Switzerland men's national ice hockey team
 | |
| Nickname(s) | Eisgenossen |
|---|---|
| Association | Swiss Ice Hockey Federation/Ligue suisse d'hockey sur glace |
| General Manager | Raeto Raffainer |
| Head coach | Patrick Fischer |
| Assistants | Tommy Albelin |
| Captain | Andres Ambühl |
| Most games | Ivo Rüthemann (233) |
| Top scorer | Jörg Eberle (79) |
| Most points | Jörg Eberle (142) |
| Team colors | |
| IIHF code | SUI |
 | |
| Ranking | |
| Current IIHF |
7  |
| Highest IIHF | 7 (first in 2008) |
| Lowest IIHF | 9 (first in 2003) |
| First international | |
 Great Britain 3–0 Switzerland  (Chamonix, France; 23 January 1909) | |
| Biggest win | |
Switzerland 23–0 Yugoslavia  (Zurich, Switzerland; 4 February 1939) | |
| Biggest defeat | |
 Canada 33–0 Switzerland (Chamonix, France; 30 January 1924) | |
| IIHF World Championships | |
| Appearances | 66 (first in 1930) |
| Best result |
 (1935, 2013) |
| European Championships | |
| Appearances | 8 (first in 1910) |
| Best result |
 (1926) |
| Olympics | |
| Appearances | 14 (first in 1920) |
| Medals |
 (1928, 1948) |
| International record (W–L–T) | |
| 519–619–125 | |
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The Switzerland men's national ice hockey team is a founding member of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) and is controlled by the Swiss Ice Hockey Federation. As of 2016 the Swiss team was ranked 7th in the world by the IIHF. From a bronze medal at the 1953 World Championships until the silver medal of 2013, Switzerland did not win a medal at a major senior ice hockey tournament, coming close in 1998, when they finished in 4th place at the World Championships.
Before the 2013 IIHF World Championship, the Swiss national hockey team scored two historic upsets at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, defeating the Czech Republic 3–2 and shutting out Canada 2–0 two days later. They finally fell to Sweden in the quarterfinals. At the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, the Swiss nearly stunned Canada again in round-robin play, taking the heavily favored Canadians to a shootout, which they lost 1–0 for a narrow 3–2 loss.
Statistics
Overview
| Rank | Olympics | World Championships | European Championships |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 1926 | ||
| 2nd | 1935 2013 | ||
| 3rd | 1928 1948 | 1928 1930 1939 1950 1951 1953 | 1922 1924 1925 1932
1950 |
| 4th | 1934 1947 1992 1998 | 1910 1911 | |
| 5th | 1920 1952 | 1920 1933 1949 1952 2010 | 1923 |
| 6th | 2006 | 1938 1972↓ 2000 | |
| 7th | 1924 | 1924 1954 1962↓ 1971(1.B)↑ 1991 | |
| 8th | 1964 1988 2010 | 1955 1964↓ 1987↓ 1999 2003 2004 | |
| 9th | 1956 2014 | 1956 1975(3.B) 1986(1.B)↑ 1990(1.B)↑ | |
| 10th | 1972 1992 | 1963(2.B)↑ 1965(2.B) 1985(2.B) 2002 2014 | |
| 11th | 1976 2002 | 1961(3.B)↑ 1978(3.B) 1981(3.B) 2012 | |
| 12th | 1959↓ 1970(6.B) 1976(4.B) 1989(4.B) | ||
| 13th | 1936 | 1936 1973(7.B)↓ 1977(5.B) 1979(5.B) | |
| 14th | 1966(6.B) 1982(6.B) 1983(6.B) 1996(2.B) | ||
| 15th | 1967(7.B)↓ 1974(1.C)↑ 1997(3.B)↑ | ||
| 16th | 1969(2.C)↑ | ||
| dnp | 1932 1960 1968 | 1931 1957 1958 | |
| ↑: promoted, ↓: relegated, (3.B): (rank.pool), dnp: did not participate | |||
Olympic Games
| Year | Result | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1920 | 7th place | |||
