2017–18 National League (ice hockey) season

(Redirected from 2017–18 NL season)

The 2017–18 National League season is the 80th season of Swiss professional ice hockey and the first season as the National League (NL). The change from National League A to National League was made at the end of the 2016–17 season.

2017–18 National League season
LeagueNational League
SportIce hockey
DurationSeptember 7, 2017 – March 5, 2018
Number of games50
Number of teams12
Regular season
Best recordSC Bern
  Runners-upEV Zug
Season MVPAndrew Ebbett
(SC Bern)
Top scorerDustin Jeffrey
(Lausanne HC)
Playoffs
Semi-Final championsZSC Lions
  Semi-Final runners-upSC Bern
Semi-Final championsHC Lugano
  Semi-Final runners-upEHC Biel
Swiss champion NLA
ChampionsZSC Lions
  Runners-upHC Lugano
National League seasons

ZSC Lions won their 9th NL title, defeating HC Lugano in game 7 of the finals. SC Bern won the regular season for the second consecutive year. EHC Kloten were relegated to the Swiss League, while SC Rapperswil-Jona Lakers won promotion to the NL for 2018–19.

Teams

TeamCityArenaCapacity
HC Ambrì-PiottaAmbrìValascia6,500
SC BernBernPostFinance-Arena17,031
EHC BielBiel/BienneTissot Arena6,521
HC DavosDavosVaillant Arena6,800
Fribourg-GottéronFribourgBCF Arena6,500
Genève-Servette HCGenevaPatinoire des Vernets7,135
EHC KlotenKlotenSwiss Arena7,719
Lausanne HCLausanneTemporary Arena6,700
HC LuganoLuganoPista La Resega7,800
SCL TigersLangnau im EmmentalIlfis Stadium6,000
ZSC LionsZürichHallenstadion11,200
EV ZugZugBossard Arena7,200

Coaching changes

Off-season

Luca Cereda replaced Gordie Dwyer as head coach of HC Ambrì-Piotta for the 2017-18 season.[1]

Mark French took over the helm of HC Fribourg-Gottéron for the 2017-18 season, replacing Larry Huras.[2]

Craig Woodcroft was named head coach of Genève-Servette HC after Chris McSorley stepped down of the position and was named general manager of the team.[3]

In-season

Dan Ratushny was fired by Lausanne on October 11, 2017, after posting a 3-0-3-4 record through 10 games this season. He led Lausanne to the playoffs at the conclusion of the 2016-17 regular season, his only season at the helm of this team. Yves Sarault, who was serving as head coach of Lausanne HC's junior team at the time, stepped in to fill the spot as interim head coach, before being named head coach through the end of the current season.[4]

Pekka Tirkkonen was fired by EHC Kloten on October 16, 2017, following a five-game losing streak and after posting a 2-0-0-11 record through 13 games this season, sitting dead last in the National League. Niklas Gaellstedt who was serving as an assistant coach at the time, replaced Tirkkonen as head coach of the team for the time being.[5] On October 24, 2017, Kevin Schlaepfer was named head coach of the team for the remainder of the season and through the 2019-20 season.[6]

Mike McNamara was fired by EHC Biel on November 25, 2017, after a 3-0 loss to the last team in the standings, EHC Kloten, the previous day. McNamara posted an 8-2-2-12 record through 24 games this season, sitting 7th in the standings at the time. Martin Steinegger, the general manager of the organization, took over the helm of the team as interim head coach.[7]

Arenas

HC Ambrì-Piotta is playing its final years in the old Valascia, as construction for their new building are set to begin in the spring of 2018 and should be ready in time for the 2020/21 NL season. The new Valascia will seat 7,000 people and will be located in the same area as the current one.[8]

HC Davos' Vaillant Arena is set to undergo major renovation at the end of the season to upgrade most of the stands, the concourse and the locker rooms. The total capacity will not change and renovation will cost about CHF 22 million.[9]

HC Fribourg-Gottéron's plans to rebuild the BCF Arena at the end of the 2016-17 season were postponed to after the current season. Construction which will cost about CHF 70 million will start in March 2018 and the arena's capacity will be increased from 6,500 to 8,500.[10] Renovation will last 2 years and should be over in the summer of 2020.

The Patinoire des Vernets in Geneva is set to undergo minor renovation during the first national team break in November. The VIP area will be expanded to add an additional 170 seats and standing room on the north side will be brought closer to the ice rink.[11]

This is Lausanne HC's first of two seasons playing in a temporary arena. The arena seats 6,700 people and cost CHF 11 million for the two seasons.[12] The new arena will be ready for the 2019/20 season with a seating capacity of 10,000.

Due to popular demand, EV Zug had to increase the Bossard Arena's total capacity to 7,200. These seats are located against the boards, next to the penalty boxes and at ice level.[13]

Regular season

PosTeamPldWOTWOTLLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1SC Bern50278510167112+55102Advance to Playoffs
2EV Zug502310215153122+3191
3EHC Biel50245714150124+2689
4HC Lugano50263219159130+2986
5Fribourg-Gottéron50205718133139−677
6HC Davos50213620134156−2275
7ZSC Lions50196619144133+1175
8Genève-Servette HC50168719132153−2171
9SCL Tigers50176423120134−1467Advance to Playouts[a]
10Lausanne HC501541021149169−2063
11HC Ambrì-Piotta50145526136168−3257
12EHC Kloten5096827120157−3747
Source: NLA
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) a higher number of wins in the regular time; 3) a higher number of wins in overtime and shootouts; 4) goal difference; 5) number of goals scored; 6) drawing of lots.
Notes:

Player statistics

Scoring leaders

PlayerTeamGPGAPts+/–PIM
Dustin JeffreyLausanne HC50134457+74
Fredrik PetterssonZSC Lions46262450+1458
Viktor StalbergEV Zug46222850+1418
Nicklas DanielssonLausanne HC49252550+1164
Garrett RoeEV Zug44123749+2432
Andrew EbbettSC Bern48143448+1310
Mark ArcobelloSC Bern46182947+1039
Marc-Antoine PouliotEHC Biel47132942+2289
Luca FazziniHC Lugano48192342+36
Matt D'AgostiniHC Ambrì-Piotta47192241-686

Leading goaltenders

The following goaltenders led the league in goals against average, provided that they have played at least 40% of their team's minutes.

PlayerTeamGPTOIWTLGASOSv%GAA
Leonardo GenoniSC Bern46277633013948.9292.03
Lukas FlüelerZSC Lions32187216015662.9192.12
Tobias StephanEV Zug472858310161095.9272.29
Barry BrustFribourg-Gottéron38230821017892.9262.29
Jonas HillerEHC Biel472805270201092.9262.33
Ivars PunnenovsSC Langnau Tigers39219819020901.9182.46
Luca BoltshauserEHC Kloten412381140271041.9182.62
Elvis MerzlikinsHC Lugano422431220181104.9212.72
Robert MayerGenève-Servette HC32183214017862.9092.81
Niklas SchlegelZSC Lions2011509010531.8972.77

Playoffs

Quarter-FinalsSemi-FinalsFinals
         
1SC Bern4
8Genève-Servette HC1
1SC Bern2
7ZSC Lions4
2EV Zug1
7ZSC Lions4
7ZSC Lions4
(Pairings are reseeded after the first round)
4HC Lugano3
3EHC Biel4
6HC Davos2
3EHC Biel2
4HC Lugano4
4HC Lugano4
5HC Fribourg-Gottéron1

References