swisshockey.net

The National Hockey League has released its preliminary 2009 Central Scouting Rankings, a first attempt at ranking the talent for this spring’s Entry Draft. Twenty-five Swiss skaters and two goaltenders were included on the list, which is reproduced below. Swisshockey.net will update this page periodically, as more information about the players’ prospects surface.

SKATERS

1. Alain Berger, RW, SC Bern
The 18-year old reportedly told his club he would not return for the 2009-2010 season, in preparation of a move to the NHL. Has been moonlighting for the NLB Young Sprinters over the holiday break, according to reports in the French-Swiss press. Tall (6′3) and physical. There is a chance we could see him in the NHL next season.
Ranked 56th-best European skater prospect in the NHL’s midterm prospects ratings.

2. Reto Schaeppi, C, GCK Lions
This August, a Hockey News story had a favorable report on Schaeppi. Not quite 18 (his birthday is Jan. 27), he still has time to fill out his 6′3 (191 cm) frame and may yet add an inch or so in height.
Ranked 48th-best European (and best Swiss) skater prospect in the NHL’s midterm ratings.

3. Etienne Froidevaux, C, SC Bern
First line center on Switzerland’s Under-20 national team at the recent world championships, with six points from five games and a +12 plus/minus rating. The Washington Capitals apparently took a look at Froidevaux in 2007. Ranked 62nd-best European skater prospect in the NHL’s midterm ratings.

4. Lukas Stoop, D, HC Davos
Played for the HCD at the 2008 Spengler Cup, where they finished a disappointing third. Hockeysfuture.com has more on the 18-year old. Ranked 76th-best European skater prospect in the NHL’s midterm ratings.

5. Patrick Geering, D, ZSC Lions
A solid part of ZSC’s nucleus, Geering’s contract with the Zurich club was due to expire in 2009, but he signed a two-year extension that may scare off some NHL clubs. See Hockeysfuture.com entry for more. Ranked 70th-best European skater prospect in the NHL’s midterm ratings.

6. Pascal Berger, W, SC Bern
Another member of the U-20 team and regular contributor to the capital city’s club. Older brother of Alain Berger (No. 1 rated skater on this list). Ranked 95th-best European skater prospect in the NHL’s midterm ratings.

7. Ryan McGregor, C, GCK Lions
The 18-year old was promoted to the GCK first team for this season but does not appear to have played much. The junior team is a different story altogether; there he has 34 points from 27 games. He also has Canadian citizenship but has been playing internationally for Switzerland. His father, Mark McGregor played and coached in Switzerland. Ranked 140th-best European skater prospect in the NHL’s midterm ratings.

8. Roman Schlagenhauf, C, Kloten Flyers
Roman’s uncle Peter Schlagenhauf had a career spanning four decades (1969-1994) with the Kloten Flyers, which are so named because they occupy the same town as Zurich’s airport. His father, Andy, was also on track for a successful professional career but lost sight in his left eye at age 27 in an accident suffered in (then obligatory) military service. At 6′3″ (189cm), Roman is taller than either member of the previous generation, which makes him a more compelling NHL prospect as well. On Jan. 3, Schlagenhauf agreed to a transfer to Lugano for the 2009 season. Was ranked 110th-best European skater in the NHL Central Scouting Rankings midterm edition.

9. Gregory Sciaroni, W, Ambri
Was part of the first-line attack at the recent U-20 world championship and rated the best forward of the tournament by eurohockey.net. Sciaroni was rated as early as 2007 by the Central Scouting Service and on NHL scouts’ radars for at least as long. Will this be the year he gets selected? Maybe not, but he received a more favorable review by the NHL’s midterm rankings, moving up to sixth among Swiss skater prospects (and 86th among all Europeans). Sciaroni will join HC Davos for the 2009-2010 season after signing a two-year contract in January. Will that turn off NHL scouts?

10. Mauro Jorg, W, HC Lugano
Jorg (sometimes written “Joerg” to make up for the umlaut) is splitting time this season between Lugano’s first team and the Swiss Under-20 selection that plays in National League B, the country’s second tier. He scored his first “major league” (NLA) goal in Lugano’s 5-2 victory over SC Bern on Oct. 3. Stands 6′ (183 cm) and weighs 192 lbs (87 kg), which may have influenced the NHL’s more favorable midterm ranking this January; Jorg was one of only 12 Swiss skaters to make the list of top 148 European non goalie prospects (he was 147th, but still…).

11. Simon Moser, W, SCL Tigers
Moser, who turns 20 in March, has had arguably the biggest impact on his club team of all players on this list. NHL scouts are likely familiar with his game already, as he has been on the Central Scouting list since 2007. Now a member of SCL’s first line attack, he had a stretch of seven points in nine games earlier this season. At 6′2 (188 cm) and 208 lbs (94 kg) he has the size for North America. Ranked 136th-best European skater prospect in the NHL’s midterm ratings.

12. Marc Kampf, LW, HC Davos Juniors
Kampf (or Kaempf) has been one of the top scorers for the U-18 national team in recent years. Has not played for Davos’ first team yet, but has filled in for the U-20 squad that competes in National League B. Doesn’t turn 19 until November, so he’s still growing (he’ll need to, measuring in at 5′9/154 at last count).

13. Renato Engler, LW, HC Davos Juniors
SImilar in size (5′8/158) and playing the same position as Kampf, though he hasn’t quite showed the same scoring prowess yet (he did score in a game against the U.S. U-18s last November, however). Engler is also a year younger (he turns 18 in August) than his teammate.

