With the current formula of the Champions League hockey, the Swiss club has never played in the finals. In previous years, HC Davos, HC Fribourg-Gotteron and last season EV Zug had the chance to do so. In the current competition, Geneva-Servet reached the semi-finals and will face Luko Rauma's team in the battle to reach the grand final. How do you rate the chances of the Swiss in these two games?
I think they have the potential and are strong enough to knock out the Finnish team. We remind you that Luko Rauma is the third team of the regular season of the Champions Hockey League. They won five out of six matches, and Innsbruck and Dinamo Pardubice were eliminated in the knockout phase. The Geneva team did not start the current season in the Swiss league very well, but recently they have been playing much better, which is confirmed by their promotion to the top four of the Champions League. On the way to the semi-finals, they defeated German vice-champion ERC Ingolstadt and current Swedish champion Vaxio Lakers. I do not rule out that Geneva-Servet will turn out to be the dark horse of this competition.
How does the Swiss media view this two-legged match?
Optimistic. There is an opinion that if they have managed to get this far, they should go one step further and reach the finals. Especially since Luko Rauma is not a very famous club from Finland, so it might be an advantage for them. Everyone knows that this will be a very even two-way match, and although Luko's side have the better chance of progressing, this should in turn give more comfort to the Geneva side.
Last season, the Geneva-Servet team won the historic championship of Switzerland. Was that a big surprise for you?
No, because this is a team that has been close to the championship for several years, or even a decade, but in the end always lacked something to win the dream title. In the previous competition, two teams actually competed for this trophy: Geneve-Servette and EHC Biel-Bienne. After the regular season, both were the best and won the championship between them. The Geneva team won the extremely intense and exciting playoff final in only the seventh match.
Do they have a chance to defend the title this season?
It is possible, but it will not be easy. In the last twenty years, only two clubs have managed this: Bern and Eu Zug. I mentioned that the beginning of the current competition was not easy for them. Two key players left the team before the season. Forward Linus Omark moved to Luleå, while defender Henrik Tomernes returned to Frolunda. Together with goalkeeper Robert Mayer, they were the main architects of this championship.
Several new players have appeared in the team and their performance is slowly resembling the crucial matches of the previous season. Currently, the Geneva team is fighting for the top six in the Swiss league, which guarantees direct play in the playoff phase. Defending the title won't be easy, but it's not like they don't have a chance. There are still plenty of games left in the regular season, so they can still climb up the league table.
You mentioned Robert Meyer, who was instrumental in winning the historic championship last season. He was injured in the current competition and the club management brought out the great Finn Jussi Olkinuora from Pelicans Lahti to replace him.
I was surprised by this transfer because Olkinuora is the reigning Olympic champion and 2022 world champion. It is clear from the first matches that this will be a great boost for the club. Meyer played brilliantly last season and was rightfully named playoff MVP. We remember the wave of criticism he received at the last World Cup, when the coach of the national team, Patrick Fischer, chose him completely unexpectedly instead of Leonardo Guenoni in the quarter-finals, and the Swiss lost 1-3 to the Germans. I hope Mayer will return to the game this season and fight for a place in goal with Olkinuora.
Which elements are Geneva-Servet's strengths?
First of all, it plays with advantages and disadvantages and individually. For this they have long been known throughout Switzerland. I vividly remember when I was working in Zurich, when I was working on a game for the Geneva team, I spent a lot of time on their advantages and disadvantages. I remember that their current manager, Ian Cadier, as a player, was one of the best players I knew, especially when I was playing away. Moreover, the Geneva team more than twenty years ago, when the Canadian Chris McSorley became the team coach and co-owner of the club, focused on the strong training of young people.
Although McSorley himself was a very controversial figure, with a rather explosive temper, as I witnessed several times, the team began to progress, leading to promotion to the top division. Cadie, who was playing in Geneva then, made a big impression on me, and now it shows in the way his players play. We are well aware that the advantages and disadvantages of this Champions League season are very important, if not the key elements. Only in these competitions do modified rules apply, rewarding teams that can play advantage well and play skillfully in a weakened position. That could make a big difference in the two games against Luko Rauma.
Geneve-Servet has great potential as a goalkeeper. Which field is worth paying attention to? I know some of your players from ZSC Lions Zurich will play against Luko.
Currently, there are three of my students in the Geneva team, and I cannot deny that it is a great honor for me. The first is defenseman Tim Byrne, who played last season in the NHL with the Columbus Blue Jackets. I didn't have time to go through there. He had an offer to play in the AHL league, but decided to return to Europe on a one-year “loan”. It seemed that he would play in Zurich, but in the meantime he signed a contract with the Geneva club. He is one of the most versatile defenders of Switzerland's young generation.
The other is Roger Carrera and he also plays as a defender. He impressed me with his determination. He was able to compensate for some shortcomings with his hard work and systematic approach. He has made great progress and has been an important player in the team for some time.
My third student is the current representative of Switzerland, striker Marco Miranada. He is a very ambitious and persistent player. I remember when he was younger, I took him to the junior team. The club did not hide its surprise at this decision, but with its performance it proved that I made the right decision. When it comes to key figures in this team, the Finns play an important role, especially defender Sami Vatanen, who is Genève-Servet's top scorer in the Swiss league and one of the top scorers in the Champions League. Although he is a defender, his goal scoring is really impressive.
Here I would like to draw attention to center forward Tanner Richard, who, despite not having impressive goal statistics, is a very important figure in this team. Moreover, he is currently the top scorer in the Champions League. Although he only scored two goals, he also had ten assists and could win this classification as well.
The broadcast of the first semi-final matches of the Champions League in ice hockey (the return matches will take place on January 16):
Tuesday (January 9):
HC Vitkovice Ridera – Skelleftea AIK live at 17:50 on Polsat Sport Fight
Geneva-Servet – Luko Rauma live from 20:05 on Polsat Sport Premium 3