National League (ice hockey)
Current season, competition or edition: 2017–18 NL season | |
 | |
| Formerly |
Nationalliga A
|
|---|---|
| Sport | Ice hockey |
| Founded | 1999 |
| CEO |
Jean-Marie Viaccoz Michael Rindlisbacher |
| No. of teams | 12 |
| Country | Switzerland |
| Most recent champion(s) | SC Bern (15) |
| Most titles | HC Davos (31) |
| TV partner(s) | SRG, MySports |
| Related competitions | Swiss League |
| Official website | www.nationalleague.ch |
The National League (NL) is a professional ice hockey league in Switzerland. It is the top tier of the Swiss hockey league system and of the two-tier National League. Prior to the 2017–18 season, the league was officially called National League A. The NL has the most attended hockey club in Europe, SC Bern, and is also the most attended league within the same continent, averaging 6,882 spectators for the 2016–17 season.[1]
Season structure
During the regular season, each of the 12 teams play 50 games. The top eight teams after the regular season qualify for the playoffs to determine the Swiss champion in best-of-seven series. The bottom four teams in the standings play a relegation tournament, called playouts, in which each team retains their regular season points and play an additional six matches. Following those matches, the two bottom ranked teams will play each other in a best-of-seven series, with the loser then playing the winner of the Swiss League playoffs in a best-of-seven series for a spot in the successive NL season.[2]
Current teams
| Team | City | Arena | Capacity | Attendance 16/17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HC Ambrì-Piotta | Ambrì | Valascia | 6,500 | 4,955 |
| SC Bern | Bern | PostFinance-Arena | 17,031 | 16,399 |
| EHC Biel | Biel/Bienne | Tissot Arena | 6,521 | 5,415 |
| HC Davos | Davos | Vaillant Arena | 6,800 | 4,792 |
| Fribourg-Gottéron | Fribourg | BCF Arena | 6,500 | 5,758 |
| Genève-Servette HC | Geneva | Patinoire des Vernets | 7,135 | 6,135 |
| EHC Kloten | Kloten | Swiss Arena | 7,719 | 5,229 |
| Lausanne HC | Lausanne | Temporary arena (2017–2019) | 6,700 | 6,567 |
| HC Lugano | Lugano | Pista La Resega | 7,800 | 5,911 |
| SCL Tigers | Langnau im Emmental | Ilfis Stadium | 6,000 | 5,779 |
| ZSC Lions | Zürich | Hallenstadion | 11,200 | 9,214 |
| EV Zug | Zug | Bossard Arena | 7,200 | 6,436 |
Past champions
- 2017 – SC Bern
- 2016 – SC Bern
- 2015 – HC Davos
- 2014 – ZSC Lions
- 2013 – SC Bern
- 2012 – ZSC Lions
- 2011 – HC Davos
- 2010 – SC Bern
- 2009 – HC Davos
- 2008 – ZSC Lions
- 2007 – HC Davos
- 2006 – HC Lugano
- 2005 – HC Davos
- 2004 – SC Bern
- 2003 – HC Lugano
- 2002 – HC Davos
- 2001 – ZSC Lions
- 2000 – ZSC Lions
- 1999 – HC Lugano
- 1998 – EV Zug
- 1997 – SC Bern
- 1996 – Kloten Flyers
- 1995 – Kloten Flyers
- 1994 – Kloten Flyers
- 1993 – Kloten Flyers
- 1992 – SC Bern
