The Pioneers
Almost 100 years of ice hockey in Geneva. It should be known and always remembered. It was effectively around 1905/1906 that the ice hockey section of Servette was created and it was this creation which was the departure point of organised ice hockey in Geneva. In truth, history teaches us, unfortunately with a certain lack of precision, that those who founded this section had already been in activity at the heart of the Florissant HC. However, it is evident that in entering into this game, Servette would bring a solid structure to this section, which carried its name, a name already prestigious.

In 1905/1906: Nearly a hundred years ago! Talking about those who launched the movement, of those who took over, we would not have taken the trouble to consider that this was the work of pioneers.

Pioneers first and foremost because they introduced a sport into a town on the plain, which had long been considered one which could not be consistently practised anywhere but in the big mountain resorts.

Pioneers because if ice hockey continued slowly, with the highs and lows, its conquest in Geneva, one must not forget that after this beginning, during the winter of 1905/1906, one would have to wait nearly 50 years, until the 21st November 1954, to be able to use artificial ice and finally make a new beginning. No longer depending on the whims of winter weather, no longer being dependant on the skating rinks of other towns. Because of this, when a Geneva team played at home, they received their adversaries in Lausanne, or in Pont, because at Florissant or on the pond at Tulières, the natural ice was already nothing more than a souvenir.

The pioneers, these are all those ones who, for fifty years, never gave up and never quit. Those of the beginning like those who went after them, those in 1910 like those in 1920, in 1930 or in 1940. It is a collective homage which makes them without naming them, without putting one above the other..

A jump of 50 years
1905/1906, it is the time when the ice hockey section of Servette was formed. It is also the time of pioneers, those for whom nothing would be easy. Where one needs a good dose of optimism and faith to go forward.

Let’s go forwards but to when? In 1906 we don’t know it but we go! Lets go forwards to that evening of 21st November 1954, where for the first time in Geneva, an ice hockey contest would be fought on artificial ice.

Strictly speaking, for a certain time, there was a private group who had the intention to make an entry into a new development in chemin Kreig, where the natural skating rink of Florissant was located, with the construction of an artificial ice rink. A beautiful project really, which stirred the hearts of the friends of ice hockey, but which was just a project and stayed so.

It was finally the town of Geneva adopting a proposition made by Mr. Lucien Billy, administrative advisor delegated to sports, and by Mr. André Blanc, chief of sports services, accepted the creation, in the Sports Pavilion of the time, the one in Boulevard du Pont-d’Arve, of an “experimental” artificial ice rink. Experimental because it had to wait for the final and definitive construction of the covered ice rink of the Vernets.

The first hurdle had just been cleared. A major step and even if, in three years time, this provisional surface had to be demolished in spring and then reconstructed in Autumn, the boost had been given. This boost, which would make the beautiful skating rink of the Vernets a veritable temple of Genevan hockey.

21st November 1954, an historic date. On the skating rink which was not strictly regulation, but which was exceptionally admitted to the Swiss League in order to help out, had it’s inaugurate match which put Servette and UGS in opposition. The final score 7-2. Discover the report of this match. In any case this should never have taken place. Because, on the night preceding the inauguration, we came close to disaster. The beginning of a fire which Mr. André Blanc, extinguisher in hand, totally mastered.

Servette in LNB (National League B)
This 21st November 1954 would be the starting point for a new, important stage, in the history of ice hockey in Geneva. During this winter 1954-1955, the two Genevan teams, who were able to keep themselves in the premiere league the previous seasons thanks to the miracles born from the determination of their directors and their players, would participate in the championship with a special advantage. A special advantage which could be reinforced by the provision of this mutation which brought about the availability of an artificial and covered ice rink where the public could come and encourage them.

Mais on veut faire mieux, et deux entraîneurs-joueurs canadiens vont venir renforcer les équipes : André Girard au Servette et Ray Dinardo à UGS. A la suite de circonstances diverses et après avoir battu UGS dans un match capital, Servette est finaliste. Finaliste régional tout d'abord, puis finaliste suisse.

