Latest news with #Canadian-Swiss
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Connor Hughes Returns To Switzerland, Signs Long-Term Deal
Montreal Canadiens goalie Connor Hughes (95) makes a save in front of New Jersey Devils forward Mike Hardman (39) during a pre-season game in September 2024. Photo: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images Canadian-Swiss goaltender Connor Hughes, 28, has signed a five-year contract with Lausanne HC, the National League club announced on Tuesday. Last season, Hughes played for the Laval Rocket, the AHL affiliate of the Montreal Canadiens. In 29 games, Hughes had a record of 15-12-3 with two shutouts, a 2.58 goals-against average and a .905 save percentage. Hughes, who was born in London, Ont. but played in Switzerland from 2017 until 2024, becoming a naturalized Swiss citizen in the process. As such, he doesn't count against Lausanne's import quota in the National League. In Lausanne, Hughes is expected to team up with French-born Antoine Keller, a 20-year-old Washington Capitals prospect who also counts as a non-import. 'It's essential for us to have a Swiss goaltending duo of national caliber due to the length and intensity of the schedule,' said Lausanne sports director John Fust. 'It's an advantage to be able to count on two talented goaltenders who have proven their consistency and performance at a high level. We'll need depth to play in the National League as well as the Champions Hockey League, two competitions in which we want to be ambitious.' Over seven seasons, Hughes has played 73 National League games with Ambrì-Piotta, Fribourg-Gottéron, Genève-Servette and Lausanne, posting a goals-against average of 2.31, a save percentage of .904 and four shutouts. In 2023-24, just before signing with Montreal, Hughes backstopped Lausanne to Game 7 of the National League finals, where it lost to the ZSC Lions. In addition to Hughes and Keller, Lausanne has under contract for 2025-26 American Austin Czarnik, German Dominik Kahun, and Finns Janne Kuokkanen, and Antti Suomela, Lauri Pajuniemi and Sami Niku. Finnish Former Jets & Habs Prospect Changes Teams in Switzerland Finnish Former Jets & Habs Prospect Changes Teams in Switzerland Finnish defenseman Sami Niku, 28, has signed a two-year contract with Lausanne HC, the National League club announced on Wednesday.
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Canadian-Swiss Cody Almond Retires
Canadian-Swiss center Cody Almond, 35, has retired, according to numerous Swiss sources on Friday, including one of his former teams, Genève-Servette. Almond had not played at all in the 2024-25 season. 𝑪𝒐𝒅𝒚 𝑨𝒍𝒎𝒐𝒏𝒅 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒂 𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒕𝒆 ! ✨Après avoir passé 7️⃣ saisons au GSHC et inscrit 159 points en 248 matchs, Almond annonce sa retraite sportive. 👏Merci pour tout et bonne continuation Cody 👋 — Genève-Servette HC (@officialGSHC) February 28, 2025 Almond was born and raised in Calgary and played junior hockey for the Kelowna Rockets, where he was part of the team's 2008-09 WHL championship and played in that year's Memorial Cup. Almond was chosen in the fifth round, 140th overall, by the Minnesota Wild in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft. Between 2009 and 2012, Almond played 15 NHL games for the Wild, scoring two goals and tallying 26 penalty minutes. Marco Rossi after comeback vs Canada: 'In 50 years, I'll think back on that game' It was the biggest deficit in the history of the top division of the IIHF World Championship that a team has ever had and managed to take a point. Down 6-1 entering the third period, The Austrians scored five in the third period to force overtime, eventually losing 7-6. The tying goal with 49 seconds left in regulation time was scored by the team's lone NHLer, Marco Rossi of the Minnesota Wild. He spoke about it afterward. Since 2012, Almond has played almost all of his career in Switzerland's National League, first with Genève-Servette for seven seasons, followed by five with Lausanne HC. Over 12 seasons, Almond played 465 National League regular-season and playoff games, recording 224 points and 731 penalty minutes. Almond became a Swiss citizen and represented Switzerland at two IIHF World Championships and at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Andres Ambühl Will Retire At Season's End Andres Ambühl – the holder of multiple Swiss and international hockey records – will retire at the end of this, his 25th season as a professional hockey player.
