25 players will represent Switzerland at the U20 World Cup in Red Deer/Canada, including three goalkeepers, eight defenders and 14 forwards.
The provisional squad includes goalkeepers Lucas Rötheli (EV Zug) and Noah Patenaude (Saint John Sea Dogs/QMJHL), defenders Giancarlo Chanton (Genève-Servette HC) and Vincent Despont (Saint John Sea Dogs/QMJHL), and forward Raymond Fust (Sioux Falls Stampede/USHL) and Simon Knak (HC Davos) not in the final World Cup squad. While Noah Patenaude and Raymond Fust did not make it through the last squad cut, slightly injured, the other four players are out of the tournament due to injuries or positive Covid results. Lucas Rötheli was unable to move in due to a concussion, and Andri Henauer (SC Bern) was nominated for him. Giancarlo Chanton had to leave the camp during the preparations in Switzerland after a positive Covid test – Damian Gehringer from EV Zug was nominated in his place shortly before leaving for Canada. Vincent Despont was injured during preparation in Canada. And Simon Knak, last year’s team captain, is the Swiss player who tested positive for Covid-19 on December 23. Because Knak’s second test was also positive, he has to stay in isolation for 10 days and thus misses the World Cup.
After the positive test result, the entire Swiss team had to go into quarantine and was only able to leave it on Christmas morning. After two more days of training and without a single preparatory game, the U20 national team will play against Russia on Monday at 10:30 p.m. CET in the World Cup tournament. “Of course, the conditions are not ideal,” says head coach Marco Bayer, “but we’re happy that the World Cup is taking place and that we can play today. It’s the difficult situations that make you grow and that bond a team even more. And this is how we will appear: as a closed unit.” Bayer would also like to thank those players who are not in the World Cup squad: “Everyone gave it their all during the preparation and I would like to thank them for their commitment. I particularly regret the situation for the injured players who tested positive.”
After the opening game against Russia, Switzerland will face the USA (December 28), Slovakia (December 30) and Sweden (December 31; all games live on MySports and MagentaTV) during the World Cup group stage.
Swiss squad U20 World Cup
Goalkeepers (3): Loïc Galley (Fribourg-Gottéron), Andri Henauer (SC Bern), Kevin Pasche (Omaha Lancers/USHL).
Defenders (8): Lian Bichsel (Leksands IF/SWE), Noah Delémont (EHC Biel-Bienne), Damian Gehringer (EV Zug), Noah Meier (GCK/ZSC Lions), Arno Nussbaumer (EV Zug), Dario Sidler (EV Zug), Maximilian Streule (Winnipeg Ice/WHL), Brian Zanetti (Peterborough Petes/OHL).
Forwards (14): Dario Allenspach (EV Zug), Nicolas Baechler (GCK/ZSC Lions), Attilio Biasca (Halifax Mooseheads/QMJHL), Jérémie Bärtschi (EHC Biel-Bienne), Lorenzo Canonica (Shawinigan Cataractes/QMJHL), Christophe Cavalleri (Genève-Servette HC), Keanu Derungs (Victoria Royals/WHL), Joshua Fahrni (SC Bern), Lilian Garessus (EHC Biel-Bienne), Marlon Graf (GCK/ZSC Lions), Joel Henry (GCK/ZSC Lions), Valentin Hofer (EV Zug), Fabian Ritzmann (HC Davos), Louis Robin (Rimouski Oceanic/QMJHL).