C'est alors que le terrible hiver 1956 va faciliter la réalisation de l'objectif des "grenats". La première finale nationale contre Bâle est fixée mais on ne peut éviter le démontage de la piste du Pavillon car celui-ci doit être remis au Salon de l'Auto. A ce niveau, on ne transige pas. Priorité au Salon et au diable le hockey sur glace.

Faudra-t-il aller jouer à Bâle ou sur une piste neutre? Non. Le froid est vif durant cet hiver olympique et alors on se souvient de la patinoire de Florissant. Revanche de cette bonne vieille piste naturelle dont les démolisseurs n'ont pas encore pris possession. En deux jours à peine et avec le concours merveilleux du Service des Sports de la Ville, on monte des bandes, on trace des lignes, on fignole la glace et Servette bat Bâle par 9-0. Le premier pas est franchi.

Il faudra réussir le deuxième, contre Veltheim, équipe des faubourgs de Winterthur. Là on joue sur une piste naturelle avec des bandes basses. Hockey de la préhistoire. Servette s'y adapte et gagne 4-1 contre une équipe dans laquelle joue celui qui sera plus tard son entraîneur, Ernst Schneeberger. C'est la promotion en LNB.

Geneva in LNB
If the Servette team had to wait no more than two seasons, from the moment they had the artificial ice in the “Pavillon des Sports”, to reach their first objective, that is to say, the promotion to LNB, that of the UGS (Uranio Genève-Sports) would start to live from the month of November 1954, a very long wait. A wait of nine seasons, with, as always in these cases, the highs and mostly the lows. Here again, it would require that both the directors and the players show their resolve, not only with patience but above all with courage and devotion

Born with the name Geneva HC then becoming HC Tuileries because it’s skating rink was a pond in the Tuileries of Bellevue which sometimes, would agree to freeze over the club became, in 1952, the ice hockey section of Uranio Geneva-Sports (UGS). Their first president was Mr. Otto Bill– father of Pierre Bill, the old director of Geneva-Servette – and ex-player of HC Tuileries. As with Louis Barillon, ex-resident of Servette, he had himself been a player in the team. After Mr. Bill senior, we see Mr. Felicien Buzzano and Mr. Fred Wenger take on the responsibilities and concerns. At the same time, in Servette, Mr. Claude Barbey assumed the presidency with the collaboration of Mr. Georges Bourgeois.

Entering into the ice rink at the “Pavillon des Sports”, UGS kept its technical direction, temporarily, the sadly missed Kurt Hauser, ex-player, ex international Referee. After which one trainer followed another, as well as the players, each season the team tried once again to get into the LNB, with the new players, but without further success.

Finally some determined decisions were furiously made. Lelio Rigassi, who directed, with competence and confidence, the junior team, was promoted with arms and baggage to the first team. The arms were in fact his own qualities, and in fact the juniors which he had tutored for two or three years

The Swiss Cup 1959
Once upon a time the Swiss ice hockey cup… It was created by Mr. Walder, at the time central vice-president of the Swiss ice hockey league who was the donator of the Trophy.

It was let go, so that the limelight shone on the championship. The formula which was adopted for this year did not allow a comparable competition. In some ways, it is a shame, because the Cup allowed hockey a larger influence and gave a chance to the teams in the “B” league. The examples of Servette and of Geneva are there to demonstrate this.

Servette had effectively won the final of the Swiss Cup in 1958-1959. With their team from the LNB directed by the prestigious Canadian Chick Zamick.

The finale of the season 1958-59! A game which we have not forgotten and which allowed an absolute record number of spectators at the Vernets. There were 11’820 spectators, crouching in the corners, hanging on everywhere to whatever they could hang on to. Such a crowd has never been seen since, even for the big world championship games in 1961. How did they find the space? It’s a mystery. Servette was not the favourite but nevertheless won convincingly 7 to 3.

Four years later, at the end of the 1962-1963 season, new final at Vernets. Again with the Young Sprinters, but this time against the young team of Geneva HC, who had successively beaten Gottéron (LNB) by 7-2 then three teams of the LNA: Ambri-Piotta (9-7), Bâle (7-2) and Zurich (4-2) to get to the final. The same score was recorded, but this time in favour of “les Neuchâtelois!”

