Hockey Club Lugano
Encyclopedia
Hockey Club Lugano, often abbreviated to HC Lugano or HCL, is a professional ice hockey
club based in Lugano
, Switzerland
. The team competes in the National League A and has won seven Swiss championships. The team is the twelfth most attended team in Switzerland for the 2010/11 season with 4,060 spectators.
Since the 1985-86 season, the club has won seven national titles, five play-off finals, reached the final round of the European Cup final twice, reached the Euroleague Top Four Final once, reached the Super Six 2007, a decisive action in the Spengler Cup and two third places in the Continental Cup Superfinal.
The HC Lugano "family" consists of Youth Sections, a Ladies Team, and HC Lugano-Ceresio. Their affiliate EHC Basel Sharks competes in the National League B.
and goes to the Loreto quarter. This change is certainly beneficial and is a good opportunity to make the hockey game gradually known in the neighbourhood. In Loreto, the first real games of puck on ice are played: the game of hockey starts getting a footing; however, the civic authorities keep considering Lugano as, basically, a football city. All the efforts of the president Luigi Bellasi come to nothing. In fact, the lack of political support causes the club's eviction from Loreto, too.
thanks to Cuccio Viglezio and Guido Keller. Still in the course of 1955, Albino Mangili sets up the sport facility in Noranco
: in the three years passed there, the Lugano club contends its first official championships and celebrates its first promotion to first division in 1956. The first artificial rink, which will be called "Resega", is inaugurated on December 1, 1957. The most important engagement experienced during the first years of the Resega was the then Pedrolini Cup that gives hospitality to European teams such as the Stockholm club, the Wembley Lions, the Paris club and the Milan Devils. The Resega's inaugural season coincides with the first professional players wearing the black-and-white jersey: Gene Miller, followed by the Chinese-Canadian Larry Kwong
.
In the 1963-64 season, the HCL achieved the promotion to National League B, which was conquered on 29 February 1964 in Rapperswil
's ice rink. The team celebrated their promotion to National League A in the 1970-71 season. Second only to Canton Valais, Canton Ticino has two clubs in the highest category (HCL and HC Ambrì
). The adventure of the Lugano club in National League A lasted two seasons; in the 1972-73 season, it was be relegated again to the National League B. In 1975 the black-and-white club moved to Lugano's first covered ice rink in Mezzovico
; the club played two championships here, the time necessary to cover the Resega completely.
In 1978-79 season the Lugano club had a ranking in front of the Ambrì club and for the first time, on October 23, 1979, the Valascia
(Ambrì club's home arena) was conquered (5-2).
and John Harrington, who had conquered the gold medal with the American national team at the 1980 Winter Olympics
. They remained in Lugano for only a championship.
The Lugano club returned to the National League A at the end of the 1981-82 season. For the adventure in Series A, the Lugano club engages an American defender, Bob Hess
, with more than 300 games in the NHL and the greatest promise for Swiss hockey: Jörg Eberle from Canton Appenzell. However, with the sixth final place, the championship of the black-and-whites is not really memorable. At the end of the season, an author of the scaling of the black-and-white team in National League A finally and definitely gives up ice skating: Alfio Molina.
In order to give a turning point to the whole environment, the president Mantegazza gives way to a real technical revolution and calls a new coach from Sweden: John Slettvoll. With him, inflexible in and outside the ice, arrives a player destined to become the Resega's favourite: Kent Johansson
. The 1983-84 season is very regular: the team ranks in 4th position. In order to face the 1984-85 season, Slettvoll further strengthens the Lugano club with two essential players: Mats Waltin
and Fredy Lüthi. For the whole season, HCL team chases the champions of the Davos club, concluding its best season by conquering the second place. Slettvoll prepares the 1985/1986 recruiting two new players of great promise: Sandro Bertaggia and Andy Ton; there's also Jörg Eberle, who returns from Davos with two national titles. March 1, 1986, the Lugano club is for its first time Swiss champion: captain Kaufmann receives the cup in the Davos' ice rink. In the 1986-87 season, the Lugano club is always at the top of the league and it is launched in Europe. Successful at first in East Berlin, it eliminate what – until then – had been considered the strongest western team absolutely: the Köln club! Never before had a Swiss team been able to reach its aim of playing in the European Cup's final phase. During the championships, the Lugano club confirms itself wonderfully and conquers its second national title in the play-off finals against the Kloten team. In order to replace the various departures, the following in 1987/1988 season arrives in Lugano the Finn Kari Pekka Eloranta
. Lugano club confirms itself as the championship's leader and, after its dominance in the regular season, it attains its third title in a row in the play-offs, at the expenses of the Kloten team.
During this season the European Cup took place in Lugano in an enthusiastic Resega; the guests of honour are no less than the legendary CSKA Moscow
(with the legendary Larionov
, Makarov
, Krutov
and Fetisov
) and the teams Färjestad
and Košice
. However, the Lugano team has no power whatsoever against these sacred monsters of European hockey. The Lugano team of John Slettvoll and Geo Mantegazza conquers the first place in the regular 1988/1989 season but the bears in Berne
wake up from their dormancy and the men in the federal capital pinch the Lugano team's title at the Resega. For the first time after the introduction of the play-offs, the Lugano team leaves the national title to an opponent. In order to re-launch the Lugano team in the 1989-90 season, the "wizard" Slettvoll decides to call a small Japanese-Canadian to Lugano for the play-offs, Steve Tsujiura. In the final, the Lugano team takes its revenge for the previous season by winning in four games and conquering the title in the impressive Allmend ice rink, absolutely swarming with black-and-white fans. Once again, the Lugano club enters its name in the Swiss Hockey's roll of honour. A success that basically closes the "Era of the Great Lugano Club" and that of a well-loved president, Geo Mantegazza. The "presidentissimo", in fact, leaves the team in the hands of another of the Resega's favourites: Fabio Gaggini.
However, HCL participates to the Spengler Cup: it wins against the Mannheim team
, it beats the Malmö team
in extra time, loses by a single goal against Team Canada and beats the legendary CSKA Moscow at the penalty shots!! The following day, during the conclusive action, the Russian masters impose themselves 5 to 2. At the end of the season, John Slettvoll leaves the Lugano club.
The Canadian Andy Murray is engaged as the team's leader for the 1992-93 season and with him, a legendary figure arrives in the Lugano club: Igor Larionov
. And to support him there is the Czech Petr Rosol
. In December the club is forced to dismiss Murray and to call back Slettvoll. The greatest news of the 1993-94 season, however, is the temporary rink called Reseghina. In fact, the legendary, old Resega is in the course of being demolished, so that a new and modern facility can be built. From 1992 to 1996 Lugano is eliminated in the first phase of play-offs.
The 1995-96 championship starts the inauguration of the Resega's new ice rink on September 25, 1995 (Lugano v Lausanne team). The HCL's defender Pat Schafhauser's sad fate, in the evening of December 5, 1995, will slam violently against the balustrade in the Davos ice rink, thus severely damaging his spinal cord; he will be forced in a wheelchair. After this sad accident, the Lugano club establishes the "Fondazione Pat Schafhauser", with the aim of creating a fund for possible sports accidents. This foundation organises the famous Swiss All Star Game each year.
For the 1996-97 season, Lugano club hires a new coach: Mats Waltin
. Another great Swede arrives with him, Michael Nylander
, who leaves the Calgary Flames
(NHL). The '96-'97 season ends in the play-off semi-final. For the following season there are new arrivals: the Canadian Todd Elik
, the Swedish pluri-champion Peter Andersson and the Swiss brothers Geoffrey and Julien Vauclair
(drafted by Ottawa Senators
). In November Waltin is substituted by Jim Koleff, who had come to Lugano as sports manager. In order to help the defence and Lars Weibel, there's also the first foreign goalkeeper in black-and-white history: Cristobal Huet
. The Lugano club beats Davos and Zug in the play-offs and prepares itself to confront the Ambrì club, the protagonist of a record regular season, in a derby final. Thanks to a better freshness and experience, the Lugano team, edition 1998-99, conquers its fifth national title on 5 April 1999 at the Valascia, by beating its cousins in five games.
