WC: Team Switzerland 2022

[jonas2244]

I think he could but I don't think he gets a free spot, so he'd need to come to camp and play preperation games and as he's playoff-bound I doubt we'll see him this year.

 

[jonas2244]

Fischer will add 1G, 1D and 1F from the Semifinalists for next week, more to follow in one week. No names as of now. There won't be any cuts.

2 wins vs. France, both wins in the last period though clearyl the better team overall at least today. (SOG 51 - 20!!) Not much to take out from this games. Delemont was better than expected, Frick played rock solid and was the best D-men overall (better than Loeffel who was invisible and Alatalo who should have more impact in such games). I still like Karrer altough he looked pretty weak on that one play. Le Coultre is far from ready yet. Glauser was not really noticeable (which isn't bad) and Fora played his role. Alatalo had the most TOI with 18 minutes.

On offence Eggenberger scored twice but wasn't seen much elsewhere. Fuchs hit the post twice (and won 70% of his faceoffs). Hischier had a good game and Jäger showed his progress too. Riat and Rod showed that they could make the team. Künzle got a lot of ice-time but didn't produce anything really dangerous. Fahrni had 3 SOG in just 6:33 of icetime and had some nice shifts especially towards the end. Really looking forward to his U20-WJC.

 

[stv11]

Aeschlimann, Egli and Mottet to join the team for the games against Germany, Berra, Corvi and Ambühl the next week. Nothing about Diaz, the defense is really thin.

 

[jonas2244]

Diaz lost some teeth in the playoffs. Maybe related to that. I don't think it's related to not wanting to call him anymore because otherwise you wouldn't call Ambühl, also.

Yeah, defense is really thin, but there is hope for Josi, Moser, Kukan, Siegenthaler and Berni and if all those 5 would join it would be probably one of the stronger defenses we ever had. Yeah I know, pretty unlikly.

 

[stv11]

It's a bit hard to know if Berni would be an upgrade over guys like Karrer. On the other hand I'd take Geisser right away

 

[jonas2244]

Yeah, hard to know but I'd guess so.

Geisser probably has to play AHL-playoffs. Maybe he can join, we'll see. Would be an upgrade, of course.

 

[stv11]

So Diaz was a decision by Fischer. I don't really agree with that, he's still better than many players on the current roster, even though he wasn't a lock to make the team if everyone was available.

 

[Shawn Heins 44]

So Diaz was a decision by Fischer. I don't really agree with that, he's still better than many players on the current roster, even though he wasn't a lock to make the team if everyone was available.

Let's see what the D is at the WC in the end. If 4 guys from NA are coming then I am less worried about Diaz not getting an invite. But with the ones available currently, he should 100% have a spot on the roster.

 

[jonas2244]

What I don't get:

- You call Ambühl
- You don't call Diaz

Doesn't make sense. Either you call both or none of them. I even would say Ambühl is more replaceable than Diaz.

 

[Eye of Ra]

ambuhl has to be there. it will be his 20th wc in row or something. the guy is a legend

 

[jonas2244]

He is, yes. But he's getting older, too and we have many good wingers. Even more good wingers than Defenders.

 

[stv11]

Ambühl certainly still belongs on the team, but so does Diaz.

I don't get the logic of "getting younger", national teams don't develop players. You just go with the best possible roster.

 

[jonas2244]

Fischer explains it with lack of fire inside the leading group during the olympics and before. That's why he didn't call Moser and Diaz who were part of the Captain-team.

We can't view inside the team but this looks like a strange decision.

 

[swissdude]

It is Fischer's usual poor people management, one can argue whether the decision is justified both the manner and the timing are nothing but bad style, wonder if the decision would be the same if he was still playing for Zug

 

[Shawn Heins 44]

It is Fischer's usual poor people management, one can argue whether the decision is justified both the manner and the timing are nothing but bad style, wonder if the decision would be the same if he was still playing for Zug

I totally agree with you, not necessarily the Zug factor (and this is coming from a Gotteron fan), but the rest 100%. Just really poor people management. Diaz definately belongs in the group right now. You cannot tell me that a guy like Delemont is better for the NT.

 

[jonas2244]

I wonder if Weber is out of consideration, too. He plays strong playoffs.

As far as I understand Delemont (and also Fahrni) got selected to take something with them to the U20-WC. I'm sure there are better options than Delemont.

 

[Shawn Heins 44]

I wonder if Weber is out of consideration, too. He plays strong playoffs.

As far as I understand Delemont (and also Fahrni) got selected to take something with them to the U20-WC. I'm sure there are better options than Delemont.

Yeah at this point it makes sense to rather take a young guy over an older one if neither make the roster in the end anyways.
I would 100% take Weber with the playoffs he is having right now. You still need some veteran leadership, especially if Josi is not available, Weber might not be perfect but he is rock solid and also used to play against strong competition.

 

[Lartsaman]

So how´s the roster looking right now? Can someone post it?

 

[Shawn Heins 44]

So how´s the roster looking right now? Can someone post it?

For the games against Germany tonight and on Saturday we will go with the roster below. The week after Reto Berra in goal as well as Andres Ambühl and Enzo Corvi on offense will also join the team (since they played the Olympics they get an extra week off now - same would apply for Mottet, not sure why he is there already). And I expect quite a few from Zurich and Zug to join once the finals are over. Oh and of course the ones from NA that will be available (Suter, Kukan, Siegenthaler, Hischier, Moser etc.).