The Merger
In the history of hockey, there have been important dates, decisive periods and seasons at the end of which one reached ones objectives. We have already cited some. Let’s take a look at those which led to a situation which was unravelled by agreements _ of the merger:

• Beginning of the season 1954-1955: availability to Servette and to UGS who played in the premiere league, of the artificial ice rink in the Sports Pavillion;
• End of season 1955-1956, Servette promoted to LNB
• 28 November 1958, inauguration of the Vernets skating rink
• End of season 1961-1962, Geneva promoted to LNB

All this is to say that, in the championship of 1962-1963, we would have two Genevan teams in LNB. Both in the same regional group.

Geneva had entrusted its technical management to a Czechoslovakian trainer, Bohuslav Rejda, while at Servette the Canadian Jean-Jacques Pichette had been brought in, a pure-blooded Quebecian. Geneva put its trust in those of the young players who had gained promotion whilst Servette had a formidable team. Of course the objectives were different: Getting promoted into the LNA for Servette, staying in the LNB for Geneva. Servette would be champion of the group but bowed down in the face of Grasshopper – champion of the other group. It was all over.

It was at that moment there, that we spoke of a merger, or more like we spoke once more about it. With prudence, because the subject is hot. Hot, but there is a certain urgency; the two clubs were getting out of breath and the financial charges were getting heavier and heavier. Time to tiptoe forwards, but forwards. Meetings were had between Claude Barbey and Georges Bourgeois on the Servette side, Fred Wenger and Félicien Buzzano on the Geneva side. Mr. Lucien Billy, administrative advisor from the town of Geneva and Mr. André Vlanc, chief of the sports service, brought their advice and their caution. Finally, towards the end of Spring, a protocol was submitted to the two boards of directors which was accepted.

Nothing was easy, even finding the name for the future club. They even had to get the agreement of Servette Club so that the name Servette could be kept in the name of the new club. With good spirit helping necessity, we arrived at the end of the pain. The Geneva-Servette HC was born. Born at the end of spring 1963 which would therefore also become historic.

Would it have been born if, a few weeks earlier, Servette had fought Grasshopper and got itself into the premiere league? Yes, said the previous directors of the two clubs, those who had obstinately made this merger which, in their eyes, was inevitable. We can allow ourselves to be a little less sure about it.

Swiss Champion LNB 1963
We have just seen how and why the merger between the two clubs was made. A result which was officially completed in June 1963, after the preliminary talks which lasted three months and raged with ideas which had been around for some time.

The Geneva-Servette HC was therefore born. It had to get registered. First task - to make a choice between the two trainers: Redja, who was from Geneva, and Pichette from Servette. Redja had a contract which still had two years to run and it was necessary to honour his engagement. Pichette went away therefore, leaving only his friends in Geneva. So that he could find more of a reprise elsewhere, as good in Canada as in Switzerland.

The team were trained in a preparatory camp in Villars, where 32 players were summoned. Finally the basic team was formed and the championship began. Geneva-Servette were favourites in their group but made two faux pas and found itself on equal points with Martigny. A decisive game would have to happen. The president Claude Barbey and the treasurer Georges Bourgeois had good arguments and Martigny came to Geneva where they lost by 4-2. The worst time was over. In the Swiss final, Geneva-Servette met Bienne, champion of the eastern group. They won by 7-0 at Bienne and by 8-1 in Geneva. It was done. Geneva-Servette was promoted to the LNA. The merger made nine months earlier had immediately given the expected result. From the season 1964-1965 Geneva was therefore an LNA team. The team was to stay eleven seasons at this level. It would even be five times vice-champion before commencing it’s slow descent which, by the end of the 1974-1975 championship, would find them back where they started, that is to say in National League B (LNB).

