The five French-speaking National League clubs are not doing half-measures this season. Unhappy finalist of the last play-offs, Lausanne (2nd) once again plays the leading role. The Vaudois are closely followed in the hierarchy by the pleasant surprise from Bienne (4th). It’s quite the opposite for Friborg (11th), Geneva (12th) and Ajoie (14th), which are trailing at the bottom of the rankings at the time of the first international break.
The finalist’s blues never won the Lausanne ranks. Under the leadership of his successful coach, Geoff Ward, who will celebrate his two years in office at the Vaudoise Aréna on Thursday, the Swiss vice-champion demonstrated qualities of regularity and consistency during the first 19 championship matches. (37 points). The LHC (photo) has only lost two matches in a row once. Above all, he puts on a superb show on the ice thanks to an irresistible attack (64 goals) and a fiery power play.
The message from the new coach, the Swede Martin Filander (43), seems to suit the Zealand players. They, after a so-so warm-up, stepped on the accelerator during the last three weeks of competition, winning eight of their last ten outings. This season, HCB can once again count on its guardian angel Harri Säteri (94% saves) and its top scorer Toni Rajala (16 points). Thanks to their natural leadership, the two Finns take everyone along in their wake.
After setting a points record in the regular season and securing a place in the last four of the play-offs during the previous year, Gottéron suddenly fell back to earth at the start of the 2024/2025 vintage. And it’s half a surprise. The dismissal of Christian Dubé and the arrival of Roger Rönnberg, from the next championship, as coach foreshadowed a year of transition at the BCF Arena. With thirteen defeats in 19 outings and the sudden departure of Chris DiDomenico at Ambri, the Dragons experienced a catastrophic start to the season.
With its armada, Genève-Servette was expected at the top of the table. After having played about a third of the regular season, Jan Cadieux’s team is stagnating in troubled waters. It was certainly not helped by an unfavorable schedule (eight away matches to start) nor by a full infirmary (up to nine major players injured). But the Eagles, too dependent on their foreigners, must do much better, particularly on the offensive level.
The seasons in the National League follow one another and have been similar for Ajoie since his promotion in 2021. For the 4th year in a row, Vouivre occupies last place in the ranking. This new failed start, the worst achieved by the Jura club since its return to the elite, cost coach Christian Wohlwend his place two weeks ago. Sports director Julien Vauclair, who successfully managed the interim (eight points), hired Greg Ireland until the end of the financial year.
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