The absence of Sami El Assaoui from the HC Sierre lineup during the Valais club’s last two outings in the Swiss League, against HC La Chaux-de-Fonds (4-2) and GCK Lions (2-5 ), had surprised the supporters of the team based in Graben. This decision is clearly set to continue.
At the start of the week, the 33-year-old defender was sent with immediate effect to HCV Martigny, the partner club of HC Sierre which competes in the MyHockey League (3rd division). A sanction pronounced by coach Mario Pouliot.
The Canadian technician, who arrived in the Cité du Soleil last January to take over from Yves Sarault, would criticize the player trained at Lausanne HC for his lack of investment during the Swiss Cup meeting largely won by the Sierrois (1- 8) Saturday on the ice at Université Neuchâtel.
“There’s not much to say about that,” says the Quebec coach. We weren’t completely satisfied with his start to the season. We want everyone to be on the same page, for everything to be OK for the community of our team. You don’t have to look far.”
According to our information, however, the connection never really passed between the 61-year-old coach and the fullback recruited last June. Sami El Assaoui’s frank speech during a recent team meeting would not have pleased Mario Pouliot, who has since confined his player to the role of supernumerary in the championship.
Asked about this, the latter brushed aside. “I have no problem with Sami,” he assures. He’s a good guy. He had his way of seeing things, we had ours as an organization.”
The defender with 81 matches in the elite and 408 appearances in the lobby has already trained this week with HCV Martigny, a club he knows well having played in 2016-2017 then between 2019 and 2024. None A date for a possible return of Sami El Assaoui to Graben has not yet been defined.
