2016–17 NLA season

The 2016–17 National League A season was the tenth ice hockey season of Switzerland's top hockey league, the National League A. Overall, it was the 79th season of Swiss professional hockey.[1][2]

2016–17 National League A season
LeagueNational League A
SportIce hockey
DurationSeptember 7, 2016 – February 25, 2017
Number of games50
Number of teams12
Total attendance2,064,737 (6,882 per game)
Regular season
Best recordSC Bern
Runners-upZSC Lions
Season MVPMark Arcobello
(SC Bern)
Top scorerMark Arcobello
(SC Bern)
Playoffs
Semi-Final championsSC Bern
  Semi-Final runners-upHC Lugano
Semi-Final championsEV Zug
  Semi-Final runners-upHC Davos
Swiss champion NLA
ChampionsSC Bern
  Runners-upEV Zug

SC Bern went on to win its 15th NLA title as the defending champions by defeating EV Zug. It was the first time since the 2000–01 season when the defending champions (ZSC Lions) won back-to-back titles.

Teams
NLA teams for the 2016–17 season
Team City Arena Capacity
HC Ambrì-Piotta Ambrì Valascia 6,500
SC Bern Bern PostFinance-Arena 17,031
EHC Biel Biel/Bienne Tissot Arena 6,521
HC Davos Davos Vaillant Arena 6,800
Fribourg-Gottéron Fribourg BCF Arena 6,500
Genève-Servette HC Geneva Patinoire des Vernets 7,135
EHC Kloten Kloten Swiss Arena 7,719
Lausanne HC Lausanne CIG de Malley 7,600
HC Lugano Lugano Pista La Resega 7,800
SCL Tigers Langnau im Emmental Ilfis Stadium 6,000
ZSC Lions Zürich Hallenstadion 11,200
EV Zug Zug Bossard Arena 7,015

Coaching changes

On September 22, 2016, Fribourg-Gottéron's Gerd Zenhäusern was relieved of his duties of head coach after posting a 1-1-1-3 record through 6 games this season. It was later announced that Larry Huras would take over the job for the remainder of the season.[3]

On October 1, 2016, the SCL Tigers fired head coach Scott Beattie after posting a 1-0-2-7 record through 10 games this season. He eventually went on to coach his final game that same day against EHC Kloten, which Langnau won 5-3. On October 2, 2016, it was announced that Heinz Ehlers would be Langnau's new head coach for the remainder of the season and through the 2017–18 season should the team stay in the NLA.[4]

On November 14, 2016, EHC Biel fired head coach Kevin Schlaepfer after posting an 8-0-2-11 record through 21 games this season. Mike McNamara who was coaching Biel junior team at the time, became the interim head coach for the main club.[5]

On January 16, 2017, HC Lugano fired head coach Doug Shedden and assistant coach Pat Curcio after posting a 14-4-3-19 record through 40 games this season. It was later announced that Greg Ireland would replace Shedden at the helm of the team for the end of the season.[6]

On January 30, 2017, HC Ambrì-Piotta parted ways with head coach Hans Kossmann after posting a 7-8-4-24 record through 43 games this season, sitting dead last in the NLA at the time. Gordie Dwyer will coach the team for the remainder of the season.[7]

Arenas

Lausanne played its final season at Malley before playing two seasons in a temporary arena which will be located in the old city's slaughterhouse. Meanwhile, their new 10,000-seat arena will be built on the site of the old Malley.[8]

This was Fribourg's last season in the current BCF Arena before it undergoes major renovations in the spring of 2017, which will last for about two years and increase the capacity from 6,500 to 8,500. The team should still be able to play in the arena during the renovations.[9]