In the 1999-2000 season Lugano club dominates the regular season but the real exploit is attained in the Euroleague, when the black-and-white team finally reaches the semi-final round thanks in particular to Philippe Bozon
, Christian Dubé
, Oliver Keller, and Wes Walz
. Lugano disputes the Top Four Final, the final phase of the European championship: the Russians of the Metallurg Magnitogorsk team, led by Gomoljako, beat the Sparta Prague team in the final. The play-offs begin with the easy victories over the Fribourg and Ambrì teams, but not so with the ZSC Lions
(Zurich) team: Lugano team loses the play-offs at the Hallenstadion in "contest 6" when, 10 seconds to the whistle, Plavsic gets the 4 to 3 goal.
Season 2000-2001
The 2000-01 season, the HCL's 60th birthday, faithfully follows the previous season in some things. The great final with the Zurich team is extremely intense, often unfair, polemical and, unfortunately, with an extremely bitter end: on April 7, 2001, "Game 7" at the Resega, Morgan Samuelsson scores the championship winning goal in the extra time.
Season 2001-2002
In the 2001-02 season, an ex player of the "Great Russia" arrives as coach of the Lugano club: Zinetula Bilyaletdinov
. With him come new players: Petteri Nummelin
, Ryan Gardner and Mike Maneluk
. Continental Cup elimination leads to the drastic decision of dismissing the coach: Jim Koleff takes his place once again until the end of the season. Cristobal Huet
also leaves the Lugano club to join the Los Angeles Kings
in the NHL.
Season 2002-2003
In the 2002-03 season, Larry Huras
arrives as new coach. At the end of a very balanced regular season, the Lugano club comes in fourth. Ahead of it in the ranking there are the following teams: Davos, ZSC Lions and Berne. Lugano team manages to dominate rhythms and timing, thus attaining the qualification for the final beating both Kloten and Zurich teams. In the final against Davos team, the current champion, in six matches Lugano team brings the black-and-whites' sixth title to the shores of Lake Ceresio.
Season 2003-2004
For the 2003-2004 season, in the Swiss black-and-white team, arrives a legendary Finnish hockey player, Ville Peltonen
, and the great Sandro Bertaggia (who closes his career after six titles in Lugano) is substituted by Steve Hirschi. In January, the team conquers a new bronze medal in the Continental Cup's Superfinal in Gomel, Belarus
. On February 22, 2004, the Resega lives an afternoon of intense emotions. In a mood of great collective participation, Alfio Molina's jersey nr. 1, Sandro Bertaggia's jersey nr. 2 and Pat Schafhauser's jersey nr. 4 are officially collected. The last-named is connected "live" by satellite from Minneapolis. Lugano's season has an apical moment in the play-offs semi-final against the ZSC Lions team disallowing three matchballs on the part of the Zurich team: Lugano team eliminates the Lions and is in the final. But the black-and-white team loses the "best of five" final in the extra-time of the fifth games with a goal by Marc Weber.
Season 2004-2005
The season 2004-2005 will be registered into the annals of Swiss Ice Hockey history as one of the most interesting ones and for the HC Lugano as one of the strangest. The reasons are obvious: For once the lockout in the NHL. World stars such as Joe Thornton
, Rick Nash
, Niklas Hagman
and Martin St. Louis
showed their skills on Swiss ice fields. Owing to the lockout, the HC Lugano committed the Swiss NHL Goalie of the Colorado Avalanche
, David Aebischer
and in the Resega the NHL stars replace another: Kimmo Timonen
, Jason Blake and above all Alex Tanguay
. HC Lugano drops out the championship during the quarter finals against the actual Swiss Master SC Bern. At the end of the season JJ Aeschlimann ends is career after 14 successful seasons with the HC Lugano.
Season 2005-2006
The new championship 2005-2006 begins: Glen Metropolit
's arrival from Jokerit Helsinki allows Lugano to improve its game. Jason York
, with more than 700 games in the NHL, reinforces the defence and Lugano is on the top of the league standings. Before Christmas the club announces that Larry Huras will not be the technician of the future. The new leaders, head coach Harold Kreis from partnerteam Chur and co-coach Ivano Zanatta dispatched the responsibilities and asked the players, their brains, hearts and balls (the three "C", from Italian: Cervello, Cuore e Coglioni) in order to remount the series against Ambrì-Piotta team in quarter-final. Lugano turns the series from 0-3 to 4-3, in semi-final knocked down Kloten and joins Berne in final. When the 13th of April 2006, the final siren rang at the Resega, the HCL people was at the seventh heaven for seventh title. Afterwards, the NHL knocked at Metropolit's door, and just some time later, at Nummelin's, Peltonen's and York's too: Never did a Swiss club lose four players in the same time, for a more prestigious scene.
Season 2006-2007
On the November 29, 2006, due to the magistrate's investigation on the illegal payments, the restructuration of the board of directors take place: Beat Kaufmann and of Fabio Gaggini resignes from their respective functions and they are substituted by Fausto Gianini and Paolo Rossi. For the new season, the Swedish player Dick Tärnström
get hired. On the forward front, the new foreigners who signed with the club are Landon Wilson
and the second Swedish man, the playmaker Rickard Wallin
. In January 2007, HC Lugano played in the Super Six tournament, in St. Petersburg
, Russia
with the National champion teams of the six strongest European nations. Lugano defeated Färjestad
(3-0), before a loss to Ak Bars Kazan of the same score. Then the team get to the playoff where the quarter finals' adversary was Kloten Flyers
of Rintanen
, Pittis
and Hamr
. Lugano defeats the series but with regret of clamorous mistake made by the referee Prugger who whistled while the puck was still in movement invalidating the equalizer.
Season 2007-2008
The approach of the 2007-2008 season is positive, the arrival of the experienced Canadian defenseman Yannick Tremblay and Timo Helbling
compensate the departures. Forward Canadian playmaker Marty Murray
is also recruited. The 18th of October 2007, Jukka Hentunen
, HCL top scorer, leaves Lugano after being confronted with the extraordinary occasion of an extremely lucrative contract with the Russian team of the Ak Bars Kazan. As substitute, the managers sign up the NHL star Anson Carter
which starts with three goals in three games but he gradually disappears from the scene. Between November and December, Lugano faces a new crisis forcing Ivano Zanatta out of the team. After a short parentheses with coach Kent Ruhnke, the 9th of January John Slettvoll makes a clamorous come back. However, for the first time after twenty-two years, Lugano had to take part in the playout against Basel
.
Season 2008-2009
Continuity, at least at the balustrade, was the key word of the season 2008/2009 with John Slettvoll renewing his contract, hiring of Ambrì-Piotta team leader Hnat Domenichelli
and the Petteri Nummelin's come back. Revelation of the season are the sniper Brady Murray
(son of Andy Murray) and the Norwegian player Patrick Thoresen
. On January 7, 2009, at a derby's eve, Slettvoll abandoned the team: Hannu Virta
, ex coach of TPS Turku
is called from Finland to direct the team. In the quarter-finals Lugano defeats in seventh games against Davos.
Season 2009-2010
The season 2009-2010 started with a new president. Silvio Laurenti followed Paolo Rossi, after Rossi decided to leave the club for personal reasons. The former player Kent Johansson returned on the bench as head coach. In the market session, Patrick Thoresen leaved Lugano to play in the KHL for Salavat Yulaev Ufa
. In his stead came Jeff Hamilton that confirmed his scorer skills but who showed poor inclination to play with the team. Johansson brought Johan Akerman
for the defence who didn't give much impulse. Lugano started with a series of nine consecutive defeats between September and October. Thanks to Hnat Domenichelli
, Jeff Hamilton, Randy Robitaille
and Boyd Devereaux
the team reacted early enough.