The end of a dream
Now enter, as one must, into a more difficult period, into a tunnel in which, it takes time to see the exit. That is the moment where the relegation to LNB made it inevitable that Geneva-Servette would have a hard time. It wasn’t the relegation, at the end of the season 1974-1975, which brought about important changes in the club management. The process had already been established for some time, in fact, during the course of the current season, it was know that it would be necessary to replace two of the important actors: the president Claude Barbey and the treasurer (and administrative vice-presidnet) Georges Bourgeois. Replace them, not because they were drifting away from this Geneva-Servette which they had so well served, as had Félicien Buzzano, Fred Wenger and many others, the pioneers and those who ran with them.

It didn’t matter that it was the leader of the team who took the time to tie the two ends and that the first team just slid backwards from the LNA to the LNB and Mr Michel Rosetti was named to assist in a new committee. The objective of the new committee: immediately get the first team back into the LNA. An effort was made during the campaign of transfers but nobody would be upset, at least we hoped, if we said that, very quickly, the objective seemed to be situated out of reach of the team.

This got the first team qualified into the Western Group, which helped to maintain certain illusions. The tour of promotion re-established a reality which was not always good to hear. But if the objective was not reached, at least we had a peaceful championship. The future of Geneva-Servette was stabilised but absolutely not a compromise.

It was certainly not a compromise a situation but the objective (perhaps too audacious) was missed in terms of this first season in the LNB. Those who wanted to say that the time of purgatory had far from been achieved. It was almost commonplace to repeat it, the directors of all the clubs knew how difficult it was to master the consequences of a relegation, then to get a grip on the essentials to return to the LNA. How many of the big clubs which belong to the great and glorious tradition of Swiss hockey clubs have now or have had this experience: Arosa, Lausanne and Davos. To give but three examples which are the most striking and which bring back a spirit which moderates a certain impatience.

We will see these difficulties alleviated in future seasons. But during the 1976-1977 season, to these difficulties was added another concern. The team had passed to the management of a soviet trainer, the soft and charming Ramial Valiouline. He arrived too late in Geneva. Because already, and even before the championship had begun, some positions had already been taken. On the inside, as on the outside of the team. If the worst had already been avoided, if the team had been very directly threatened by a relegation in the first league, if the end of the championship had finally gone peacefully, it was only the committee of Michel Rosetti which resisted the promises which were not always inspired by the desire to serve, first and foremost, the needs of a club which wore a name which should be respected.

Let’s resume and look at what was inside this “parenthesis” in the LNB. A parenthesis which was opened at the end of the 1974-75 season, when Geneva-Servette got to the end of its team adventure in LNA, which was not yet finished.

Take a look at the period which followed the relegation to LNB:

• 1975-1976: A hope situated outside of what was technically possible
• 1976-1977: Difficult season, perturbed on the surface as in the depths. The fear of worse and then at the end a certain serenity because order had been returned. Without glamour, without drama but with a considered resolution.
• 1977-1978: the return of the spirit, a big effort from everyone, the taking of considerable financial risks. The return of a certain stardom in a team relying on men arriving in Geneva who were preceded by a reputation which was not at all exaggerated. But a reputation is one thing. The efficiency of the moment is quite another. Realities happen sufficiently quickly to remind those who have the tendency to forget them. In spite of this it made a really good championship. But the objective which was to get back into the LNA was missed, and markedly so. The worst was that this team of disappointing stars quickly found itself separated from the Genevan public. Between this Geneva-Servette and the Genevan public, there was no longer any electricity.

The time of experiences
The committee, happily, was not shaken by this new time of stoppage, this prolongation which intervened in the time which they had to dedicate to the realisation of the objective.

Very quickly, and even before the championship was history, it drew a line which, henceforth, would be the one with which took no more liberty. To trace this line, it was firstly necessary to work out an option. This one: bring to Geneva-Servette a Genevan basis by systematically and continuously calling on the strength of the club.

First real step: a request to Jean-Pierre Kast who was the chief of the junior movement for him to become the trainer of the first team. In making this offer to Jean-Pierre Kast, ex Geneva player, trained in Geneva, ahs who was one of the main supports of the Geneva team and then of the Geneva-Servette team, was a decisive choice. It was giving preference to a certain hockey, a team sport, a pleasant sport. To that which the public at Vernets had loved and that the time of foreign stars in LNB had taken away.