- 1991 – SC Bern
- 1990 – HC Lugano
- 1989 – SC Bern
- 1988 – HC Lugano
- 1987 – HC Lugano
- 1986 – HC Lugano
- 1985 – HC Davos
- 1984 – HC Davos
- 1983 – EHC Biel
- 1982 – EHC Arosa
- 1981 – EHC Biel
- 1980 – EHC Arosa
- 1979 – SC Bern
- 1978 – EHC Biel
- 1977 – SC Bern
- 1976 – SCL Tigers
- 1975 – SC Bern
- 1974 – SC Bern
- 1973 – HC La Chaux-de-Fonds
- 1972 – HC La Chaux-de-Fonds
- 1971 – HC La Chaux-de-Fonds
- 1970 – HC La Chaux-de-Fonds
- 1969 – HC La Chaux-de-Fonds
- 1968 – HC La Chaux-de-Fonds
- 1967 – Kloten Flyers
- 1966 – Grasshopper-Club Zürich
- 1965 – SC Bern
- 1964 – HC Villars
- 1963 – HC Villars
- 1962 – EHC Visp
- 1961 – ZSC Lions
- 1960 – HC Davos
- 1959 – SC Bern
- 1958 – HC Davos
- 1957 – EHC Arosa
- 1956 – EHC Arosa
- 1955 – EHC Arosa
- 1954 – EHC Arosa
- 1953 – EHC Arosa
- 1952 – EHC Arosa
- 1951 – EHC Arosa
- 1950 – HC Davos
- 1949 – ZSC Lions
- 1948 – HC Davos
- 1947 – HC Davos
- 1946 – HC Davos
- 1945 – HC Davos
- 1944 – HC Davos
- 1943 – HC Davos
- 1942 – HC Davos
- 1941 – HC Davos
- 1940 – no winner
- 1939 – HC Davos
- 1938 – HC Davos
Swiss National Championship Serie A (1909–1937)
- 1909: HC Bellerive Vevey
- 1910: HC La Villa Lausanne
- 1911: Club des Patineurs de Lausanne
- 1912: HC Les Avants
- 1913: HC Les Avants
- 1914: not played
- 1915: not played
- 1916: HC Bern
- 1917: HC Bern
- 1918: HC Bern
- 1919: HC Bellerive Vevey
- 1920: HC Bellerive Vevey
- 1921: HC Rosey-Gstaad
- 1922: EHC St. Moritz
- 1923: EHC St. Moritz
- 1924: HC Château-d'Œx
- 1925: HC Rosey-Gstaad
- 1926: HC Davos
- 1927: HC Davos
- 1928: EHC St. Moritz
- 1929: HC Davos
- 1930: HC Davos
- 1931: HC Davos
- 1932: HC Davos
- 1933: HC Davos
- 1934: HC Davos
- 1935: HC Davos
- 1936: Zürcher SC
- 1937: HC Davos
Swiss International Championship Serie A (1916–1933)
- 1916: Akademischer EHC Zürich
- 1917: HC Les Avants
- 1918: HC Bellerive Vevey
- 1919: HC Rosey Gstaad
- 1920: HC Rosey Gstaad
- 1921: HC Rosey Gstaad
- 1922: HC Château-d'Œx
- 1923: EHC St Moritz
- 1924: HC Château-d'Œx
- 1925: HC Rosey Gstaad
- 1926: no winner
- 1927: HC Davos
- 1928: HC Rosey Gstaad
- 1929: HC Davos
- 1930: HC Davos
- 1931: HC Davos
- 1932: HC Davos
- 1933: Grasshopper-Club Zürich
See also
References
- ↑ "Swiss lead attendance study". www.iihf.com. Retrieved 2016-03-14.
- ↑ Lovis, Frédéric (14 June 2013). "Les play-out de LNA seront modifiés". Le Matin. Retrieved 6 February 2014.
External links
- (in German) National League, official website
- (in French) National League, official website
- Puck.ch Results of Swiss Ice Hockey – in English, French, German and Italian
- Meltzer, Bill. "Hockey a Hot Ticket in Switzerland" at NHL.com. Retrieved 6 April 2006.
- Meltzer, Bill. "Former NHLers Shining in Switzerland" at NHL.com. Retrieved 25 October 2006.
- Pat Schafhauser Foundation
- An Analysis Of The Swiss NLA
- All-time standings 1909–2008