Goalies (3): Sandro Aeschlimann (HC Davos)
Melvin Nyffeler (SC Rapperswil-Jona Lakers)
Philip Wüthrich (SC Bern)

Defense (9):
Santeri Alatalo (HC Lugano)
Noah Delémont (EHC Biel-Bienne)
Dominik Egli (HC Davos)
Michael Fora (HC Ambri-Piotta)
Lukas Frick (Lausanne HC)
Andrea Glauser (Lausanne HC)
Roger Karrer (Genève-Servette HC)
Simon Le Coultre (Genève-Servette HC)
Romain Loeffel (HC Lugano)

Forwards (15):
Christoph Bertschy (Lausanne HC)
Nando Eggenberger (SC Rapperswil-Jona Lakers)
Joshua Fahrni (SC Bern)
Luca Fazzini (HC Lugano)
Jason Fuchs (Lausanne HC)
André Heim (HC Ambri-Piotta)
Luca Hischier (EHC Biel-Bienne)
Ken Jäger (Lausanne HC)
Mike Künzle (EHC Biel-Bienne)
Marco Miranda (Genève-Servette HC)
Killian Mottet (HC Fribourg-Gottéron)
Damien Riat (Lausanne HC)
Noah Rod (Genève-Servette HC)
Tristan Scherwey (SC Bern)
Calvin Thürkauf (HC Lugano)

 

[stv11]

Good performances against Germany, except the third period of the first game. Good pace, scoring chances, decent special team play. On the downside, too many missed scoring opportunities and suspect goaltending, especially in the first game.

Individually, I thought that the players with the most experience, guys like Scherwey, Thürkauf or Bertschy showed what was expected from them, and I really liked what I saw from Miranda and Delémont, even though it might be too early for them. On the other hand, I thought that the offensive minded players, guys like Fuchs, Fazzini and to a lesser extent Riat, should have showed more. You have to be able to dominate such games if you want to play at the WC, and they didn't. Riat got chances but should have done a better job burying them. On defense, I thought Glauser and Le Coultre had issues with the pace.

The situation at forward is pretty good with still 11 potential additions in Ambühl, Corvi, Malgin, Andrighetto, Hofmann, Herzog, Simion, Hischier, Meier, Suter and Kurashev, but we really need all the help we can find on defense.

 

[jonas2244]

Couldn't see the game today but I agree that the game on Thursday was really solid beside the last period and you shouldn't loose that game. Le Coultre seems to be the weakest spot on Defense, Delemont is playing really solid. But yeah, that's thin.

I really want to add the name Zehnder to possible additions. I think he's an offensive powerhouse in the NLA in the years to come and he should get international experience.

 

[Kuracmugger]

Zurich fan here, i think Weber should be a lock he plays really good playoffs i think he‘s the best defender on our team at the moment. Noreau is getting old an he isn’t playing anymore as he once was.And i don’t really like kivistö. On the other hand i have very high expectations of andrighetto and Malgin they are scoring pretty much all of our goals at the moment. I‘ve seen people comment on Hollenstein earlier in this thread i think he‘s playing good in the playoffs but i don’t know if that will translate to the NT. I was looking for good defenders on the zug squad but i couldn’t really find players that are swiss and NT ready. I feel like djoos and hansson are receiving almost all the ice time for defenders.

 

[jonas2244]

No question that Weber should be a lock. I just wondered if he also will be a victim of getting in a younger generation. Weber is 33, maybe he's still here for the next olympics, maybe not.

Kreis is solid, he could be a contender for 7th/8th/9th D-man. Stadler could play WC some time I guess.
Lions have beside Weber and Geering no-one who looks promising.

 

[Kuracmugger]

No question that Weber should be a lock. I just wondered if he also will be a victim of getting in a younger generation. Weber is 33, maybe he's still here for the next olympics, maybe not.

Kreis is solid, he could be a contender for 7th/8th/9th D-man. Stadler could play WC some time I guess.
Lions have beside Weber and Geering no-one who looks promising.

That’s true, but i think this year no zug defender will be on the roster. But i have a feeling Dario Sidler could be a name who will play for the NT in the future.

 

[Speyer]

That’s true, but i think this year no zug defender will be on the roster. But i have a feeling Dario Sidler could be a name who will play for the NT in the future.

I don't see how you could leave Weber of the roster if he is healthy. Even though I have argued that Diaz is declining for the last two tournaments, I still wouldn't have ruled him out completely. Hockey is different than football when it comes to cutting older players. The roster makeup needs to be much more flexible in hockey since a lot of players are not available for every tournament And since there is at least one tournament every year, you are not stuck with a declining player on a multi year campaign when he is not up to the task anymore. So its probably best to just nominate the best possible players for any given WC. S. Moser is not in that group anymore but Diaz still might be depending on who is available.

As far as Ambühl is concerned I think he is a bit of an exception because he is so close to breaking the all time games played record at the WC. He was also still one of our better forwards at the olympics. And if he is not up to the task anymore you can just give him some easy shifts as the 13th forward.

Edit: I also like Sidler for the future, I always thought he was one of the more impressive players on any junior national team he was on. Seems to have good leadership qualities as well. Hopefully he and other young guys like Bichsel, Noah Meier and maybe even Delémont can replace players like Diaz and Weber in the coming years.