In January the team lost five consecutive games although they quite recently reached the playoff zone. The management realized that Kent Johansson was not the right person for the Swiss hockey environment. To not risk the playout, the choice was made to change the bench director by giving its confidence to Philippe Bozon. Due to the long Vancouver Olympic Break, Bozon couldn't make the necessary changes and Lugano was easily defeated by Bern
during the playoff quarter-finals. The most awaited players of Lugano literally disappeared against Larry Huras' men who won the series in four games only. The worst HCL result in all its playoff history.
Season 2010-2011
The Hockey Club Lugano commemorated the 70th anniversary of its founding. Romano Lemm
, Jeff Hamilton and Johan Akerman leaved the organization. Sébastien Reuille, Sébastien Caron
, Mark Popovic
, Josh Hennessy
, Chris Bourque
and Colby Genoway joined the team. From September to November Lugano didn't manage to win two consecutive games and the playoff zone drifted away. November 29, head coach Philippe Bozon and assistant coach Sandro Bertaggia were dismissed. The management replaced them ad intermin, until the end of the regular season, with Mike Mc Namara and Patrick Fischer
. For the first time within its history, Lugano is forced to the playout already at Christmas. Three days before the start of the playout, Greg Ireland, who has a significant AHL
experience, came as head coach. Lugano managed to win four consecutive games against the Rapperswil-Jona Lakers
and conquered the fear of the playout.
On June 33, 2006, HC Lugano presented its reshaped trademark. In the future, two HCL logo versions will be placed side by side: an institutional version and a sportive version. The logo that will represent the HCL in the institutional contexts is similar to the old emblem but without the stars. The most important change concerns the sportive logo and therefore all the game jersey and the merchandising. It represents till now a picture that can be interpreted in different ways. Some saw an owl, some a tiger, others saw the crossing of two sticks, two pucks and the goalkeeper mask. From now on, this image will definitely and unequivocally be seen as a panther, which reveals - according to the press conference - the valours of the Hockey Club Lugano: strength, class, agility, cleverness, speed, aggressiveness, elegance, beauty and grit. The company name, the team name or the official colours of the team never changed since the club has founded.
With the new logo, a new official Mascotte is born: the black panther "Giazzy".
The Resega hockey arena in Lugano is primarily used for ice hockey and is the home arena of HC Lugano, HC Lugano Ladies Team, HC Lugano-Ceresio and HC Porza. It was built in 1995, after the demolition of the previous one, and can hold 8,000 people.
In 2007 the Resega was the first ice rink in Switzerland provided with a platform for disabled persons has been realized. Under the roof of Resega are hung the 7 Swiss Champions banners along with the 2 Swiss Chamipions banners of the Ladies Team and the three retired jerseys.
The HC Lugano Ladies Team is a semi-professional women’s ice hockey team that competes in the Swiss Women’s A League
. The club was officially founded on May 22, 1990. They won the Swiss Championship on 2006, 2007, 2009 and 2010.
In 2007 the HC Lugano Ladies Team qualified for the final round of the IIHF European Women's Champions Cup
and even won the bronze medal 2010.
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
club based in Lugano
Lugano
Lugano is a city of inhabitants in the city proper and a total of over 145,000 people in the agglomeration/city region, in the south of Switzerland, in the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino, which borders Italy...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. The team competes in the National League A and has won seven Swiss championships. The team is the twelfth most attended team in Switzerland for the 2010/11 season with 4,060 spectators.
Team History
Officially founded on February 11, 1941, it celebrated its 60th year of life in the 2000–01 season.Since the 1985-86 season, the club has won seven national titles, five play-off finals, reached the final round of the European Cup final twice, reached the Euroleague Top Four Final once, reached the Super Six 2007, a decisive action in the Spengler Cup and two third places in the Continental Cup Superfinal.
The HC Lugano "family" consists of Youth Sections, a Ladies Team, and HC Lugano-Ceresio. Their affiliate EHC Basel Sharks competes in the National League B.
Origins
The Hockey Club Lugano was founded in the course of the 1940–41 season but the club's actual setting-up takes place on February 11, 1941, electing as president Alfonso Weber. Seven years after its foundation, the team abandons the small lake of MuzzanoLago di Muzzano
Lago di Muzzano is a lake in Ticino, Switzerland. It is bordered by the municipalities of Sorengo, Muzzano and Collina d'Oro. Its surface area is 0.23 km². It drains into Lake Lugano....
and goes to the Loreto quarter. This change is certainly beneficial and is a good opportunity to make the hockey game gradually known in the neighbourhood. In Loreto, the first real games of puck on ice are played: the game of hockey starts getting a footing; however, the civic authorities keep considering Lugano as, basically, a football city. All the efforts of the president Luigi Bellasi come to nothing. In fact, the lack of political support causes the club's eviction from Loreto, too.
1950–1970
In 1955, the Lugano club plays a few games on what functioned as tennis courts in summer, i.e. the tennis courts of the Münger bakery in ParadisoParadiso, Switzerland
Paradiso is a municipality in the district of Lugano in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.-History:Paradiso is first mentioned in 1335 as Calprino. In 1835 it was first called Paradiso, though that didn't become the official name until 1929....
thanks to Cuccio Viglezio and Guido Keller. Still in the course of 1955, Albino Mangili sets up the sport facility in Noranco
Noranco
Noranco is a village and former municipality in the district of Lugano in the canton of Ticino, Switzerland.The village, formerly a municipality of its own, was merged with neighboring Pambio in 1904 to constitute a new municipality Pambio-Noranco...
: in the three years passed there, the Lugano club contends its first official championships and celebrates its first promotion to first division in 1956. The first artificial rink, which will be called "Resega", is inaugurated on December 1, 1957. The most important engagement experienced during the first years of the Resega was the then Pedrolini Cup that gives hospitality to European teams such as the Stockholm club, the Wembley Lions, the Paris club and the Milan Devils. The Resega's inaugural season coincides with the first professional players wearing the black-and-white jersey: Gene Miller, followed by the Chinese-Canadian Larry Kwong
Larry Kwong
Larry Kwong, born Eng Kai Geong , was the first Chinese Canadian to play in the National Hockey League. He was also the first NHL player from Vernon, BC, and the Okanagan region...
.
In the 1963-64 season, the HCL achieved the promotion to National League B, which was conquered on 29 February 1964 in Rapperswil
Rapperswil
Rapperswil-Jona is a municipality in the Wahlkreis of See-Gaster in the canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland.Besides Rapperswil and Jona, which were separate municipalities until 2006, the municipality includes Bollingen, Busskirch, Curtiberg, Kempraten-Lenggis, Wagen, and Wurmsbach.-Today:On...
's ice rink. The team celebrated their promotion to National League A in the 1970-71 season. Second only to Canton Valais, Canton Ticino has two clubs in the highest category (HCL and HC Ambrì
HC Ambri-Piotta
Hockey Club Ambrì-Piotta is a Swiss professional ice hockey club and a member of the National League A. The club was founded September 19, 1937 and is also known as "Bianco-Blu"...
). The adventure of the Lugano club in National League A lasted two seasons; in the 1972-73 season, it was be relegated again to the National League B. In 1975 the black-and-white club moved to Lugano's first covered ice rink in Mezzovico
Mezzovico-Vira
Mezzovico-Vira is a municipality in the district of Lugano in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.-History:A recently discovered stele with inscriptions in northern Etruscan suggests that the area around Mezzovico-Vira was already settled in the pre-Roman era. An archaeological investigation under...
; the club played two championships here, the time necessary to cover the Resega completely.