14. Tristan Scherwey, LW, SC Bern Juniors
Finished sixth in scoring at the recent U-18 Five Nations tournament in Zuchwil with six points from four games. Scored a goal against Canada in the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament last August. Turns 18 in May.

15. Matthias Rossi, C, EV Zug Juniors
At 6′, 200 lbs one of the widest prospects on this list. Perhaps has a future on a checking line in the NHL? Unfortunately, that’s all we have on him for now.

16. Sven Ryser, RW, GCK Lions
At 6′4 (192 cm) and nearly 200 lbs one of the most gifted physical specimens on this list. Turns 19 this summer. Has been impressive since joining the Lions’ first team in NLB this season. Of course, it’s also NLB.

17. Luca Camperchioli, D, GCK Lions
Stands 6′1/200 and has been mostly a first-line defender for the Lions’ first team, mostly on the left side (shoots left). Not a scorer. One of the only prospects to come through the ranks at second-division EHC Basel before transferring to Zurich at age 16.

18. Ramon Untersander, D, HC Davos Juniors
Stands 6′/183, shoots right. Hasn’t broken in to the first team yet, though this is not surprising given how much young talent there is competing for space at Davos. Along with his current teammate Renato Engler a graduate of an “elite” Swiss sport school in Thurgau.

19. Dino Wieser, W, HC Davos
Already in his third season on the first team though he turns just 20 this year. His contract runs through the 2009-2010 season. Stands 5′11 and shoots left. Scored against Team Canada at December’s Spengler Cup. Older brother Marc is also under contract at Davos. Rated 11th-best Swiss skater (and 137th-best European) by NHL Central Scouting’s midterm rankings.

20. Romain Loffel, D, Fribourg-Gotteron Juniors
Also spelled “Loeffel” to make up for the umlaut. Doesn’t turn 18 until March but already stands a healthy 6′1/198 and already seeing time with the first team. Shoots right. Said to be gifted technically and a fast skater. His stock has clearly risen since the first edition of this list. The NHL’s midterm ratings rated him the eighth-best Swiss skater (and 98th-best European).

21. Reto Suri, W, Servette Geneve
Suri, who turns 20 in March, came up through the heralded Kloten Flyers system. A bit of a surprise seeing him drop this far after the Swiss press raved about him last fall. Shoots left, said to be very strong on the puck but also has a nose for the goal (an astounding 47 points from 19 games in the Swiss junior league last season). Split his time between Servette and second division Lausanne this season and (statistically at least) has not impressed at either stop; four points (two goals) from 24 games at Lausanne and two assists from 10 games at Geneva.

22. Evgeni Chiriayev, F, La Chaux-De-Fonds
Alternate spellings: Chiriaev or Chirjaev. This season has 14 points (eight goals) from 33 games for the first team (which plays in Switzerland’s second division). Stands 5′11/170, shoots right. His father Valeri plays for the same club as a defenseman after a career stretching more than 15 years in Switzerland’s pro leagues. Valeri was born in the Ukraine and played for the Soviet world championship team in 1989 as well as several Ukranian world championship and for said country at the 2002 Winter Olympics.

23. Inti Pestoni, F, Ambri Juniors
Pestoni scored against the U.S. Under-18s in the four nations cup last November, giving the Swiss U-18s a short-lived 2-1 lead (they went on to lose the game, 4-2). He doesn’t turn 18 until August. Has 35 points (19 goals) from 31 games in the Swiss Elite A junior league. Does not appear to be very large (was 5′7 as a 16-year old).

24. Ronalds Kenins, F, GCK Lions
His first name has appeared as “Ronsids Kennis” in some listings, an indication of how closely (or not) he has been watched so far. Stands 5′10/176, shoots left. Plays regularly for the first team but not a major scorer (seven points from 34 games).

25. Benjamin Antonietti, F, EHC Basel
Third in the Junior league in penalty minutes but can also score (11 goals and 25 points in 27 games). Will need to grow into his 5′11 frame (listed at 158 lbs). Formerly of Servette Geneva.

GOALTENDERS

1. Benjamin Conz, Servette Geneve
Conz, just 17 years old, has been starting for Servette in the top flight and did well in the Geneva side’s shocking upset of ZSC Lions on Dec. 23 (links to German-language story). In the midterm rankings of NHL prospects, the Central Scouting bureau didn’t even have him as the best Swiss goalie (those honors went to ZSC’s Lukas Flueler, who was deemed third-best among all European goalie prospects. Conz was sixth, which is still pretty good especially considering his age.

2. Damiano Ciaccio, Neuchatel
Turns 20 this year, making him the oldest player on this list. Came from Fribourg’s development program (which also produced David Aebischer). Saw time at the recent U-20 worlds and did well (five goals against in four games, with a .937 save percentage). At 6′2 tall enough for an NHL goalie but does he have the skills? He’s been on their radar since at least 2006. Switzerland’s top flight clubs are definitely interested. According to a Jan. 8 report in the country’s German-speaking media, Bern, Kloten, Servette and ZSC are all in pursuit. If one of them signs him it will likely be for more money than he could earn in North America at this time.
Update, Jan. 13: Ciaccio will return to Fribourg next season, this time as a first team goalie (to back up current No. 1 Sebastien Caron). Terms were not disclosed but it’s pretty safe to assume it will involve a contract that will make NHL teams think twice about drafting Ciaccio.