WC: Roster Talk '13 — Switzerland

[Tritsche]

Goalies:

Tobias Stephan (Genève Servette)
Reto Berra (EHC Biel / Calgary Flames)
Martin Gerber (Rögle / Kloten Flyers)

Defenseman:

Roman Josi (Nashville Predators)
Severin Blindenbacher (ZSC Lions)
Matthias Seger (ZSC Lions)
Eric Blum (Kloten Flyers)
Philippe Furrer (SC Bern)
Robin Grossmann (HC Davos)
Julien Vauclair (HC Lugano)
Patrick von Gunten (Kloten Flyers).

Forwards:

Andres Ambühl (ZSC Lions / HC Davos)
Matthias Bieber (Kloten Flyers)
Simon Bodenmann (Kloten Flyers)
Dario Bürgler (HC Davos)
Luca i (ZSC Lions)
Ryan Gardner (SC Bern)
Denis Hollenstein (Kloten Flyers / Genève Servette)
Thibaut Monnet (ZSC Lions / Fribourg Gottéron)
Simon Moser (SCL Tigers / ?)
Nino Niederreiter (Bridgeport/AHL)
Martin Plüss ( SC Bern)
Reto Suri ( EV Zug)
Morris Trachsler (ZSC Lions)
Julian Walker (Genève Servette)

Switzerland without:

Julien Sprunger (Fribourg Gottéron - Personal Reasons)
Andrej Bykov (Fribourg Gottéron - injured)
Benjamin Conz (Fribourg Gottéron - not nominated )
Roman Wick (ZSC Lions - injured)
Kevin Romy (Genève-Servette - injured)
Sven Bärtschi (Calgary Flames - injured)
Damien Brunner (Detroit Red Wings - NHL Playoff)
Luca Sbisa (Anaheim Ducks - NHL Playoff)
Jonas Hiller (Anaheim Ducks - NHL Playoff)
Mark Streit (NY Islanders - NHL Playoff)
Yannick Weber (Montreal Canadiens - NHL Playoff)
Rafael Diaz ((Montreal Canadiens - NHL Playoff)

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[Eye of Ra]

Nino? I tought Islanders was in playoffs?

 

[JJTT]

Nino? I tought Islanders was in playoffs?

he hasn't played for the islanders this year, spent his whole year in the bridgepoint,ahl

 

[jonas2244]

Yep, and the Isles didn't wanto to call him up for the playoffs, so he's playing for Switzerland.

7 players which play their first IHWC. That's an inexperienced team.

 

[Lunatik]

I wonder how I can watch some of the Swiss games in Canada. I would really like to get a look at Berra.

 

[IHaveNoCreativity]

That's a different and weak team..

Wick and Bartschi are big losses...

 

[seafoam]

I'm curious to see how Nino will do.

 

[The Noot]

That's a different and weak team..

Wick and Bartschi are big losses...

And Bykov...
And Romy...
And *insert busy NHL player here*...
And (to a lesser extent) Sprunger...
And Conz...
And Genoni...


Nino didn't look that good last year. I hope this years progress is also visible on the NT. We desperately need it.

 

[IHaveNoCreativity]

And Bykov...
And Romy...
And *insert busy NHL player here*...
And (to a lesser extent) Sprunger...
And Conz...
And Genoni...


Nino didn't look that good last year. I hope this years progress is also visible on the NT. We desperately need it.

Conz boggles the mind...


No Bertschy ?

 

[swisdan]

Conz boggles the mind...


No Bertschy ?

Too young for this squad and still not good enough for a WM. I assume like Andrighetto.

 

[IHaveNoCreativity]

Too young for this squad and still not good enough for a WM. I assume like Andrighetto.

Ah fair enough, Andrighetto is such a sick player, I think the Swiss offensive future is bright.

 

[SCBdude]

Still don't understand why Rüthemann isn't in and players like Trachsler and Bodenmann are

 

[Tritsche]

Still don't understand why Rüthemann isn't in and players like Trachsler and Bodenmann are

Because Roman Wäger äh Simon Bodenmann score a Hattrick in a very important match against France. I mean without those Goals we would only won 3:1...

 

[CREW99AW]

Nino? I tought Islanders was in playoffs?

Isles have their callups attending pr fan events.

Anders Nilson's the only one reportedly going to Pittsburgh.

Playing in the WC against older pros vs. attending fan meet and greets.

 

[SCBdude]

Because Roman Wäger äh Simon Bodenmann score a Hattrick in a very important match against France. I mean without those Goals we would only won 3:1...

France has been tough to beat for us in the last couple of years at the WC though.

 

[jonas2244]

Still don't understand why Rüthemann isn't in and players like Trachsler and Bodenmann are

Trachsler is a Center, probably the best 4th line C we have. It's difficult to see the situation concerning Rüthemann, we all weren't present at the camp, we all didn't see how he did and we all don't know what thoughts Simpson had.

I'd have loved to see Andrighetto, cannot say if he's ready yet. If he'd be out of the playoffs earlier I think Simpson would have called him for the camp.