In 1978-79 season the Lugano club had a ranking in front of the Ambrì club and for the first time, on October 23, 1979, the Valascia
Valascia
Valascia is an indoor sporting arena located in Ambrì, Switzerland. The capacity of the arena is 7,000 and was built in 1959. It is the home arena of the HC Ambri-Piotta ice hockey team of the Swiss Hockey League. The ends of arena are open air, making a hockey being played there partially...
(Ambrì club's home arena) was conquered (5-2).
1980s
In the 1979-80 season Fabio Gaggini returned to the Lugano club, together with the arrival of Mark PavelichMark Pavelich
Mark Thomas Pavelich is a retired US professional ice hockey forward who played 355 regular season games in the NHL for the New York Rangers, Minnesota North Stars and San Jose Sharks between 1981 and 1992 and was a member of the 1980 U.S...
and John Harrington, who had conquered the gold medal with the American national team at the 1980 Winter Olympics
1980 Winter Olympics
The 1980 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIII Olympic Winter Games, was a multi-sport event which was celebrated from 13 February through 24 February 1980 in Lake Placid, New York, United States of America. This was the second time the Upstate New York village hosted the Games, after 1932...
. They remained in Lugano for only a championship.
The Lugano club returned to the National League A at the end of the 1981-82 season. For the adventure in Series A, the Lugano club engages an American defender, Bob Hess
Bob Hess
Robert George Hess is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman. He played in the National Hockey League for the St. Louis Blues, Buffalo Sabres, and Hartford Whalers...
, with more than 300 games in the NHL and the greatest promise for Swiss hockey: Jörg Eberle from Canton Appenzell. However, with the sixth final place, the championship of the black-and-whites is not really memorable. At the end of the season, an author of the scaling of the black-and-white team in National League A finally and definitely gives up ice skating: Alfio Molina.
In order to give a turning point to the whole environment, the president Mantegazza gives way to a real technical revolution and calls a new coach from Sweden: John Slettvoll. With him, inflexible in and outside the ice, arrives a player destined to become the Resega's favourite: Kent Johansson
Kent Johansson
Kent "Lill-Kenta" Johansson is a retired Swedish ice hockey player, currently head coach of Frölunda HC in Elitserien.-Playing career:Johansson started his playing career with Huddinge IK in the Swedish tier two league in 1973...
. The 1983-84 season is very regular: the team ranks in 4th position. In order to face the 1984-85 season, Slettvoll further strengthens the Lugano club with two essential players: Mats Waltin
Mats Waltin
Mats Stefan Waltin is a retired professional ice hockey player and coach. Waltin played for Djurgårdens IF Hockey and Södertälje SK in the Elitserien. He was a member of the Swedish 1976 Canada Cup and 1981 Canada Cup teams. He is the current coach of VIK Västerås HK.-External links:...
and Fredy Lüthi. For the whole season, HCL team chases the champions of the Davos club, concluding its best season by conquering the second place. Slettvoll prepares the 1985/1986 recruiting two new players of great promise: Sandro Bertaggia and Andy Ton; there's also Jörg Eberle, who returns from Davos with two national titles. March 1, 1986, the Lugano club is for its first time Swiss champion: captain Kaufmann receives the cup in the Davos' ice rink. In the 1986-87 season, the Lugano club is always at the top of the league and it is launched in Europe. Successful at first in East Berlin, it eliminate what – until then – had been considered the strongest western team absolutely: the Köln club! Never before had a Swiss team been able to reach its aim of playing in the European Cup's final phase. During the championships, the Lugano club confirms itself wonderfully and conquers its second national title in the play-off finals against the Kloten team. In order to replace the various departures, the following in 1987/1988 season arrives in Lugano the Finn Kari Pekka Eloranta
Kari Eloranta
Kari Eloranta is a retired footballer and professional ice hockey player who played 267 games in the National Hockey League. He played for the Calgary Flames and St. Louis Blues.- External links :...
. Lugano club confirms itself as the championship's leader and, after its dominance in the regular season, it attains its third title in a row in the play-offs, at the expenses of the Kloten team.
During this season the European Cup took place in Lugano in an enthusiastic Resega; the guests of honour are no less than the legendary CSKA Moscow
HC CSKA Moscow
HC CSKA Moscow is a Russian ice hockey club that plays in the Kontinental Hockey League. It is referred to in the West as "Central Red Army" or the "Red Army Team" for its past affiliation with the Soviet Army, popularly known as the Red Army...
(with the legendary Larionov
Igor Larionov
Igor Nikolayevich Larionov is a Russian retired professional ice hockey player, known as The Professor. Along with Viacheslav Fetisov, he was instrumental in breaking the barrier that stopped Soviet players from joining the National Hockey League . He primarily played the centre position, and is...
, Makarov
Sergei Makarov
Sergei Mikhailovich Makarov is a Russian former ice hockey right wing and two-time Olympic gold medalist, regarded as one of the greatest players to play the sport...
, Krutov
Vladimir Krutov
Vladimir Yevgenyevich Krutov born June 1, 1960) is a former Soviet hockey forward. Together with Igor Larionov and Sergei Makarov, he was part of the famed KLM Line...
and Fetisov
Viacheslav Fetisov
Viacheslav "Slava" Alexandrovich Fetisov is a retired professional ice hockey defenseman...
) and the teams Färjestad
Färjestads BK
Färjestads Bollklubb is a Swedish professional ice hockey team based in Karlstad. Färjestad has had 18 Swedish Championship final appearances, winning nine times since Elitserien was started in 1975. The team plays in the highest Swedish league, and have done so since 1965...
and Košice
HC Košice
Hockey Club Košice is a professional ice hockey team playing in the Slovak Extraliga and is one of the most successful hockey teams in Slovakia and the former Czechoslovakia.-Honours:* Czechoslovak First Ice Hockey League* 1985–86, 1987–88...
. However, the Lugano team has no power whatsoever against these sacred monsters of European hockey. The Lugano team of John Slettvoll and Geo Mantegazza conquers the first place in the regular 1988/1989 season but the bears in Berne
SC Bern
Schlittschuh Club Bern is an ice hockey team based in Bern, Switzerland. The club was the most attended team in Europe for the 2010-11 season, averaging 15,856 spectators....
wake up from their dormancy and the men in the federal capital pinch the Lugano team's title at the Resega. For the first time after the introduction of the play-offs, the Lugano team leaves the national title to an opponent. In order to re-launch the Lugano team in the 1989-90 season, the "wizard" Slettvoll decides to call a small Japanese-Canadian to Lugano for the play-offs, Steve Tsujiura. In the final, the Lugano team takes its revenge for the previous season by winning in four games and conquering the title in the impressive Allmend ice rink, absolutely swarming with black-and-white fans. Once again, the Lugano club enters its name in the Swiss Hockey's roll of honour. A success that basically closes the "Era of the Great Lugano Club" and that of a well-loved president, Geo Mantegazza. The "presidentissimo", in fact, leaves the team in the hands of another of the Resega's favourites: Fabio Gaggini.
The 90s
Gaggini and Slettvoll trust in two Swedish stars for the 1990-91 season: Magnus Svensson and Mats Näslund. The season closes with the second place in regular season and the defeat in the final play-off against the usual Berne team in four games. However, the Lugano team crowns its year with a new participation in the European Cup's final round in Düsseldorf, where it will be on the verge of its exploit with the Finnish champions of the Turku team. Season 1991-92, signs the end of the Slettvoll era. Second place in the regular season and, immediately after the Olympic Games, the bitter elimination by the Zurich club led by Arno del Curto at the play-off quarter-finals. For the first time in the play-offs' history, the Lugano team is not present in the final.However, HCL participates to the Spengler Cup: it wins against the Mannheim team
Adler Mannheim
Adler Mannheim are an ice hockey team of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga, the highest ice hockey league in Germany. The team is from Mannheim, a city in the north of Baden-Wurttemberg...