| 1924 | 8th place | |||
| 1928 |  Bronze | |||
| 1936 | 12th place | |||
| 1948 | Bronze | |||
| 1952 | 5th place | |||
| 1956 | 9th place | |||
| 1964 | 8th place | |||
| 1972 | 10th place | |||
| 1976 | 11th place | |||
| 1988 | 8th place | |||
| 1992 | 10th place | |||
| 2002 | 11th place | |||
| 2006 | 6th place | |||
| 2010 | 8th place | |||
| 2014 | 9th place | |||
| Totals | ||||
| Games | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 16 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
World Championship
- 1930 – Won bronze medal
- 1933 – Finished tied in 5th place
- 1934 – Finished in 4th place
- 1935 – Won silver medal
- 1937 – Won bronze medal
- 1938 – Finished in 6th place
- 1939 – Won bronze medal
- 1947 – Finished in 4th place
- 1949 – Finished in 5th place
- 1950 – Won bronze medal awarded Silver as European Champion
- 1951 – Won bronze medal
- 1953 – Won bronze medal
- 1954 – Finished in 7th place
- 1955 – Finished in 8th place
- 1959 – Finished in 12th place
- 1961 – Finished in 11th place (3rd in Pool B)
- 1962 – Finished in 7th place
- 1963 – Finished in 10th place (2nd in Pool B)
- 1965 – Finished in 10th place (2nd in Pool B)
- 1966 – Finished in 14th place (6th in Pool B)
- 1967 – Finished in 15th place (7th in Pool B)
- 1969 – Finished in 16th place (2nd in Pool C)
- 1970 – Finished in 12th place (6th in Pool B)
- 1971 – Finished in 7th place (won Pool B)
- 1972 – Finished in 6th place
- 1973 – Finished in 13th place (7th in Pool B)
- 1974 – Finished in 15th place (won Pool C)
- 1975 – Finished in 9th place (2nd in Pool B)
- 1976 – Finished in 12th place (4th in Pool B)
- 1977 – Finished in 13th place (5th in Pool B)
- 1978 – Finished in 11th place (3rd in Pool B)
- 1979 – Finished in 13th place (5th in Pool B)
- 1981 – Finished in 11th place (3rd in Pool B)
- 1982 – Finished in 14th place (6th in Pool B)
- 1983 – Finished in 14th place (6th in Pool B)
- 1985 – Finished in 10th place (2nd in Pool B)
- 1986 – Finished in 9th place (won Pool B)
- 1987 – Finished in 8th place
- 1989 – Finished in 12th place (4th in Pool B)
- 1990 – Finished in 9th place (won Pool B)
- 1991 – Finished in 7th place
- 1992 – Finished in 4th place
- 1993 – Finished in 10th place
- 1994 – Finished in 13th place (won Pool B)
- 1995 – Finished in 12th place
- 1996 – Finished in 14th place (2nd in Pool B)
- 1997 – Finished in 15th place (3rd in Pool B)
- 1998 – Finished in 4th place
- 1999 – Finished in 8th place
- 2000 – Finished in 6th place
- 2001 – Finished in 9th place
- 2002 – Finished in 9th place
- 2003 – Finished in 8th place
- 2004 – Finished in 8th place
- 2005 – Finished in 8th place
- 2006 – Finished in 9th place
- 2007 – Finished in 8th place
- 2008 – Finished in 7th place
- 2009 – Finished in 9th place
- 2010 – Finished in 5th place
- 2011 – Finished in 9th place
- 2012 – Finished in 11th place
- 2013 – Won silver medal
- 2014 – Finished in 10th place
- 2015 – Finished in 8th place
- 2016 – Finished in 11th place
European Championship
- 1910 – Finished in 4th place
- 1911 – Finished in 4th place
- 1922 – Won bronze medal
- 1923 – Finished in 5th place
- 1924 – Won bronze medal
- 1925 – Won bronze medal
- 1926 – Won gold medal
- 1928 – Not ranked
- 1932 – Won bronze medal
The head coach is Patrick Fischer.
