Switzerland Announces 28-Man World Junior Training Camp Roster

The Swiss Ice Hockey Federation released a list of 28 names on Friday that will compete for places on the country’s roster for the upcoming IIHF World Junior Championship in Ottawa.

Players on the list that have already been drafted by NHL clubs include goaltender Christian Kirsch (San Jose Sharks), defenseman Leon Muggli (Washington Capitals) and Basile Sansonnens (Vancouver Canucks) and forward Rico Gredig (New York Rangers). It also includes defenseman Daniil Ustinkov, who was somewhat surprisingly not drafted last summer.

All players were born in either 2005 or 2006 except for 17-year-old forward Lars Steiner of the QMJHL’s Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, whose late-2007 birth means he won’t be eligible for the NHL Entry Draft until 2026. 

One of the goaltenders on the list is Fribourg-Gottéron's Elijah Neuenschwander, whose younger brother Jonah recently made news by playing in the top-tier National League and recording an assist in his first game at age 15. Jonah Neuenschwander is not on the roster.

“This year we have a good depth in the squad, which gives us as the coaching staff various options for the line-up,” said head coach Marcel Jenni. “The challenge will be to find the optimal mix and put the lines together so that they reach their full potential. The strong competition and the balance within the team make the final selection a challenging task.”

The Swiss finished third in a five-team U-20 tournament in Finland last month, beating Sweden and Slovakia and losing to Czechia and Finland.

The Swiss team will fly to Montreal on Dec. 12 and hold training camp in Brockville, Ont. before playing pre-tournament games against Canada on Dec. 19 in Ottawa and against Latvia on Dec. 21 in Arnprior, Ont.

Goaltenders (3): Ewan Huet (Regina Pats / WHL), Christian Kirsch (Green Bay Gamblers / USHL), Elijah Neuenschwander (HC Fribourg-Gottéron).

Defensemen (10): Nic Balestra (EV Zug), Timo Bünzli (GCK/ZSC Lions), Aris Häfliger (HC Ambri-Piotta), Ludvig Johnson (EV Zug), Gian Meier (Frölunda Gothenburg / SWE), Leon Muggli (EV Zug), Nils Rhyn (SC Bern), Basile Sansonnens (Rimouski Océanic / QMJHL), Eric Schneller (Genève-Servette HC), Daniil Ustinkov (GCK/ZSC Lions).

Forwards (15): Robin Antenen (EV Zug), Léo Braillard (Lethbridge Hurricanes / WHL), Jan Dorthe (Fribourg-Gottéron), Janis Embacher (SC Rapperswil-Jona Lakers), Alain Graf (SC Bern), Rico Gredig (HC Davos), Kimo Gruber (GCK/ZSC Lions), Andro Kaderli (Leksands IF /SWE), Endo Meier (GCK/ZSC Lions), Rafael Meier (EHC Kloten), Simon Meier (Penticon Vees / BCHL), Lars Steiner (Rouyn-Noranda Huskies /QMJHL), Jamiro Reber (HV71 / SWE), Matteo Wagner (AIK / SWE), Loris Wey (EV Zug).