, it beats the Malmö team
Malmö Redhawks
The Malmö Redhawks is an ice hockey club from Malmö, Sweden. The team is currently playing in the second highest league in Sweden, HockeyAllsvenskan. Malmö has played 16 seasons in the top Swedish league Elitserien .-History:...
in extra time, loses by a single goal against Team Canada and beats the legendary CSKA Moscow at the penalty shots!! The following day, during the conclusive action, the Russian masters impose themselves 5 to 2. At the end of the season, John Slettvoll leaves the Lugano club.
The Canadian Andy Murray is engaged as the team's leader for the 1992-93 season and with him, a legendary figure arrives in the Lugano club: Igor Larionov
Igor Larionov
Igor Nikolayevich Larionov is a Russian retired professional ice hockey player, known as The Professor. Along with Viacheslav Fetisov, he was instrumental in breaking the barrier that stopped Soviet players from joining the National Hockey League . He primarily played the centre position, and is...
. And to support him there is the Czech Petr Rosol
Petr Rosol
Petr Rosol played on 1992 Bronze Medal winning Olympic ice hockey team for Czechoslovakia.5'9, 182 lb Forward.4th round draft pick of the Calgary Flames in 1984.- References :...
. In December the club is forced to dismiss Murray and to call back Slettvoll. The greatest news of the 1993-94 season, however, is the temporary rink called Reseghina. In fact, the legendary, old Resega is in the course of being demolished, so that a new and modern facility can be built. From 1992 to 1996 Lugano is eliminated in the first phase of play-offs.
The 1995-96 championship starts the inauguration of the Resega's new ice rink on September 25, 1995 (Lugano v Lausanne team). The HCL's defender Pat Schafhauser's sad fate, in the evening of December 5, 1995, will slam violently against the balustrade in the Davos ice rink, thus severely damaging his spinal cord; he will be forced in a wheelchair. After this sad accident, the Lugano club establishes the "Fondazione Pat Schafhauser", with the aim of creating a fund for possible sports accidents. This foundation organises the famous Swiss All Star Game each year.
For the 1996-97 season, Lugano club hires a new coach: Mats Waltin
Mats Waltin
Mats Stefan Waltin is a retired professional ice hockey player and coach. Waltin played for Djurgårdens IF Hockey and Södertälje SK in the Elitserien. He was a member of the Swedish 1976 Canada Cup and 1981 Canada Cup teams. He is the current coach of VIK Västerås HK.-External links:...
. Another great Swede arrives with him, Michael Nylander
Michael Nylander
Michael Nylander is a Swedish professional ice hockey centre who is currently a free agent.- Playing career :Nylander was drafted by the Hartford Whalers in the third round in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft...
, who leaves the Calgary Flames
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the...
(NHL). The '96-'97 season ends in the play-off semi-final. For the following season there are new arrivals: the Canadian Todd Elik
Todd Elik
Todd Sloan Elik is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey centre.-Biography:Elik grew up in Bolton, Ontario and played Midget hockey with the St. Michael's Midgets...
, the Swedish pluri-champion Peter Andersson and the Swiss brothers Geoffrey and Julien Vauclair
Julien Vauclair
Julien Vauclair is a Swiss professional ice hockey defenceman who currently plays for HC Lugano in Nationalliga A...
(drafted by Ottawa Senators
Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
). In November Waltin is substituted by Jim Koleff, who had come to Lugano as sports manager. In order to help the defence and Lars Weibel, there's also the first foreign goalkeeper in black-and-white history: Cristobal Huet
Cristobal Huet
Cristobal Huet is a French professional ice hockey goaltender playing for Fribourg-Gottéron of the Swiss National League A, on loan from the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League. He developed his goaltending skills in Grenoble with Les Brûleurs de Loups. He has also played with the...
. The Lugano club beats Davos and Zug in the play-offs and prepares itself to confront the Ambrì club, the protagonist of a record regular season, in a derby final. Thanks to a better freshness and experience, the Lugano team, edition 1998-99, conquers its fifth national title on 5 April 1999 at the Valascia, by beating its cousins in five games.
2000-present
Season 1999-2000In the 1999-2000 season Lugano club dominates the regular season but the real exploit is attained in the Euroleague, when the black-and-white team finally reaches the semi-final round thanks in particular to Philippe Bozon
Philippe Bozon
Philippe Bozon is a former professional ice hockey player who played for the St. Louis Blues in the National Hockey League between 1992 and 1994. He is the first of only three French-trained players to appear in the NHL, the other two being Cristobal Huet and Stéphane Da Costa...
, Christian Dubé
Christian Dubé
Christian Dubé is a Canadian professional right winger currently playing for HC Fribourg-Gottéron in National League A.Dubé is the son of former pro hockey player Norm Dubé. He spent many years growing up in Switzerland, while his father was playing there. He returned to Canada as a teenager, and...
, Oliver Keller, and Wes Walz
Wes Walz
Wesley Walz is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player and former assistant coach with the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League . Currently, Walz works as a volunteer assistant coach with the Raptors of East Ridge High School, Woodbury, Minnesota. There he coaches his son...
. Lugano disputes the Top Four Final, the final phase of the European championship: the Russians of the Metallurg Magnitogorsk team, led by Gomoljako, beat the Sparta Prague team in the final. The play-offs begin with the easy victories over the Fribourg and Ambrì teams, but not so with the ZSC Lions
ZSC Lions
The Zürcher Schlittschuh Club Lions are a professional ice hockey team located in Zürich, Switzerland, playing in the National League A. The home arena, the 10,700 seat Hallenstadion, is in the Zürich district of Oerlikon...
(Zurich) team: Lugano team loses the play-offs at the Hallenstadion in "contest 6" when, 10 seconds to the whistle, Plavsic gets the 4 to 3 goal.
Season 2000-2001
The 2000-01 season, the HCL's 60th birthday, faithfully follows the previous season in some things. The great final with the Zurich team is extremely intense, often unfair, polemical and, unfortunately, with an extremely bitter end: on April 7, 2001, "Game 7" at the Resega, Morgan Samuelsson scores the championship winning goal in the extra time.
Season 2001-2002
In the 2001-02 season, an ex player of the "Great Russia" arrives as coach of the Lugano club: Zinetula Bilyaletdinov
Zinetula Bilyaletdinov
Zinetula "Bill" Khaidarovich Bilyaletdinov is a former Russian ice hockey player of Tatar roots, who competed for the USSR. In 1973-1988 he competed for HC Dynamo Moscow...
. With him come new players: Petteri Nummelin
Petteri Nummelin
Petteri Nummelin is a Finnish professional ice hockey defenceman, and a former NHL defenceman for the Minnesota Wild and Columbus Blue Jackets. He currently plays for HC Lugano of the Swiss Nationalliga A. He was drafted by the Columbus Blue Jackets as their fifth-round pick, #133 overall, in the...
, Ryan Gardner and Mike Maneluk
Mike Maneluk
Mike Maneluk is a Canadian professional ice hockey left wing. He retired from ice hockey in 2009 after several poor seasons and a loss in form that led to him failing to find a team for the 2010 season and he finally left Switzerland and returned to Canada...
. Continental Cup elimination leads to the drastic decision of dismissing the coach: Jim Koleff takes his place once again until the end of the season. Cristobal Huet
Cristobal Huet
Cristobal Huet is a French professional ice hockey goaltender playing for Fribourg-Gottéron of the Swiss National League A, on loan from the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League. He developed his goaltending skills in Grenoble with Les Brûleurs de Loups. He has also played with the...
also leaves the Lugano club to join the Los Angeles Kings
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
in the NHL.
