During this game we focused on seven Swiss players who are on our 2024 NHL Draft watch list
| Phileas Lachat | Biel-Bienne U17 | International | L | G | 6’2″ | 183 | Delemont, SUI | 2006 | 2023-2024: C |
Game Rating: B-
Comments: Lachat is an average sized goalie who appears larger than his listed 6’2′. He plays the game on the balls of his feet and inside edges with a forward leaning posture. We liked how het racked pucks from the moment the puck left his opponent’s stick blade until he had the puck tied up or he deflected it out of harm’s way. Tonight he made 23 saves on 26 shots (88%) including making 11 scoring area saves and stopping one breakaway. He gave up three goals total with two coming off quick stick one-timers from low in the slot. The third goal came after an opposing forward beat his defender wide and drove the net to the far post. It was a heck of play by the Swedish player but we feel he could have used an active stick / poke check to break his opponent’s momentum.
| Gian Meier | GCK Lions U20 | U20-Elit | R | D | 6’1″ | 159 | Zurich, SUI | 2006 | 2023-2024: C+ |
Game Rating: B+
Comments: At 6’1″ Meier is an average sized right shot defenseman who still has a very slight build weighing in at 159lbs. He showed an upright skating posture with a knee over toes base and quick 3/4 length strides. At this pint he still does not have a powerful toe thrust to complete his stride but we feel that as he gains weight and strength he has the skating mechanics to be a very agile quick defender with NHL size and reach. We liked how he retrieved pucks with his head on a swivel and, although it might seem entirely too obvious, Meier went to where the puck was going rather than chasing it around the wall or defensive zone like he was a greyhound after a rabbit. He worked to be an outlet on a hinge for his partner and he showed the touch on his passes to give his wingers or partner indirect passes onto their tape. He showed a soft first touch, some wiggle and elusiveness to create space or passing lanes and a quick release snap shot that hit the net after moving laterally to create a shooting lane passed the opposing winger. He was a key member to the penalty killing unit, but he did not see power play time so that is a concerning as we move into really dissecting him as a draft prospect, but Switzerland only had 2:26 in power play time so maybe he was a second unit player? He finished the game even with 0 points, had 1 shot blocked, 4 giveaways, 7 takeaways and he won 50% of his 6 puck battles. At this point we are sure he is not on many draft lists, but we have him as a “C+” due to the combination of his puck anticipation, elusive skating ability and overall length.
| Jamiro Reber | HV71 | SHL | L | C | 5’9″ | 170 | Lagnau, SUI | 2006 | 2023-2024: C |
Game Rating: B-
Comments: Reber is an undersized left shot center with a high compete and work rate. He showed a shoulder width skating base with long powerful strides and low compact return leg that landed on its flat edge. In the defensive zone he stopped on pucks and wall scrums while maintaining defensive side positioning and using a quick hidden poke check to force turnovers that led directly to offensive transition. He finished the game -1 on the overtime goal that truthfully he had very little to do with other than losing the face-off at the start of overtime 35 seconds earlier. On the night he was 5/13 on face-offs, 8 giveaways, 4 takeaways and won 46% of his 13 puck battles. At this point we view him as a long shot to be drafted, but he is heading to Sweden to play for HV71 in the J20 so he will be challenged. If he can have the same offensive success that he had playing for Langnau in the U20 Elit then NHL organizations will have something to talk about heading into the U18 World’s.
| Leon Muggli | EV Zug | NL | L | D | 6’0″ | 165 | Cham, SUI | 2006 | 2023-2024: C |
Game Rating: B-
Comments: Muggli is an undersized left shot defender who played big minutes as the Captain for Team Switzerland. At this point he is still quite lean and light but he did show excellent body awareness by constantly being engaged in battle and doing everything in his power to take his opponent’s hips away. He showed a soft first touch on both his forehand and backhand. He earned a power play primary assist when he showed deception by looking goal line and then firing a rocket pass to the bumper for a downhill tip. Interestingly, he led Switzerland in ice time but did not kill penalties. he finished the night -2, with 11 giveaways, 10 takeaways and he won 50% of his 16 puck battles. Realistically we do not see him as a 2024 draft pick, but his leadership and puck poise make him an interesting player to watch throughout the season and into the U18 World Championships.
| Daniil Ustinkov | ZSC | NL | L | D | 6’3″ | 174 | Avon, OH | 2006 | 2023-2024: B |
Game Rating: B
Comments: Although still light Ustinkov has an NHL frame to continue building on. Both with and without the puck on his stick he showed very good four way mobility and there were a few times while moving laterally along the blueline that he surprised us with his wiggle and elusiveness. We liked how he worked up the ice to set his gap and when there was a turnover he used smart stick placement to force Sweden’s forwards into the area where he could pinch them off near the defensive blueline. He was interchangeable at the top of the umbrella during the power play and he showed some deception on his passes to both mid-wall teammates. He wasn’t throwing crazy no-looks, but he did look in the opposite way of his intended target. He had four penalty minutes on the night with one being for cleaning an opposing forward’s clock as he drove him from the shooting lane. The other penalty came on a well earned slash at the offensive blueline. We would have liked to have seen him move his feet so he could catch the play rather than take a slashing penalty in a 2-2 game at his offensive blueline. On the night he finished with 2 giveaways, 5 takeaways and he won 73% of his 11 puck battles.
| Yannik Ponzetto | GCK Lions | SL | L | LW | 6’0″ | 161 | Bulach, SUI | 2006 | 2023-2024: C |
Game Rating: C+
Comments: Ponzetto is an undersized fleet footed left shot left wing who was in constant motion and moving with pace. He came off the bench flying on line changes, as the weakside winger he pushed the pace at top speed through the neutral zone and when he had the puck on his stick he was looking to change his pace from fast to flying in an instant. There were not a whole lot of details to his game other than when he had a chance for a loose puck or to generate a turnover he was going to be at top speed in a single stride. He finished the game even with 0 points, 0 shots, 1 hit, 2 giveaways, 1 takeaway and won 50% of his 4 puck battles.
During this game we focused on seven Swiss players who are on our 2024 NHL Draft watch list
| Christian Kirsch | EV Zug | NL | L | G | 6’2″ | 161 | UMass Amherst | 2025 | Basel, CHE | 2006 | 2023-2024: C+ |
Game Rating: LV
Comments: Did not play
Photo Credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images
Average player size by league;
U14 – 5’5” , 127lbs
U15 – 5’7” , 136lbs
U16 – 5’8” , 149lbs
U18 – 5’11” , 168lbs
NCDC – 6’0” , 183lbs (Tier 3)
BCHL – 5’11” , 179lbs (Tier 2)
AJHL – 5’11” , 176lbs (Tier 2)
NAHL – 5’11” , 173lbs (Tier 2)
USHL – 5’11” , 174lbs (Tier 1)
NCAA D3 – 5’10” , 170lbs
NCAA D1 – 6’0” , 190lbs
WHL – 6’0” , 188lbs
OHL – 6’0” , 185lbs
QMJHL – 5’11” , 179lbs
ECHL – 5’11” , 183lbs
AHL – 6’0” , 194lbs
NHL – 6’1.5” , 206lbs
NHL All-Star – 6’1” , 201lbs
Data compiled by ChatGPT