Too many games, too few dates – is the schedule fair?

Even if we calculate the entire schedule, we are not 100% fair: another factor to consider is the travel time to the matches, which is different for each team: Davos, Lugano or Servetus have to travel even more Long distances extrapolate throughout the season as they drive from outside positions such as Langnau, Bern, Kloten, Zug or the ZSC Lions. This must also be included in the calculation. Also take into account extended journeys due to highway traffic jams.

We see: Everyone can come up with the right excuses and even conspiracy theories when making a game plan. However: game plan can be one of many factors that determine whether you win or lose. Ueli Schwarz, the Bills' board member, was not a controversial figure. Of course, no one is simply pushing these theories out into the world. He has played it all in our hockey community: coach, athletic director, association president, and most importantly today he is known in the hockey world as a formidable television pundit.

Bill board member Ueli Schwarz.Image: KEYSTONE

He knows what he's talking about and said of Beal and the game plan: “If we get at least a day off between games, it helps a lot for a fundamentally weak team like ours.” He's already worked with Long. Nau's coach Thierry Patellini has discussed the issue and feels the same way. As mentioned at the beginning, Beal and Langnau have yet to win two games on consecutive days this season.

But it’s not just the theoretical righteousness of the game plan. There are also warnings from sports doctors who believe double-round racing (with 24 hours or less between races, usually Friday/Saturday) is responsible for many injuries. Especially since it’s sometimes a long journey home or back home between games.

There are many causes of injuries, but a direct relationship to two-wheel racing fatigue cannot be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. What is certain, however, is that a lack of recovery time and fatigue increase the likelihood of injury. Especially for players who play key roles and are pushed hard.

For example, the SCL Tigers could only use four foreigners against Gotron (3:2 nP) and also had to be without Pascal Berger, Bastian Guggenheim and Oscar Lapinskis. Biel has gone missing (or is still missing), including Jere Sallinen, Noah Delémont, Gaëtan Haas, Miro Zryd, Damien Brunner, Luca Cunti and Jérémie Bärtschi. This list is not complete.

• 7

  A leader who can decide games and make his team better on and off the ice.

• 6-7

  A talented player who can decide a game on a good night and is a leader.

• 5-6

  A good NL player: usually a rainbow butterfly of talent, sometimes a serious worker who brings out a lot of talent.

• 4-5

  Players on the third or fourth block, veterans or newcomers.

• 3-4

  The future is still ahead of you, or the future is already behind you.

• The rating is the North American hockey grading standard, ranging from 1 (lowest) to 7 (highest). There are no levels below level 3 because those who play in the top leagues are at least barely adequate.

Take Langnau and Bill as examples, these two teams have a very narrow base. Only at ZSC Lions injuries seemed to have no impact on performance: for example, Denis Malgin, Denis Hollenstein and Rudolfs Balcers, the three forwards Without Tuesday's game against the Bills (4-2), these three forwards would be on any other team's first line). Despite this, Zurich dominated the league. Because they are the only organization capable of fielding a farm team, they have by far the largest and most quality player pool.

Daniel Olsen scored in Embry's second game of the top flight to make it 1-0 on Friday. He was transferred directly from the farm team and was allowed to start the attack alongside Juho Lamikko and leading scorer Jesper Fröden. The championship team is the only team this season that has never lost twice in a row.

Even if a direct link between game plans and injury misfortune cannot be proven: Ueli Schwarz suggests that game plans should take more into account recovery time and therefore player fitness, and he is addressing an ongoing topic that sometimes has to be discussed time and time again. used as an excuse.

So the question turns to “Overall Game Plan” Willi Vögtlin: Are improvements to the game plan possible? He said unequivocally: “No.” The reasons: too many restrictions or too few appointments. For example, he has yet to find a new date for Servetus' game against Langnau, which was postponed on Monday due to a power outage. “We may only be able to catch up after the Spengler Cup break.” In any case, he does not decide on the game plan. In the end, he just fulfilled the club's wishes. He explains the process this way:

“Master Schedule” Willie Vogtlin.Image: IMAGO/dieBildmanufaktur

This means: It is up to the club to influence the game plan during the planning stage. After qualifying, everyone is equal before the game plan. But anyone who claims some clubs are more equal ahead of the fixture list is right. Absolute justice is simply impossible.

So is this game plan fair? Yes, because Willi Vögtlin developed a game plan based on his knowledge and profits. Especially when it comes to game planning: pleasing everyone is an art that no one can master. Is the game plan fair? Yes, that's as fair as real life.