Season 2002-2003
In the 2002-03 season, Larry Huras
Larry Huras
Larry Robert "Big Dog" Huras, was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. His debut in the National Hockey League was on 27 February 1977 with the New York Rangers.- Coaching career :...
arrives as new coach. At the end of a very balanced regular season, the Lugano club comes in fourth. Ahead of it in the ranking there are the following teams: Davos, ZSC Lions and Berne. Lugano team manages to dominate rhythms and timing, thus attaining the qualification for the final beating both Kloten and Zurich teams. In the final against Davos team, the current champion, in six matches Lugano team brings the black-and-whites' sixth title to the shores of Lake Ceresio.
Season 2003-2004
For the 2003-2004 season, in the Swiss black-and-white team, arrives a legendary Finnish hockey player, Ville Peltonen
Ville Peltonen
Ville Peltonen is a Finnish professional ice hockey forward currently playing for the HIFK of the SM-liiga . He was drafted by the San Jose Sharks as their third round pick, 58th overall, in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft....
, and the great Sandro Bertaggia (who closes his career after six titles in Lugano) is substituted by Steve Hirschi. In January, the team conquers a new bronze medal in the Continental Cup's Superfinal in Gomel, Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
. On February 22, 2004, the Resega lives an afternoon of intense emotions. In a mood of great collective participation, Alfio Molina's jersey nr. 1, Sandro Bertaggia's jersey nr. 2 and Pat Schafhauser's jersey nr. 4 are officially collected. The last-named is connected "live" by satellite from Minneapolis. Lugano's season has an apical moment in the play-offs semi-final against the ZSC Lions team disallowing three matchballs on the part of the Zurich team: Lugano team eliminates the Lions and is in the final. But the black-and-white team loses the "best of five" final in the extra-time of the fifth games with a goal by Marc Weber.
Season 2004-2005
The season 2004-2005 will be registered into the annals of Swiss Ice Hockey history as one of the most interesting ones and for the HC Lugano as one of the strangest. The reasons are obvious: For once the lockout in the NHL. World stars such as Joe Thornton
Joe Thornton
Joseph Eric Thornton is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and captain of the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League . He was selected first overall by the Boston Bruins in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft and went on to play seven seasons with the club, five as its Captain. During the...
, Rick Nash
Rick Nash
Rick Nash is a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger and captain of the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League ....
, Niklas Hagman
Niklas Hagman
Niklas Hagman is a Finnish professional ice hockey forward currently playing for the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League . He was a third round pick of the Florida Panthers, 70th overall, at the 1999 NHL Entry Draft and made his NHL debut with Florida in 2001...
and Martin St. Louis
Martin St. Louis
Martin St. Louis is a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger and alternate captain currently playing for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
showed their skills on Swiss ice fields. Owing to the lockout, the HC Lugano committed the Swiss NHL Goalie of the Colorado Avalanche
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver, Colorado, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Avalanche have won the Stanley Cup twice, in 1995–96 and 2000–01. The franchise...
, David Aebischer
David Aebischer
David Aebischer , is a Swiss professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the St. John's IceCaps of the American Hockey League . Before returning to North America in 2011 Aebischer had spent four seasons with HC Lugano of the Nationalliga A in Switzerland. He has also played for the...
and in the Resega the NHL stars replace another: Kimmo Timonen
Kimmo Timonen
Kimmo Timonen is a Finnish professional ice hockey defenseman and an alternate captain for the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
, Jason Blake and above all Alex Tanguay
Alex Tanguay
Alexandre Tanguay is a Canadian professional ice hockey winger currently with the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League . He has additionally played with the Colorado Avalanche, Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning in the NHL and briefly for HC Lugano in the Swiss National League A in...
. HC Lugano drops out the championship during the quarter finals against the actual Swiss Master SC Bern. At the end of the season JJ Aeschlimann ends is career after 14 successful seasons with the HC Lugano.
Season 2005-2006
The new championship 2005-2006 begins: Glen Metropolit
Glen Metropolit
Glen Metropolit is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre currently playing for EV Zug in the Swiss National League A.-Early years:...
's arrival from Jokerit Helsinki allows Lugano to improve its game. Jason York
Jason York
Jason Andrew York , is a former professional ice hockey player in the NHL. A defenceman, he last played for the Boston Bruins in the 2006–07 season.-Playing career:...
, with more than 700 games in the NHL, reinforces the defence and Lugano is on the top of the league standings. Before Christmas the club announces that Larry Huras will not be the technician of the future. The new leaders, head coach Harold Kreis from partnerteam Chur and co-coach Ivano Zanatta dispatched the responsibilities and asked the players, their brains, hearts and balls (the three "C", from Italian: Cervello, Cuore e Coglioni) in order to remount the series against Ambrì-Piotta team in quarter-final. Lugano turns the series from 0-3 to 4-3, in semi-final knocked down Kloten and joins Berne in final. When the 13th of April 2006, the final siren rang at the Resega, the HCL people was at the seventh heaven for seventh title. Afterwards, the NHL knocked at Metropolit's door, and just some time later, at Nummelin's, Peltonen's and York's too: Never did a Swiss club lose four players in the same time, for a more prestigious scene.
Season 2006-2007
On the November 29, 2006, due to the magistrate's investigation on the illegal payments, the restructuration of the board of directors take place: Beat Kaufmann and of Fabio Gaggini resignes from their respective functions and they are substituted by Fausto Gianini and Paolo Rossi. For the new season, the Swedish player Dick Tärnström
Dick Tärnström
Dick Tärnström is a Swedish professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing in AIK of the Elitserien.-Playing career:Tärnström started his professional career in AIK...
get hired. On the forward front, the new foreigners who signed with the club are Landon Wilson
Landon Wilson
Landon Wilson is a former American professional ice hockey right winger who last played for the Texas Stars of the AHL, where he served as team captain. He is the son of former NHL forward Rick Wilson.-Playing career:...
and the second Swedish man, the playmaker Rickard Wallin
Rickard Wallin
Rickard Wallin is a Swedish professional ice hockey centre currently playing for Färjestad of the Elitserien .-Playing career:...
. In January 2007, HC Lugano played in the Super Six tournament, in St. Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
with the National champion teams of the six strongest European nations. Lugano defeated Färjestad
Färjestads BK
Färjestads Bollklubb is a Swedish professional ice hockey team based in Karlstad. Färjestad has had 18 Swedish Championship final appearances, winning nine times since Elitserien was started in 1975. The team plays in the highest Swedish league, and have done so since 1965...
(3-0), before a loss to Ak Bars Kazan of the same score. Then the team get to the playoff where the quarter finals' adversary was Kloten Flyers
Kloten Flyers
The Kloten Flyers are an ice hockey team based in the city of Kloten in Switzerland. They originated from the EHC Kloten. The team participates in the National League A and is known for its promotion of young players....
of Rintanen
Kimmo Rintanen
Kimmo Rintanen is a professional ice hockey player who played in the SM-Liiga before getting transferred to Swiss Elite League Team Kloten Flyers, where he has been playing since the 2001-02 Season. He played for Lukko, TPS, and Jokerit in Finland. He also won a bronze medal at the 1998 Winter...
, Pittis
Domenic Pittis
Domenic Pittis is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the second round, 52nd overall, of the 1993 NHL Entry Draft....
and Hamr
Radek Hamr
Radek Hamr is a Czech professional ice hockey player currently playing for the Kloten Flyers of the Swiss National League A. He played a handful of National Hockey League games with the Ottawa Senators between 1992 and 1994....
. Lugano defeats the series but with regret of clamorous mistake made by the referee Prugger who whistled while the puck was still in movement invalidating the equalizer.
Season 2007-2008
Timo Helbling
Timo Helbling is a professional ice hockey defenceman who currently plays for Oulun Kärpät of the Finland SM-Liiga.-Playing career:...
compensate the departures. Forward Canadian playmaker Marty Murray
Marty Murray
Marty Murray , is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey centre who played for several teams in the National Hockey League.-Playing career:...
is also recruited. The 18th of October 2007, Jukka Hentunen
Jukka Hentunen
Jukka Hentunen is a Finnish professional ice hockey forward, who plays for KalPa.- Draft :He was drafted by the Calgary Flames as their sixth-round pick, #176 overall, in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft....
