What a rollercoaster ride the 2023 WJC was for the Swiss side. A 3-2 OT win in the opener against Finland was followed by another 3-2 OT win over the pesky Latvians. Things were tight for a while against the USA (ultimately a 5-1 loss) before duking it out in an all-important Game 4 against Slovakia, once again coming out on top in overtime (well, the shootout) 4-3. The Czechs put a quarterfinal end to any thoughts about a Cinderella run with a 9-1 shellacking, but it was the first time in the past three WJCs that Switzerland was able to go from disappointment to inspiration. It also served as the swan song for 3-year head coach Marco Bayer.
Enter Swiss legend Marcel Jenni, who’s been in charge of the program’s U18 squad over the same period of time. A 2-time WJC participant himself, and 15-year veteran of the Swiss national team, Jenni has seen it all and has put together a team for this year’s event that is shy on draft picks (just one) and players honing their craft in North America (no more than 6). That’s not to say that it’s shy on international experience as no less than 9 players are playing abroad, and 2 others spent last season in Canadian juniors while forward Endo Meier actually began this season with the Barrie Colts. Nonetheless, only 4 members of his team are returning from last year’s tournament and 3 other likely nominees are just 17. This means Jenni is entering tourney play with three different generations and little in the way of WJC experience.
Theoretically, things should be fine in goal as the team will be going to battle with three goaltenders who have all done something special sometime in the past two years. Alessio Beglieri even returns to action with parts of two games under his belt at last winter’s classic, but Ewan Huet of the Regina Pats is the man with the familiar name, and the youngest in the group. Will his WHL experience mean he’s the go-to guy?
That is yet to be seen, but a defenseman with plenty of OHL experience is entering his third WJC and will most definitely be the go-to guy, namely Rodwin Dionicio, who was drafted this past summer by the Anaheim Ducks as an overager. He’s bound to see plenty of action and be a ne plus ultra on the blueline for the power play. Behind him you can expect to see 17-year old draft-eligibles Leon Muggli and Daniil Ustinkov get a long hard look at key minutes while this tournament will have special meaning for 3-year Swedish juniors veteran Eric Schneller (a half Swede himself). Still, the heart-n-soul of this defensive crew is Simone Terraneo, who captained the Swiss at the 2022 U18 Worlds. After a fantastic season in the SL last year (21 points in 35 games), the all-rounder is strutting his stuff in style now for Ambri-Piotta of the NL and looks like a strong candidate to be drafted as an overager. Depth options Louis Füllemann, Gael Christie, and Tim Bünzli all bring NL and/or SL experience to the table.
Up front, we’re missing someone who’ll spearhead the offense. Sure, Miles Müller is doing fine for the Moncton Wildcats this season and is a returnee while Léo Braillard (WHL) and Simon Meier (BCHL) are showing well for themselves in Western Canada. Jonas Taibel will be given a key role as he prepares for his third WJC. Still, we’re not seeing offensive-oriented gamers like Attilia Biasco, Lorenzo Caninco, and Simon Knak, none of whom were even stars in their own right, though impactful players. First year draft-eligible Jamiro Reber could assume such a role though. We liked what we saw at the U18 Worlds and Hlinka Gretzky Cup, and now he’s having a dandy of a season with the HV71 U20 team in Sweden. We can see him doing some nice things here with his U18 wingers Endo Meier and Matteo Wagner, the latter of which is also plying his trade in Sweden’s U20 circuit. The rest of the forward corps, save for possibly Alessandro Lurati (USHL), is currently splitting the season between their clubs’ U20 squad and either the NL or SL. Julian Rod, Matteo Reinhard, and Thierry Schild should all be expected to take a regular shift.
A big advantage for the Swiss is their group and the scheduling. Group B does indeed include powerhouses Czechia and the USA, but Norway and Slovakia are teams the Swiss should be gunning for as beatable opponents. In addition, they’ll have the day off before facing each of these teams, which will both be coming off a tough game the day before. This will have to factor in Coach Jenni’s plans and may allow his group of young men to take advantage of tired legs. The Swiss also feature a potpourri of very promising young players mixed with a number of program vets who had looked quite promising a few years back. Several of the players are playing in Sweden now too, so there’ll surely be some extra incentive in Gothenburg to help light their competitive fires. The team has its eye no less than 4th place, internally 3rd place, but either one will surely mean heading to the quarterfinals against one of Canada, Finland, or Sweden. Then we’ll see what the team is really made of.
