The Swiss Nationwide League (NL) has lengthy been a cornerstone of European ice hockey—mixing top-tier expertise, passionate fan tradition, and fierce competitors. However this yr, the league went past expectations, delivering a season full of historic milestones, record-breaking performances, and unforgettable moments.
From particular person brilliance to staff dominance, the 2023–2024 Nationwide League season might be remembered as one of the exhilarating in latest reminiscence. On this publish, we take a deep dive into the largest data damaged, the gamers and groups who made historical past, and what these moments imply for the way forward for Swiss hockey.
What Is the Swiss Nationwide League?
The Nationwide League (NL) is the prime skilled ice hockey league in Switzerland, consisting of 14 elite groups resembling:
- ZSC Lions (Zürich)
- SC Bern
- EV Zug
- Genève-Servette HC
- HC Lugano
- Lausanne HC
Famend for its fast-paced gameplay, excessive attendance, and a rising roster of worldwide stars, the Nationwide League has turn out to be a key vacation spot for each rising Swiss gamers and seasoned veterans from the NHL and different European leagues.
1. Genève-Servette HC Units New Factors Report
Probably the most jaw-dropping achievements this season was Genève-Servette HC’s unimaginable regular-season run, the place they not solely clinched the prime seed but additionally set a new league report for many factors in a single season.
Last Report:
- 118 factors in 52 video games
- 36 regulation wins, 6 time beyond regulation wins, and simply 10 losses
Genève-Servette’s consistency, offensive firepower, and defensive self-discipline made them a juggernaut. Their historic run was powered by stars like Tanner Richard, Vitali Abramov, and Daniel Winnik, together with standout goaltending from Gauthier Descloux.
This efficiency eclipsed the earlier report held by ZSC Lions, marking a new period of dominance within the Swiss capital.
2. Denis Malgin Breaks Single-Season Scoring Report
After coming back from the NHL, Denis Malgin had some extent to show—and he did so emphatically. The Swiss ahead shattered the single-season scoring report with an astonishing mixture of objectives and assists.
Last Stats:
- 41 objectives
- 54 assists
- 95 complete factors in 52 video games
Malgin’s pace, imaginative and prescient, and hockey IQ made him practically not possible to include. He turned the first participant in Nationwide League historical past to surpass 90 factors in a season—a benchmark which may stand for years.
His performances not solely energized ZSC Lions’ fan base but additionally reignited conversations about his potential NHL return.
3. Benjamin Conz Units Shutout Report
In a season the place goaltenders confronted relentless offensive strain, Benjamin Conz (HC Ambri-Piotta) stood tall—actually and figuratively. The veteran Swiss netminder recorded an unprecedented 9 shutouts, setting a brand new Nationwide League report.
Key Stats:
- Save share: .933
- Targets in opposition to common: 1.87
- 9 shutouts (earlier report: 7)
Conz’s efficiency was a cornerstone in Ambri-Piotta’s stunning playoff push. His calm demeanor, elite reflexes, and management earned him Goaltender of the Yr honors.
4. Quickest Hat Trick in League Historical past
Hockey followers love hat trick, however what Lausanne HC’s Antti Suomela completed was really extraordinary. In a sport in opposition to SC Bern, Suomela scored three objectives in simply 2 minutes and 43 seconds, the quickest hat trick in Nationwide League historical past.
How It Occurred:
- First purpose at 6:17 of the 2nd interval
- Second at 7:12 (PPG)
- Third at 9:00 (even energy)
The feat shattered the earlier report by greater than a minute and ignited the gang in Lausanne’s Vaudoise Aréna. It was a defining second in Suomela’s breakout season, which noticed him end among the many league’s prime 5 scorers.
5. SC Bern Units Attendance Report Once more
Switzerland has one of the loyal hockey fan bases on the earth, and SC Bern continues to steer the pack. This season, the membership set a brand new single-season attendance report, with a median of 17,120 followers per sport on the PostFinance Area.
Complete Attendance:
- Over 445,000 followers within the common season
- A number of sellouts and the best cumulative gate income in league historical past
The ambiance in Bern stays electrical, with a mixture of ultra-style chants, choreographed fan sections, and an unmatched sense of custom.
6. HC Lugano’s Historic Playoff Comeback
Down 0–3 in a best-of-seven quarterfinal sequence in opposition to the favored EV Zug, HC Lugano pulled off one of many biggest comebacks in Swiss hockey historical past, successful 4 straight video games to advance.
Sequence Highlights:
- Sport 4: OT winner by Giovanni Morini
- Sport 5: Goalie Mikko Koskinen stops 47 photographs
- Sport 7: Shutout victory on the highway
Solely as soon as earlier than in Nationwide League historical past had a staff come again from 0–3 down. Lugano’s miraculous run turned a rallying level for followers and underscored the staff’s psychological toughness and tactical flexibility.
7. Rising Expertise: Lian Bichsel Makes His Mark
At simply 19 years previous, Lian Bichsel, a Dallas Stars prospect enjoying for EHC Biel-Bienne, made headlines along with his mature, bodily play and poise past his years.
Rookie Highlights:
- Averaged over 19 minutes per sport
- Ranked amongst prime 10 defensemen in hits
- Logged key minutes in penalty kill and late-game conditions
Bichsel’s performances earned him a spot on the Swiss nationwide staff for the upcoming IIHF World Championships and solidified his place as one of many nation’s brightest hockey prospects.
8. Teaching Innovation: Zug Introduces Actual-Time Analytics Bench System
This season, EV Zug turned the primary Nationwide League staff to totally combine real-time analytics techniques on the bench, utilizing tablets and AI-driven video breakdowns throughout intermissions and timeouts.
System Options:
- Warmth maps for shot makes an attempt
- Faceoff win possibilities by zone
- Participant fatigue ranges and shift period optimization
Whereas the outcomes had been blended (Zug exited within the quarterfinals), the innovation has sparked league-wide conversations about expertise’s function in efficiency enhancement. Anticipate extra groups to observe go well with subsequent season.
9. Historic Swiss-German Collaboration Sport Attracts Report World Viewership
For the primary time, the Nationwide League and Germany’s DEL hosted a “Friendship Match” that includes ZSC Lions vs. Eisbären Berlin in a mid-season showcase.
Key Metrics:
- Broadcast in over 25 nations
- 700,000+ reside viewers through TV and streaming
- Promoted worldwide membership rivalries and fan engagement
The occasion was hailed as a advertising triumph, with each leagues benefiting from elevated international consideration and merchandise gross sales. It might pave the way in which for a proper Champions League-style membership competitors sooner or later.
Wanting Forward: What’s Subsequent for Swiss Hockey?
The record-breaking 2023–24 season has laid the groundwork for an much more thrilling future. Key storylines for subsequent season embrace:
- Will Genève-Servette defend their dominance, or will ZSC Lions strike again?
- Can Denis Malgin match or exceed his scoring report?
- How will rising Swiss stars affect the nationwide staff’s efficiency on the 2024 World Championships?
- Will extra groups undertake expertise and analytics to achieve a aggressive edge?
One factor is for certain: the Swiss Nationwide League has entered a golden period, mixing custom with innovation, homegrown expertise with international stars.
A Season for the Ages
The 2023–24 Nationwide League season wasn’t simply one other chapter in Swiss hockey—it was a defining yr. With data shattered, underdogs rising, and superstars rising, the league captivated followers throughout Switzerland and past.
Whether or not you are a die-hard fan within the stands or an informal viewer tuning in from afar, this yr reminded us why hockey continues to thrive in Switzerland. The ability, pace, and spirit of the sport had been on full show—and the long run has by no means regarded brighter.