Current roster
Roster for the 2016 IIHF World Championship.[1]
Head coach: Patrick Fischer
| No. | Pos. | Name | Height | Weight | Birthdate | Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | D | Geering, PatrickPatrick Geering | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | 88 kg (194 lb) | 12 February 1990 | ZSC Lions |
| 6 | D | Weber, YannickYannick Weber | 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in) | 89 kg (196 lb) | 23 September 1988 |  Vancouver Canucks |
| 10 | F | Ambühl, AndresAndres Ambühl – C | 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in) | 82 kg (181 lb) | 14 September 1983 | HC Davos |
| 13 | D | Du Bois, FélicienFélicien Du Bois | 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in) | 84 kg (185 lb) | 18 October 1983 | HC Davos |
| 15 | F | Hofmann, GrégoryGrégory Hofmann | 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in) | 80 kg (180 lb) | 13 November 1992 | HC Lugano |
| 16 | D | Diaz, RaphaelRaphael Diaz – A | 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in) | 88 kg (194 lb) | 9 January 1986 |  New York Rangers |
| 19 | F | Schäppi, RetoReto Schäppi | 1.94 m (6 ft 4 in) | 97 kg (214 lb) | 27 January 1991 | ZSC Lions |
| 20 | G | Berra, RetoReto Berra | 1.94 m (6 ft 4 in) | 89 kg (196 lb) | 3 January 1987 | Colorado Avalanche |
| 22 | F | Niederreiter, NinoNino Niederreiter | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | 92 kg (203 lb) | 8 September 1992 | Minnesota Wild |
| 29 | G | Mayer, RobertRobert Mayer | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | 89 kg (196 lb) | 9 October 1989 | Genève-Servette HC |
| 32 | D | Schneeberger, NoahNoah Schneeberger | 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in) | 85 kg (187 lb) | 23 May 1988 | HC Davos |
| 39 | G | Zurkirchen, SandroSandro Zurkirchen | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | 75 kg (165 lb) | 25 February 1990 | HC Ambrì-Piotta |
| 43 | F | Trachsler, MorrisMorris Trachsler | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | 90 kg (200 lb) | 15 July 1984 | ZSC Lions |
| 53 | D | Marti, ChristianChristian Marti | 1.92 m (6 ft 4 in) | 95 kg (209 lb) | 29 March 1993 | Lehigh Valley Phantoms |
| 56 | F | Wieser, DinoDino Wieser | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | 83 kg (183 lb) | 13 June 1989 | HC Davos |
| 58 | D | Blum, EricEric Blum | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | 82 kg (181 lb) | 13 June 1986 | SC Bern |
| 65 | F | Wieser, MarcMarc Wieser | 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in) | 83 kg (183 lb) | 13 October 1987 | HC Davos |
| 70 | F | Hollenstein, DenisDenis Hollenstein | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | 90 kg (200 lb) | 15 October 1989 | Kloten Flyers |
| 77 | D | Grossmann, RobinRobin Grossmann | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | 85 kg (187 lb) | 17 August 1987 | EV Zug |
| 82 | F | Moser, SimonSimon Moser – A | 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in) | 95 kg (209 lb) | 10 March 1989 | SC Bern |
| 85 | F | Andrighetto, SvenSven Andrighetto | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) | 83 kg (183 lb) | 21 March 1993 | Montreal Canadiens |
| 92 | F | Haas, GaëtanGaëtan Haas | 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in) | 80 kg (180 lb) | 31 January 1992 | EHC Biel |
| 93 | F | Martschini, LinoLino Martschini | 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in) | 65 kg (143 lb) | 21 January 1993 | EV Zug |
| 94 | F | Walser, SamuelSamuel Walser | 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) | 95 kg (209 lb) | 5 June 1992 | HC Davos |
| 95 | F | Walker, JulianJulian Walker | 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in) | 94 kg (207 lb) | 10 September 1986 | HC Lugano |
U-20 team
Switzerland made their U20 debut in 1977 at the A Pool championships held in Montreal. Their first game was an 18–1 loss to the Soviet Union. Switzerland was relegated to the B Pool, but were promoted back to Pool A after posting a 4–0 record with wins over the Netherlands, Denmark, Italy and France. This began a consistent cycle of relegation and promotion, and Switzerland did not win their first A Pool game until 1991 when they defeated Norway 2–1 to avoid relegation.
Switzerland's presence in the A Pool became more consistent after the IIHF changed its format to include a medal round after the round-robin in 1995. The new format allowed 2 new teams to join Pool A, which were Slovakia and Switzerland. In 1998, the Swiss won their first-ever quarter-final game over Sweden in a shootout, thanks to stellar play from goaltender David Aebischer. The team lost 2–1 to Finland in the semi-finals but rebounded to win the bronze medal with a 4–3 win over the Czech-Republic. In 2002, Switzerland upset Slovakia in a shootout in the quarter-finals on the back of great play from goaltender Tobias Stephan. Switzerland lost to Canada in the semi-finals, and faced Finland in the bronze medal match. The Swiss were optimistic, having recorded a 3–0 win over Finland in their opening game of tournament, but they lost the match 5–1 for a 4th-place finish.
Switzerland was relegated in 2008 along with Denmark. Switzerland hosted the 2009 Div I tournament and were promoted back to Pool A.
In the 2010 tournament Switzerland earned a spot in the quarter-finals against a heavily favored Russia. The Swiss pulled off a major upset by beating the Russians 3–2 in overtime. Nino Niederreiter scored twice in the game, including the OT winner. Switzerland lost 6–1 in the semi-finals to Canada and then 11–4 to Sweden in the bronze medal match for a 4th-place finish, their highest since the 2002 tournament. The lopsided score was the highest margin of victory in a medal game since the new format took place in 1995. In an interesting twist, Switzerland was originally to host the 2010 tournament, but withdrew their application due to fear of being relegated based on their poor performance in recent tournaments. The host city was rumored to be Bern or Lugano.
References
External links
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