10 to Watch plus a Sleeper
Rodwin Dionicio D
Rare is the player who gets into 3 WJCs, but the 6’2”, 214-pound Dionicio is one such specimen. He’s in his 3rd year of OHL play and currently has 29 points in 26 games split between Niagara and the Windsor Spitfires. This is on the tails of a 22-23 season in which he clipped at a PPG pace with 50 points in as many games. We won’t go as far as to say he’ll be competing for the top defenseman honors in Gothenburg, but he will be manning the 1st PP unit and playing with whatever group of forwards Coach Jenni deems to be the most effective line. He loves to jump up in the play, shows good smarts and mobility, and even plays the physical game with aplomb. But we’ve never been fans of his footwork and the book is out on him. Still, the Swiss need a mini-Josi type of performance and he’s the guy contracted to bring it.
Miles Müller C/W
A well-built plugger whose game has been developing bit-by-bit over three seasons in the QMJHL, the half Canadian Müller is having his best season to date, basically churning out a PPG pace and putting up an impressive +17 rating. The latter stat is important because he’s going to be tasked with playing against the big boys and keeping them honest at this tournament. He’ll want to be keeping them off the scoreboard too. There may not be a whole lot of offense to expect of him, just like in last winter’s WJC, but he’s going to have to be a leader and an on-ice presence for this team to enjoy success, and the team wouldn’t mind a few scrappy, hard-earned goals here and there. Not one of the big names, but a player who is expected to play big.
Léo Braillard RW
We really liked Braillard last fall when he was playing in Switzerland. In fact, it looked like he could be the nation’s top prospect in last summer’s draft. His play was so impressive that he was quickly brought over to spend the season with Shawinigan Cataractes. His play there was, all things considered, just fine, but not enough to convince a team to draft him. This season, he’s moved on over to the WHL where things have picked up with 20 points in 18 games with the Lethbridge Hurricanes. Still 18 until next July 5th, Braillard is a stocky player with active feet around the net, for which he’s got a real nose. Able to handle the rough stuff, he’s got a North American feel to his game and will need to be an in-your-face presence in a top 6 capacity at this tournament, which he’ll surely be using to hopefully increase his overage stock draft.
Jamiro Reber C
One of the most talented Swiss players to come along in recent years, Reber is a real slick playmaker who not only reads the play at an above-average level but can make the kinds of passes no one else sees coming. A smaller player at 5’10”, 170 pounds, Reber is building up his draft profile with HV71’s U20 team in Sweden, entering this tournament with 6 goals, 24 points and a +6 in 30 games. We’ll expect him to be pumped up to put on a show in light of a realistic opportunity to face off against Team Sweden in the playoffs and further establish his credentials both there in Scandinavia and in the eyes of the scouting community. We’d even go so far as to say he’s primed to be on whichever will be the most effective offensive line Coach Jenni throws on the ice. There’s a connection there. Make sure to keep an eye out for him because if anyone on this team will be able to dazzle you, it’s Reber.
Leon Muggli D
Heading into the season, we’d have thought Muggli might have a shot at the #8 Dman role on this team. Maybe. With a good fall. Now we’re thinking we’ll be seeing him in a top 4, if not top pairing, role. Still 17, Muggli has spent all season in the NL, excelling his way to 9 points and an outstanding +18 in 25 games. He simply gets better week by week and is now at a point, where his maturity and hockey IQ just cannot be ignored. A player many felt was promising over the past two seasons is now blooming before our eyes and doing so much quicker than anyone could have reckoned with. Seen as a defensive defenseman who can lay on the hurt, Muggli has been sticking out as a player who can make a solid first pass, get pucks through from the point, and join the rush. Perhaps Switzerland’s top prospect for the 2024 NHL draft at this point, Muggli should be front and center for the Swiss throughout this tournament.
Simon Meier C/LW
A playmaker at heart, Meier’s U18 Worlds performance in his hometown Switzerland was bland and unspectacular at best. Current teammate Endo Meier (no relation) stole the show in a scoring role next to the aforementioned Reber, but the slightly undersized Simon quietly headed over to North America to begin his trek to the NCAA with the renowned Penticton Vees program. Committed to Northern Michigan University as of the 24-25 season, Meier is currently tied for 5th in team scoring with 23 points in 23 games, but all those ahead of him have played 4-5 more games than Meier since he began missing action in order to be with Team Switzerland in preparation for this tournament. Long story short, Meier is coming to Gothenburg brimming with confidence and is a player who we hope will raise some eyebrows. He certainly has the make-up to be one of the better offensive generators for a team that isn’t exactly swimming in them.
