Switzerland successfully concluded the fourth week of World Cup preparations with a 2:1 win against the Czech Republic at the Betano Hockey Games. Following the last tournament of the Euro Hockey Tour, Patrick Fischer and his coaching staff have made some changes to the squad.
Switzerland can count on another NHL player for the 2024 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship: Nino Niederreiter, Switzerland’s top NHL scorer, from the Winnipeg Jets is joining the team following his elimination in the playoffs. The 31-year-old captained Switzerland at last year’s World Championship.
Dean Kukan, Christian Marti and Sven Andrighetto, who celebrated the championship title with the ZSC Lions, as well as defenseman Andrea Glauser and forward Ken Jäger from Lausanne HC are also new to the team.
The five defensemen David Aebischer, Iñaki Baragano, Dominik Egli, Tobias Geisser and Samuel Kreis as well as the five forwards Tino Kessler, Mike Künzle, Marco Lehmann, Tyler Moy and Tanner Richard will not be called up for the World Championship.
After the Betano Hockey Games, Head Coach Patrick Fischer is rebuilding his team for the start of the World Championships in Prague and Ostrava and is fielding six new players for the World Championships. Ten players have to leave the team, including Tobias Geisser and Mike Künzle.
THIS IS THE PROVISIONAL WORLD CUP LINE-UP
Goalies (3): Reto Berra (HC Fribourg-Gottéron), Leonardo Genoni (EVZ), Akira Schmid (New Jersey Devils)
Defense (7): Michael Fora (HC Davos), Andrea Glauser (Lausanne HC), Sven Jung (HC Davos), Dean Kukan (ZSC Lions), Romain Loeffel (SC Bern), Christian Marti (ZSC Lions), Jonas Siegenthaler (New Jersey Devils)
Offense (14): Andres Ambühl (HC Davos), Sven Andrighetto (ZSC Lions), Thierry Bader (SC Bern), Christoph Bertschy (HC Fribourg-Gottéron), Gaëtan Haas (EHC Biel-Bienne), Fabrice Herzog (EVZ), Nico Hischier (New Jersey Devils), Ken Jäger (Lausanne HC), Philipp Kurashev (Chicago Blackhawks), Nino Niederreiter (Winnipeg Jets), Tristan Scherwey (SC Bern), Sven Senteler (EVZ), Dario Simion (EVZ), Calvin Thürkauf (HC Lugano)