, HCL top scorer, leaves Lugano after being confronted with the extraordinary occasion of an extremely lucrative contract with the Russian team of the Ak Bars Kazan. As substitute, the managers sign up the NHL star Anson Carter
Anson Carter
Anson Carter is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey right winger of Barbadian descent who last played for HC Lugano in the Swiss Nationalliga A. In the past, he has played for eight different National Hockey League teams, most notably with the Boston Bruins, Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver...
which starts with three goals in three games but he gradually disappears from the scene. Between November and December, Lugano faces a new crisis forcing Ivano Zanatta out of the team. After a short parentheses with coach Kent Ruhnke, the 9th of January John Slettvoll makes a clamorous come back. However, for the first time after twenty-two years, Lugano had to take part in the playout against Basel
EHC Basel
EHC Basel, also known as Eishockey Club Basel are a professional Swiss ice hockey team. They are based out of the St. Jakob Arena in Basel, Switzerland. EHC Basel was founded on October 14, 1932. Were promoted to the Nationalliga A for 2005–06 after winning the Nationalliga B the previous season...
.
Season 2008-2009
Continuity, at least at the balustrade, was the key word of the season 2008/2009 with John Slettvoll renewing his contract, hiring of Ambrì-Piotta team leader Hnat Domenichelli
Hnat Domenichelli
Hnat A. Domenichelli is a Canadian-Swiss professional ice hockey player currently playing for HC Lugano of the Swiss National League A. He was drafted by the Hartford Whalers in the fourth round, 83rd overall, of the 1994 NHL Entry Draft...
and the Petteri Nummelin's come back. Revelation of the season are the sniper Brady Murray
Brady Murray
Braden Murray is a Canadian-American ice hockey player. He is currently playing for HC Lugano of the Swiss National League A, after being loaned there by the Los Angeles Kings....
(son of Andy Murray) and the Norwegian player Patrick Thoresen
Patrick Thoresen
Patrick Thoresen is a Norwegian professional ice hockey left winger who plays for SKA Saint Petersburg of the Kontinental Hockey League . He resides in Hamar, Norway, where he grew up, during the off season. He has a younger brother, Steffen who's also an ice hockey player...
. On January 7, 2009, at a derby's eve, Slettvoll abandoned the team: Hannu Virta
Hannu Virta
Hannu Virta is a retired Finnish professional ice hockey defenceman. He was named the best defenceman in the Finnish Elite League four times, and was a five-time all-star...
, ex coach of TPS Turku
TPS (ice hockey)
TPS or Turun Palloseura is an ice hockey team and 11-time champion of SM-liiga. They play in Turku, Finland at the HK Arena. In terms of championships, TPS is the most successful team in SM-liiga history.-Team history:...
is called from Finland to direct the team. In the quarter-finals Lugano defeats in seventh games against Davos.
Season 2009-2010
The season 2009-2010 started with a new president. Silvio Laurenti followed Paolo Rossi, after Rossi decided to leave the club for personal reasons. The former player Kent Johansson returned on the bench as head coach. In the market session, Patrick Thoresen leaved Lugano to play in the KHL for Salavat Yulaev Ufa
Salavat Yulaev Ufa
Salavat Yulaev is a professional ice hockey team based in Ufa in the Republic of Bashkortostan, a federal subject of the Russian Federation. They are members of the Chernyshev Division of the Kontinental Hockey League, and were part of Group C of the 2008–09 Champions Hockey League.-History:The...
. In his stead came Jeff Hamilton that confirmed his scorer skills but who showed poor inclination to play with the team. Johansson brought Johan Akerman
Johan Åkerman
See Johan Gustav Åkerman for the economistJohan Åkerman is a professional Swedish ice hockey player, currently with Linköpings HC in the Swedish Elitserien.-External links:...
for the defence who didn't give much impulse. Lugano started with a series of nine consecutive defeats between September and October. Thanks to Hnat Domenichelli
Hnat Domenichelli
Hnat A. Domenichelli is a Canadian-Swiss professional ice hockey player currently playing for HC Lugano of the Swiss National League A. He was drafted by the Hartford Whalers in the fourth round, 83rd overall, of the 1994 NHL Entry Draft...
, Jeff Hamilton, Randy Robitaille
Randy Robitaille
Randy Robitaille is a Canadian professional ice hockey player currently playing for the San Antonio Rampage of the American Hockey League under a professional try-out contract . Robitaille has played for nine teams in the National Hockey League...
and Boyd Devereaux
Boyd Devereaux
Boyd Fletcher Devereaux is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player, most recently played for HC Lugano of the Swiss National League A. He now resides in Kitchener, Ontario with his wife and 2 kids.-Playing career:...
the team reacted early enough.
In January the team lost five consecutive games although they quite recently reached the playoff zone. The management realized that Kent Johansson was not the right person for the Swiss hockey environment. To not risk the playout, the choice was made to change the bench director by giving its confidence to Philippe Bozon. Due to the long Vancouver Olympic Break, Bozon couldn't make the necessary changes and Lugano was easily defeated by Bern
SC Bern
Schlittschuh Club Bern is an ice hockey team based in Bern, Switzerland. The club was the most attended team in Europe for the 2010-11 season, averaging 15,856 spectators....
during the playoff quarter-finals. The most awaited players of Lugano literally disappeared against Larry Huras' men who won the series in four games only. The worst HCL result in all its playoff history.
Season 2010-2011
The Hockey Club Lugano commemorated the 70th anniversary of its founding. Romano Lemm
Romano Lemm
Romano Lemm is a Swiss professional ice hockey player who participated at the 2010 IIHF World Championship as a member of the Switzerland men's national ice hockey team.-References:...
, Jeff Hamilton and Johan Akerman leaved the organization. Sébastien Reuille, Sébastien Caron
Sebastien Caron
Sébastien Caron is a professional ice hockey goaltender.-Biography:Caron was a fourth-round pick in 1999 and is a butterfly goaltender most well known for his great save from Brian Savage against the Philadelphia Flyers. This save came early in the 2005–2006 season with his former team, the...
, Mark Popovic
Mark Popovic
Mark Popovic is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman. He is currently playing with the SCL Tigersin the Swiss National League A.-Professional career:...
, Josh Hennessy
Josh Hennessy
Joshua Hennessy is an American professional ice hockey player. Hennessy is currently a member of the Boston Bruins organization. Hennessy most recently played for HC Lugano in 2010/11 and previously for the Ottawa Senators organization....
, Chris Bourque
Chris Bourque
Christopher Bourque is an American professional ice hockey player for the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League. Bourque was drafted by the Capitals 33rd overall in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft.-Playing career:...
and Colby Genoway joined the team. From September to November Lugano didn't manage to win two consecutive games and the playoff zone drifted away. November 29, head coach Philippe Bozon and assistant coach Sandro Bertaggia were dismissed. The management replaced them ad intermin, until the end of the regular season, with Mike Mc Namara and Patrick Fischer
Patrick Fischer
Patrick Fischer is a retired Swiss ice hockey forward.- Career :In 2006–07, Fischer played for the National Hockey League's Phoenix Coyotes. He appeared in his first NHL game on October 5, 2006 against the New York Islanders...
. For the first time within its history, Lugano is forced to the playout already at Christmas. Three days before the start of the playout, Greg Ireland, who has a significant AHL
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
experience, came as head coach. Lugano managed to win four consecutive games against the Rapperswil-Jona Lakers
Rapperswil-Jona Lakers
The Rapperswil-Jona Lakers are a professional ice hockey club from Rapperswil, Switzerland and are members of the Swiss National League A. The Lakers were founded in 1945 and were known as SC Rapperswil-Jona until 2005, when the club changed to its present name...
and conquered the fear of the playout.
