Swiss NLA: A Preview of the 2023-2024 Season

The Favourites: Geneve-Servette HC and ZSC Lions

The defending champions Geneve-Servette HC are considered by many as the favourites to keep their crown, as they have retained most of their core players such as captain Noah Rod, top scorer Teemu Hartikainen, and goalie Robert Mayer. GSHC has a balanced and deep roster with a mix of experience and youth and a strong coaching staff led by the emblematic Jan Cadieux. Will they do like EV Zug, who was the last team to retain their title?

The ZSC Lions are another strong contender, in as much as they finished fourth in last year’s regular season and crashed out in the play-off semi-final after a thrashing from EHC Biel. The Lions can count on their big man at the back, goalie Šimon Hrubec who emerged the best goaltender for the 22/23 season. His timely stops and commanding presence inspired the team to a decent finish. We tip the Lions to go out on a hunting spree this season and devour every adversary it will face.

The Contenders and The Underdogs

What makes the Swiss Hockey League so exciting is its unpredictable nature. From the league standings to the playoff phase, anything can happen. We know from past editions that one should never underestimate a wounded side and expect to be on the edge of your seat every match day as teams oscillate up and down the league table. One team we expect a fiery response from is Fribourg-Gotteron who has a squad that could bedazzle many. They have a solid defence led by Dave Sutter and with head coach Christian Dube pulling the strings the dragons have set sights on gold, leaving behind the lacklustre displays that forced a 7th placed finish last season.

Concluding Remarks

The 2023-24 Swiss National League promises to be a cracker. Expect lots of action and drama in this 85^th edition of the competition. Most interestingly, the league is going to remain intact, as all 14 teams that competed in last year’s edition will meet again to settle their differences and give it all for ultimate glory. Who will emerge victorious and claim the Saint Graal of Swiss hockey? You can get updates from the Swiss National League on SchweizerSportwetten.com. The website also does predictions for other sports and covers different Swiss events. 

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