International TournamentsDiscuss International Tournaments like the WJC, Olympics, and World Cup, as they take place, or discuss past tournaments. performances.
... Switzerland belongs to this group with lower probabilities than the others.
These probabilities have been changing over the course of the past 10 years, with assets of Switzerland being amazing goal-tending and game plan evolving to a global improvement of players with less good goalies and a more difficult game plan since players come from the whole planet !! (before all used to play in Switzerland ... same game style = team was more homogeneous = easier to coach = better game plan)
Sorry about this loser mentality poop I'm about to spew, but has the Swiss even been to a finals of a tournament in hockey? Or senior hockey semi-finals (this might have happened, can't remember)
Switzerland won bronze at the WJC back in 1998 (in a penalty shootout vs. CZE I think) and was in the Semis at the same year at senior level on homeice. There were also two silver medals I think at U18 level. And the semifinal at WJC 2010 where they beat Russia in the quarters.
I can't imagine a Gold, but definitely a Bronze. I love watching the Swiss, they always come to these international tournaments and give the better teams really good runs for their money. Being an Islander fan also makes me biased because I love Nino and Streit
Switzerland won bronze at the WJC back in 1998 (in a penalty shootout vs. CZE I think) and was in the Semis at the same year at senior level on homeice. There were also two silver medals I think at U18 level. And the semifinal at WJC 2010 where they beat Russia in the quarters.
For the U18s it was a bronze in 97 but that was still just the Euro championship though. At the actual worlds it was just one silver in 2001.
They also were in SF in WJC in 2002 I think (beat Slovakia who had previously won their group narrowly in the QF).
And they also had already been in the SF of men´s WC in 1992, where they lost the bronze medal game to the host Czechoslovakia, I believe.
But at none of the levels they have reached a gold medal and they have not reached a medal at the men´s level since 1953.
I have been really impressed with the Swiss team in this WJC playing even with four major hockey powers (Sweden, Finland, Czech, Russia). I believe that this is not a fluke year, since they have started to produce quality prospects (Niederreiter, Bärtschi, Josi, Sbisa etc) the last couple of years, but the beginning of them finally establishing themselves as a top country.
I think 2014 is too early, but by 2018 do you think they will have a good enough team to medal at a best-on-best tournament?
In 2018 their top prospects will be at or around their peak: Josi (28), Sbisa (28), Niederreiter (26), Bärtschi (26), Andrighetto (25), Bertschy (24), Richard (25)
Some of their current NT mainstays will also still be around: Blindenbacher (35), Diaz (32), Weber (30), Sprunger (32), Wick (33), Brunner (32)
Right... but what scares me, is the lack of center/centerdepth... 2014 they probably still have Plüss, along with Ambühl, Bykov....
but for 2018? Only Bykov is left, he would be 30 and if he keeps going like that, he sure would be one of the better none NHL Centers. But who's next? Savary, Froideveaux...?
of course there is some potential at C with Hofmann, Bertschy, Richard... but it already looks like they switch to the wing, where they fit better, but where we have a lot of other options as well (which by the way is a good thing)
I think Switzerland will become a medal contender by 2018. This isn't to say they are favored over a Czech Republic or a Finland but that they will consistently contend for a semifinal spot, hence have a shot at getting a medal. They have developed some solid goaltenders over the years (Gerber, Aebsicher, Hiller, Stephan, etc...) and a good corps of young defensemen. The issue had always been top-end scoring. With Brunner looking like a quality NHL forward and Baertschi/Niederreiter developing, this looks better than ever. Throw in Bertschy, Martschini, Hoffmann, Richard, Andrighetto and some of the other young forwards in the pipeline and they absolutely have the ability to contend by 2018.
I think Switzerland will become a medal contender by 2018. This isn't to say they are favored over a Czech Republic or a Finland but that they will consistently contend for a semifinal spot, hence have a shot at getting a medal. They have developed some solid goaltenders over the years (Gerber, Aebsicher, Hiller, Stephan, etc...) and a good corps of young defensemen. The issue had always been top-end scoring. With Brunner looking like a quality NHL forward and Baertschi/Niederreiter developing, this looks better than ever. Throw in Bertschy, Martschini, Hoffmann, Richard, Andrighetto and some of the other young forwards in the pipeline and they absolutely have the ability to contend by 2018.
Although i (regretfully) never practiced hockey, i followed it since i was a kid. and i allways watched our national team as improving.
now i am 48 ! (sick ... i know) i hope i will see them winning a gold before dying !
Anything is possible, they will get a medal soon.. Their caliber has improved.
I wonder what happens though when they have more NHL players, not getting to gel the team during the whole season before the tourney, about the same with the olympics. Will they be equally good as a team?
I wonder what happens though when they have more NHL players, not getting to gel the team during the whole season before the tourney, about the same with the olympics. Will they be equally good as a team?
Probably not. But these are problems many countries have. if you want to be better you'll have to be able to win under the same circumstances.
Probably not. But these are problems many countries have. if you want to be better you'll have to be able to win under the same circumstances.
Yeah but it's not a secret i would say that a large part of Switzerlands upsets against better hockey nations are becouse of their good chemistry. When they now seem to get more and more NHL players, which are not as good as some other countries best ones, they could get a disadvantage becouse of it compared to now. But on the other end, a team with many NHL:ers in it, any NHL:ers, can beat better NHL:ers from time to time. The question just becomes how much they would gain from getting many semi-elite reinforcements from the NHL.
Anything is possible, they will get a medal soon.. Their caliber has improved.
I was joking (not on my age regretfully) but I definitely agree with that, also aware of the point Darth Yoda mentioned, namely the NHL'ers coming back and not functioning as a team like did the NLA players.
But definitely i believe that we missed a medal by a hair 3 years ago. (special situation where players were NHL'ers were tired ... with the Vancouver Olympics and therefore didn't show up for their national team for the WC) ...
But sooner than later it will happen, we just need a good ranking in the group, a bit of luck in the QF and SF. and their we will be ! ;-)