Logo
With the new logo, a new official Mascotte is born: the black panther "Giazzy".
Resega
In 2007 the Resega was the first ice rink in Switzerland provided with a platform for disabled persons has been realized. Under the roof of Resega are hung the 7 Swiss Champions banners along with the 2 Swiss Chamipions banners of the Ladies Team and the three retired jerseys.
Champions
- NLA Championship (7): 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1999, 2003, 2006
- NDB Championship (1): 1982
Runners-up
- NLA Championship (6): 1985, 1989, 1991, 2000, 2001, 2004
- Spengler CupSpengler CupThe Spengler Cup is an annual ice hockey tournament held in Davos, Switzerland. First held in 1923, the Spengler Cup is often cited as the oldest invitational ice hockey tournament in the world. The event is hosted by the Swiss team HC Davos and played each year in Davos, Switzerland, between...
(1): 1991
Honored members
- 1 Alfio Molina, G, 1963–83, number retired February 22, 2004.
- 2 Sandro Bertaggia, D, 1985–2003, number retired February 22, 2004.
- 4 Pat Schafhauser, D, 1994–95, number retired February 22, 2004.
- 44 Andy Näser, F, 1997–2010, number retired August 28, 2010.
All-time scoring leaders
| Kind of record | Record holder | Record |
| Games played | Sandro Bertaggia | 806 |
| Most Goals | Jörg Eberle | 268 |
| Most Assists | Petteri Nummelin Petteri Nummelin Petteri Nummelin is a Finnish professional ice hockey defenceman, and a former NHL defenceman for the Minnesota Wild and Columbus Blue Jackets. He currently plays for HC Lugano of the Swiss Nationalliga A. He was drafted by the Columbus Blue Jackets as their fifth-round pick, #133 overall, in the... |
305 |
| Most Points | Andy Ton | 462 |
| Goals/Games | Mats Hallin Mats Hallin Mats Göran Hallin is a retired professional ice hockey player who played 152 games in the National Hockey League. He played with the New York Islanders and Minnesota North Stars. He would win one Stanley Cup with the Islanders in 1983.-References:... |
1.25 |
| Points/Games | Kent Johansson Kent Johansson Kent "Lill-Kenta" Johansson is a retired Swedish ice hockey player, currently head coach of Frölunda HC in Elitserien.-Playing career:Johansson started his playing career with Huddinge IK in the Swedish tier two league in 1973... |
2.17 |
| Goals (PP) | Jörg Eberle | 40 |
| Goals (SH) | Kent Johansson | 9 |
| Goals (OT) | Régis Fuchs | 5 |
| Goals (GW) | Jörg Eberle | 46 |
| Hattricks | Johansson Kent | 12 |
| Most Penalty Minutes | Sandro Bertaggia | 891 |
| Coach % games/victories | Harold Kreis | 80% |
Season-by-season records
| Season | Result |
| 1963/64 | promotion to National League B |
| 1970/71 | promotion to National League A |
| 1981/82 | Return to National League A |
| 1982/83 | participation in the round for the title 6th Place |
| 1983/84 | participation in the round for the title 4th Place |
| 1984/85 | participation in the round for the title 2nd Place |
| 1985/86 | 1st Place in Regular Season Swiss Champion |
| 1986/87 | 1st Place in Regular Season Swiss Champion finalist in European Cup |
| 1987/88 | 1st Place in Regular Season Swiss Champion semi-finalist in European Cup |
| 1988/89 | 1st Place in Regular Season final play-off semi-finalist in European Cup |
| 1989/90 | 1st Place in Regular Season Swiss Champion |
| 1990/91 | 2nd Place in Regular Season final playoff finalist in European Cup |
| 1991/92 | 2nd Place in Regular Season finalist Spengler Cup Spengler Cup The Spengler Cup is an annual ice hockey tournament held in Davos, Switzerland. First held in 1923, the Spengler Cup is often cited as the oldest invitational ice hockey tournament in the world. The event is hosted by the Swiss team HC Davos and played each year in Davos, Switzerland, between... |
| 1992/93 | 4th Place in Regular Season semi-final playoff |
| 1993/94 | 3rd Place in Regular Season semi-final playoff |
| 1994/95 | 2nd Place in Regular Season quarter-final playoff |
| 1995/96 | 7th Place in Regular Season quarter-final playoff |
| 1996/97 | 5th Place in Regular Season semi-final playoff |
| 1997/98 | 6th Place in Regular Season quarter-final playoff |
| 1998/99 | 3rd Place in Regular Season Swiss Champion |
| 1999/00 | 1st Place in Regular Season final playoff 4th Place European Hockey League |
| 2000/01 | 1st Place in Regular Season final playoff |
| 2001/02 | 2nd Place in Regular Season semi-final playoff |
| 2002/03 | 4th Place in Regular Season Swiss Champion 3rd Place Superfinal Continental Cup |
| 2003/04 | 1st Place in Regular Season final playoff 3rd Place Superfinal Continental Cup |
| 2004/05 | 1st Place in Regular Season quarter-final playoff |
| 2005/06 | 2nd Place in Regular Season Swiss Champion |
| 2006/07 | 4th Place in Regular Season quarter-final playoff 3rd Place European Champions Cup (Super Six) |
| 2007/08 | 9th Place in Regular Season first round playout |
| 2008/09 | 5th Place in Regular Season quarter-final playoff |
| 2009/10 | 8th Place in Regular Season quarter-final playoff |
| 2010/11 | 9th Place in Regular Season first round playout |
Team records
HC Lugano records in the Swiss National League A.| Kind of record | Record | Season |
| Most points in Regular Season | 74 | 2003/04 |
| Most victories in Regular Season | 35 | 2003/04 |
| Most shutouts in Regular Season (home+away) | 10 | 1999/00 |
| Most shutouts in Regular Season (away) | 5 | 1999/00 |
| Consecutive wins on Regular Season start (home+away) | 10 | 2003/04 |
| Consecutive wins on Regular Season start (home) | 22 | 1999/00 |
| Consecutive games without losing points on Regular Season start (home) | 13 | 2004/05 |
| Consecutive games without losing points on Regular Season start (away) | 5 | 1985/86 and 2003/04 |
| Consecutive wins during Regular Season (home+away) | 27 | 1987/88 |
| Consecutive wins during Regular Season (home) | 22 | 1999/00 |
| Consecutive wins during Regular Season (away) | 15 | 1987/88 |
| Consecutive games without losing points during Regular Season (home+away) | 15 | 1988/89 |
| Consecutive games without losing points during Regular Season (home) | 17 | 1999/00 |
| Consecutive games without losing points during Regular Season (away) | 12 | 1987/88 and 2000/01 |
| Score 4 goals on less time | 1' 24" (HC Lugano - HC Davos 7:1) | 1985/86 |
| Most minutes without suffering goals during Regular Season | 248' 10" (Cristobal Huet Cristobal Huet Cristobal Huet is a French professional ice hockey goaltender playing for Fribourg-Gottéron of the Swiss National League A, on loan from the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League. He developed his goaltending skills in Grenoble with Les Brûleurs de Loups. He has also played with the... ) |
1999/00 |
HC Lugano Ladies Team
Switzerland women's ice hockey league
The Switzerland women's ice hockey league is an amateur women's ice hockey league in Switzerland...
. The club was officially founded on May 22, 1990. They won the Swiss Championship on 2006, 2007, 2009 and 2010.
In 2007 the HC Lugano Ladies Team qualified for the final round of the IIHF European Women's Champions Cup
IIHF European Women's Champions Cup
IIHF European Women's Champions Cup is an European competition of Women's Ice Hockey clubs, organized annually by International Ice Hockey Federation . The current format of this competition includes two phases of groups followed by a playoff for four teams.-History:The competition was created...
and even won the bronze medal 2010.