Regular season
Pos Team Pld W OTW OTL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 SC Bern 50 31 6 4 9 160 114 +46 109 Advance to Playoffs
2 ZSC Lions 50 26 9 8 7 166 115 +51 104
3 EV Zug 50 28 3 6 13 153 122 +31 96
4 Lausanne HC 50 23 5 1 21 154 139 +15 80
5 HC Davos 50 22 4 4 20 152 135 +17 78
6 Genève-Servette HC 50 18 4 11 17 135 140 −5 73
7 HC Lugano 50 19 6 4 21 142 155 −13 73
8 EHC Biel 50 21 2 3 24 146 140 +6 70
9 EHC Kloten 50 14 5 10 21 142 162 −20 62 Advance to Playouts[lower-alpha 1]
10 SCL Tigers 50 16 4 3 27 124 154 −30 59
11 Fribourg-Gottéron 50 12 5 2 31 130 177 −47 48
12 HC Ambrì-Piotta 50 9 8 5 28 113 164 −51 48
Updated to match(es) played on 25 February 2017. Source: NLA
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) a higher number of wins in the regular time; 3) a higher number of wins in overtime and shootouts; 4) goal difference; 5) number of goals scored; 6) drawing of lots.
Notes:
  1. Relegation Playoffs

Player statistics

Regular season
Player Team GP G A Pts +/– PIM
Mark ArcobelloSC Bern50253055+2330
Julien SprungerHC Fribourg-Gottéron50262551-216
Roman ČervenkaHC Fribourg-Gottéron44163551-832
Robert NilssonZSC Lions46143751+3014
Lino MartschiniEV Zug50232649+86
Drew ShoreEHC Kloten50242448-128
Linus KlasenHC Lugano50113748-1130
David McIntyreEV Zug47173047+1934
Dustin JeffreyLausanne HC49182846+98
Patrick ThoresenZSC Lions50182745+3036

Playoffs
Player Team GP G A Pts +/– PIM
Mark ArcobelloSC Bern1681220+212
Andrew EbbettSC Bern1681220+98
David McIntyreEV Zug1611819+112
Thomas RüfenachtSC Bern1671118+449
Raphael DiazEV Zug16591406
Ryan LaschSC Bern164913+92
Dino WieserHC Davos107512+316
Simon MoserSC Bern164812+333
Ramon UntersanderSC Bern165611+62
Jarkko ImmonenEV Zug154711-441

Playoffs
  Quarter-Finals Semi-Finals Finals
                           
  1 SC Bern 4  
8 EHC Biel 1  
  1 SC Bern 4  
  7 HC Lugano 1  
2 ZSC Lions 2
  7 HC Lugano 4  
(Pairings are re-seeded after the first round)   1 SC Bern 4
  3 EV Zug 2
  3 EV Zug 4  
6 Genève-Servette HC 0  
  3 EV Zug 4
  5 HC Davos 2  
4 Lausanne HC 0
  5 HC Davos 4  

References
  1. "National League-Spielpläne sind bekannt" (in German). SIHF. June 17, 2016. Retrieved June 29, 2016.
  2. "Meisterschaft / Cup / CHL NLA /// Championnat / Coupe / CHL LNA - Saison 2016/17" (PDF) (in German). SIHF. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 28, 2016. Retrieved June 29, 2016.
  3. "Gerd Zenhäusern new Head of Development - Larry Huras new head coach of HCFG?". swisshockeynews.ch. 2016-09-22. Retrieved 2016-09-22.
  4. "Ehlers reportedly agrees to become the SCL Tigers' new head coach, Beattie to stay as assistant coach?". swisshockeynews.ch. 2016-10-02. Retrieved 2016-10-02.
  5. "Kevin Schlaepfer no longer head coach of EHC Biel". swisshockeynews.ch. 2016-11-14. Retrieved 2016-11-14.
  6. "HC Lugano fires Shedden and Curcio, Greg Ireland and Jussi Silander to replace them". swisshockeynews.ch. 2017-01-16. Retrieved 2017-01-16.
  7. "Hans Kossmann fired by HCAP, Gordie Dwyer to replace him?". swisshockeynews.ch. 2017-01-30. Retrieved 2017-01-30.
  8. "Lausanne HC will have to play in exile for two seasons". swisshockeynews.ch. 2016-07-05. Retrieved 2016-08-20.
  9. "Increased capacity - HC Fribourg Gottéron presents renovation plan for their stadium". swisshockeynews.ch. 2016-06-24. Retrieved 2016-08-20.
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