 

[Sverra]

That's a different and weak team..

Wick and Bartschi are big losses...

It's different yes... on paper it's weaker than other years, yes. But a weak team, nah, it's still a competitive national team, even if (as TheNeutrality mentioned) we're also missing some other important pieces, mostly because of injuries.

I don't care about Sprunger that much, he never played very well on the national team. Rüthemann, I am not sure, this year he had some up and downs.... What I think is a mistake is to not even invite Benny Plüss to the camp, he had a good season and a great playoff run.

 

[IHaveNoCreativity]

It's different yes... on paper it's weaker than other years, yes. But a weak team, nah, it's still a competitive national team, even if (as TheNeutrality mentioned) we're also missing some other important pieces, mostly because of injuries.

I don't care about Sprunger that much, he never played very well on the national team. Rüthemann, I am not sure, this year he had some up and downs.... What I think is a mistake is to not even invite Benny Plüss to the camp, he had a good season and a great playoff run.

Can never underestimate the Swiss, I really want to see their team at next year's Olympic Games..

 

[stv11]

Lots of name thrown around in this thread, but in the end the only big losses are Wick, Romy and Bärtschi. We've seen already that Sprunger isn't good enough for that level. He may be a good NLA scorer, but we're talking about the highest level of hockey here, and if you can't make the difference either with your physical play or with your speed, you won't be able to use your offensive zone skills. Bykov was mentioned as well, and although an interesting players, he wouldn't be a huge upgrade over any of the available centers.

Among the guys left home, Rüthemann is the biggest mystery. He's a guy who is always good for a few points while bringing some intensity and like most here, I see him as a better player than some of the wingers going to Stockholm. Bodenmann is unproven, but I can see some national team potential in him, and he developped some chemistry with Hollenstein, who was a lock to make the team. I find the presence of Suri and Bürgler more questionable, as I don't think they skate well enough to play a significant offensive role at this level, although Suri grew on me during the exhibition games. Among the other players mentionned, Conz is definitely not an upgrade over any of the three goalies, who all are proven at this level. Benny Plüss may have had a good season, but we all saw last year that he wasn't good enough for that level of play, so I don't think we will miss him. I would have liked to see Vermin or Martschini get a call, because I think their skillset translates well to international hockey, but as both are still young and unproven, they are far from sure things.

In the end, a few choices may be questionable, but considering the players available, it would have been difficult to have a significantly better team.

 

[koh19]

I kinda have the feeling that, although this team is one of the most inexperienced in recent years, it'll surprise everyone and do very well.

 

[Reznor]

I don't care about Sprunger that much, he never played very well on the national team. Rüthemann, I am not sure, this year he had some up and downs.... What I think is a mistake is to not even invite Benny Plüss to the camp, he had a good season and a great playoff run.

Don't really know what's the current form of Benni Plüss, he played the playoff finals with a broken nose and seemed pretty exhausted at the end...

Choosing Gerber over Conz or to a lesser extend Genoni is for me a bigger surprise...the absence of Rüthemann too.

 

[chokei]

Rüthemann didn't play too well in the finals and maybe he is exhausted or hurt. If that's the case why not give the roster spot to a younger player who might do the job as well.

Generally I got the impression after a few comments in this thread that names seem to be more important than performance or how well a player fits with the team. In the end its about to form the best team and not to have the best collection of individual players.

There are some though losses, but you can also look at it from a positive side: The goalie position is something we don't have to worry about for the next 5-10 years and of the missing defenders Josi is the best anyway at the moment and he is coming. But the losses in the offense really hurt; Brunner, Bärtschi, Romy, Wick. At least Niederreiter is coming, but I don't think he has a top-6 spot guaranteed, he is still just not that good IMO.

As a previous poster said, I want to see what the team can do in Sochi. Looks promising.

 

[jonas2244]

Choosing Gerber over Conz or to a lesser extend Genoni is for me a bigger surprise...the absence of Rüthemann too.

Really? Gerber is still a great goalkeeper (91.7% in Sweden with one of the weakest teams) and has probably saw everything you can see in ice-hockey. It would be pretty dumb to let such an experienced goalkeeper at home. Berra will be the #1 anyway.

 

[stv11]

Generally I got the impression after a few comments in this thread that names seem to be more important than performance or how well a player fits with the team. In the end its about to form the best team and not to have the best collection of individual players.

Very true, but when compared to Krüger, who took that concept to the extreme, Simpson seems to put more value on the individual players and their current form.

In all three WC Simpson coached, I always had the feeling that the fourth line was just the "best of rest", the three players who didn't make the top nine.

 

[Reznor]

Really? Gerber is still a great goalkeeper (91.7% in Sweden with one of the weakest teams) and has probably saw everything you can see in ice-hockey. It would be pretty dumb to let such an experienced goalkeeper at home. Berra will be the #1 anyway.

I'm not saying that he is bad, but maybe it is time to turn the page and see what others can do...