Matteo Wagner RW/LW
er average-sized winger on this team, we really liked Wagner’s nose for the net at the U18 Worlds. He was coming off a decent season in Finland’s U18 league and then harmonized well on a line with Reber. After 4 goals there, he headed back to Finland for this season and a slow start in the Finnish U20 circuit led to a jump to AIK in Sweden. There, he’s back to his goal-scoring ways with 9 goals (12 points) in 20 games. There’s a slickness to his game and his hand-eye coordination sometimes seems to be too good to be true. He also keeps opponents guessing with plenty of shake-n-bake with his head and shoulders. We think he could score a couple of important goals at this tournament, and he too belongs to the smaller group of players playing in Sweden who have that extra bit of incentive to put on good performance in front of the Swedish crowds.
Eric Schneller D
Schneller is a player who we expected big things from at last spring’s U18 Worlds. While 3 points in 5 games isn’t shabby for a defenseman, his -7 gave rise to concern. Returning to Rögle for this season, he’s been a steady but unspectacular player for the green and white’s U20 squad. In fact, he’s done little to insinuate that he should be an overage draft topic next summer. The main reason he’s listed here (instead of i.e., Simone Terraneo) is that, as a half Swede who Switzerland needs to step up and grab a key defensive role, Schneller has all the motivation in the world to play his best and most effective hockey to date. Expect him to be hitting the ice with extra jump anytime he’s called upon. Maybe the circumstances surrounding this tournament end up giving him the extra boost his young career has been in need of?!
Daniil Ustinkov D
Ustinkov was the guy we wanted to watch at last spring’s U18 Worlds. He didn’t disappoint. Then he was the guy we wanted to see at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup. Again, we saw everything we wanted despite a rough first game. Now it’s his draft year and, as expected, he’s been playing pro hockey every minute of the way split between the NL and SL, with plenty of minutes in the SL and fewer so in the NL. The respect for how pro-ready he and his skillset are is deserving of respect and moreover, draft recognition. Still, there’s been little in the way of production thus far. Ustinkov has all the tools to be an absolute stud on the blueline one day, but he’s clearly going to need more time to get the toolbox put together. There won’t be time for that at this tourney. He needs to bring his A-game and be a solid, tough-to-beat blueliner who distributes well. That’s his game, so he just needs to deliver.
Thierry Schild C/RW
Of slightly sub-average height and build, Schild is a player who has just kind of “been there” for several years now, but not a guy you’ve heard anyone really talking about despite strong junior numbers in recent years. Still, if you ask the Bern organization about him, they’ll be singing his praises. What Schild has proven to be is a thoroughly adaptable and responsible player who can roll with the punches, so much so that you may just see Jenni using him as a shutdown forward throughout this tournament. He’s also been a bit of a goalscorer for the Swiss U20 in test games stretching over the past two seasons (6 in 12 games). There’s some bite to his game, but it’s the mature approach that has led to him spending just about all season in the Swiss NL, putting up 4 points and a +1 in 26 games to date. If opponents are having a hard time scoring against Switzerland, Schild will probably be one of the main reasons.
Sleeper
Lorin Grüter G
You look at this goalie trio and see the name Ewan Huet, son of a former long-time NHLer who has cult status in both France and Switzerland’s hockey scenes, who is currently playing in the WHL and Alessio Beglieri, a former OHLer who got into 2 games at last winter’s event, and you’ve got to wonder why a 3rd goalie is even worth mentioning. The reason is quite simple, as Grüter may just be the best of the bunch. Hailing from famed second leaguer Küsnacht, the average sized Grüter started turning heads last spring with a 1.62 GAA and 8-0 record for his club in the U20 league playoffs. He’s continued to be a big winner with shiny numbers for that same club this year but has also gotten into a handful of games for the pro team in the SL, where he’s got a 5-2 record with a 2.26 GAA and impressive .932 SV%. Considering the fact that he’s outdueling Beglieri in Switzerland while Huet has struggled with the Regina Pats, don’t be surprised in the least if Grüter winds up in net when the money is on the line.