Final season SC Bern signed Niklas Schlegel away from the ZSC Lions. They knew it could possibly be a dangerous transfer, and it didn’t work out nicely for both aspect. Now there’s some shuffling and playing about this season.
Certain, to exchange Leonardo Genoni in Bern after which face the warmth of the hockey followers on a regular basis and cope with the media over the smallest errors is rather a lot to cope with for a brand new goaltender. It was an excessive amount of for Schlegel. He couldn’t deal with it, and faltered.
Is that this his fault? No, it was the circumstances surrounding him that brought about him to play as traditional. There have been the accidents to the Bern protection. At one level throughout his keep in Bern there have been 5 seasoned defensemen and a number of other defensive-minded forwards all out, plus a droop in objective scoring. All of this added up. However now he will get a contemporary begin with HC Lugano. He signed a brand new contract that runs by way of the 2021-22 season.
New Group, however New Luck?
However who did exchange him within the crease? It’s a well-known goalkeeper from Finland. Tomi Karhunen had already performed for the HC Ambrì-Piotta two seasons earlier than. Coming from the Lahti Pelicans, he joined Bern in mid-November when he bought a contract till the top of the season. He at the moment has a save share of .928 and a goal-against common of 1.92. In comparison with Schlegel, that’s a lift for the entire staff.
Biel’s prime scorer Toni Rajala scores on Bern’s goalie Niklas Schlegel in a shootout (PPR/Anthony Anex)However Schlegel just isn’t the one goalkeeper with a brand new staff this season. Robert Mayer additionally has one. The goalie from Geneva will be part of HC Davos subsequent season. Which means that one of many two netminders, Joren van Pottelberghe or Sandro Aeschlimann, can be on the transfer.
Van Pottelberghe: to Detroit or Staying in Switzerland?
Whereas van Pottelberhge, who has Swiss-Belgian twin citizenship, could find yourself in North America enjoying for the American Hockey League affiliate of the Detroit Pink Wings, Aeschlimann will probably keep in Switzerland. However that’s not the one shuffle that may come.
By the top of subsequent season there could possibly be six goalies who need to signal a brand new contract with their respective staff or should search for a brand new one. Benjamin Conz and Daniel Manzato can be on the finish of their contracts in 2021 with HC Ambrì-Piotta. The identical is true for the goalies from the SCL Tigers, Dario Ciaccio and Ivars Punnenovs. All 4 Netminders will for positive take a look at the market and their worth. It gained’t be a shock if at the least two of the talked about 4 can be enjoying for a brand new staff subsequent season.
As for Sandro Zurkrichen (Lausanne HC) and Melvin Nyffeler (SCRJ Lakers), their probabilities of staying with their present groups are increased. That’s very true of Nyffeler, who stated early within the season that he doesn’t need to swap groups. However what is going to occur if one of many 4 large groups, SC Bern, HC Lugano, ZSC Lions or the EV Zug, affords a contract that he can’t resist? It could be tough for a small-market staff just like the SCRJ Lakers to match such a suggestion.
However what occurs within the precise season, the goalkeeper market will get an enormous shuffle on the finish of the 2020-21 season. And belief me, there can be a whole lot of rumors about what staff will take which keeper. And the wage is for certain to be ridiculous. Don’t be stunned if the netminders would crack the CHF 500,000 (~$508,000 USD) mark quickly. I wager that there’ll even be some salaries going as excessive as CHF 700,000 (~$711,000 USD) for a season. However the purpose behind that concept is an article for one more time.
