, results show we are basically tied and I think the Swiss have more medals at Worlds and Jr's than us in last decade (didn't research this, could be wrong).

We would struggle with them for sure at any level today. I don't even consider it an upset when Swiss beat us and always have an upset stomach when we play them.lol

 

[Czechboy]

8-3 over Slovakia is a nice bonus as I feel the next gen Slovaks are ahead of us! They were better at Hlinka.. and they'll probably be better at WJHC too.

 

[Goodman68]

8-3 over Slovakia is a nice bonus as I feel the next gen Slovaks are ahead of us! They were better at Hlinka.. and they'll probably be better at WJHC too.

Slovakia will certainly have two strong years and highly drafted players. However, I read an article that the years 04 and 05 are primarily a project of their parents, who invested a lot of time in them and organized tournaments beyond the association, even out of season. And that, according to them, was the biggest credit in these strong years. So the question is really how strong the next years will be, which no longer have such support.
We played very well, except for the first period with the USA. I would say that we won perfectly deservedly and the speech was close to the top teams. In the end, even the Slovak team didn't play badly, I really think that despite two high losses, there were interesting players.

 

[Czechboy]

Slovakia will certainly have two strong years and highly drafted players. However, I read an article that the years 04 and 05 are primarily a project of their parents, who invested a lot of time in them and organized tournaments beyond the association, even out of season. And that, according to them, was the biggest credit in these strong years. So the question is really how strong the next years will be, which no longer have such support.
We played very well, except for the first period with the USA. I would say that we won perfectly deservedly and the speech was close to the top teams. In the end, even the Slovak team didn't play badly, I really think that despite two high losses, there were interesting players.

It's frustrating that parents have to go that extra mile. However, I'd call that the norm in canada. Hockey parents are very crazy in canada... oh wait... passionate.lol

 

[Dirtyf1ghter]

In terms of potential... maybe.

However, results show we are basically tied and I think the Swiss have more medals at Worlds and Jr's than us in last decade (didn't research this, could be wrong).

We would struggle with them for sure at any level today. I don't even consider it an upset when Swiss beat us and always have an upset stomach when we play them.lol

Performance at the world championship does not reflect a nation's level. The best proof is the U.S.A. The 2nd best nation in hockey has not made it to the final since 1960.

The two Swiss finals give the impression that Switzerland has reached a new step but alongside these performances, there have been tournaments where Switzerland has finished in its rank. Czechia has finished in the top 3 of European nations 5 times in the past 10 years. Switzerland, only 2, both times the Swiss have finished 2nd in WC.

IIHF ranking: Czech Republic 5, Switzerland 8

In any case, the peak of Swiss hockey has passed. Players born in the 2000s seem much weaker than those born in the 1990s.

In one game, there are always reversals. But in an NHL-style tournament, Switzerland cannot afford to compete with the Czech Republic.

Switzerland must have 10 players in the top 1000 of the best players in the world, Czechia has 40.