In accepting this offer, Jean-Pierre Kast new what was involved, He knew most of all that he would be recruiting firstly from inside the club and by going outside, he would only risk the security and stability on the condition that he would give it the necessary time. The agreement was made on this basis.

The Geneva-Servette first team couldn’t go into combat with only Genevan elements. This was obvious but they went in good spirits, as wished for by their trainer and with the unanimous approval of the committee, and the incontestable backing of the public.

Difficult times
After the relegation at the end of the 1974-1975 season, and five seasons in LNB, the club fell upon the first league, where they would do the elevator, with three occasional returns to the LNB (1984-85, 1988-89, 1990,91). From this difficult period, there are a few details still missing which must be quickly added to complete the story.

It was only since the 1994-1995 season, after a victory over Lucerne in a defensive match, that the “hockeyers” from Vernets were re-installed in the LNB. In spite of a limited contingent, Geneva-Servette had a very good season for its return to LNB, because the residents of Vernets qualified for the playoffs where they were finally eliminated in three games by Grasshopper, in those days considered the most appalling in the category. The next season would be considerably less glorious. In spite of a re-inforced team, the Genevans cold never get off the ground. During the season, they even split with their trainer. Nothing would work, the championship had undergone a change, they were to finish last but one in the Western group, then couldn’t even get a place in the playoffs because they ended up in fourth place of the “hopefuls” tour.

The playouts which followed and which put them against Ajoie HC were a calamity. Effectively, the Genevan team largely lost their first home game which was not exactly an auspicious omen, but the Garnets were able to react and recover the next three games. The players were able to celebrate the upholding and all leave Vernets. Unfortunately they had not accounted for an enquiry submitted by Ajoie HC, accepted by the league and which saw the second Genevan victory transformed into a victory “Ajoulote” The club needed to bring back their players, already scattered on the ski pistes, urgently. The game which followed would be explosive. Because three minutes from the end, Ajoie led by 3-0, but the eagles, in a last minute surge were able to establish themselves in extra time. This time, Geneva-Servette had really saved their place.

In order to avoid another fright, the Genevan managers would make some acquisitions which would be stupendous, but riddled with internal problems, the team would never evolve to the required level and once again had to battle against relegation. The Genevans would not meet too many problems to once again save their place.

Stuck in a downward spiral, the 1998-1999 season was once again a calamity and this time the Garnets were not able to bear until Martigny and Herisau withdrew. During these three seasons, the Genevan team use no less than four trainers.

A fresh breath
Aware of the unrest which ruled in the club, the directors engaged a manager in the name of Paul-André Cadieux. The Swiss-Canadian built an attractive team led by François Huppé, but the team’s beginnings were once again not convincing, and after only five games, Huppé was asked to go and look elsewhere, Cadieux took back the reins of the team. Geneva-Servette then started to make progress and at one point were only six points away from the bar and finally finished an incredible third place. Finally they qualified for the playoffs. The playoffs which were electrifying because in the quarter-finals, Geneva-Servette played against their Germanic rivals, and then in the semi-finals they only bowed down in extra time of the fifth match against Chaux de Fonds.

This incredible season was to the credit of Geneva-Servette, and a few months later Marco Torriani, president, signed an agreement with the American group Anschutz, an arrival which gave the club new ambitions.

2000-2001 Season
In spite of clearly declared ambitions, that is to say a promotion to LNA, the Garnets were never able to master the higher placed teams. They were eventually eliminated in four matches during the semi finals by Bienne EHC. The next season would be the good one. After a recruitment worthy of its ambitions, Geneva-Servette, in spite of a hesitant departure, flew to the top the LNB championship leaving only crumbs for it’s adversaries. The Genevans won the LNB championship but the hardest was yet to come. The playoffs were just a formality for the team directed by the masterful hand of Chris McSorley. The eagles did not concede any defeat obliging Thurgovie, Ajoie, Chaux de Fonds and then Coire to lay down their arms. At the end of this season, the Eagles were therefore promoted to national league A, 27 years after having left.

2002-2003 Season
At the end of a brilliantly negotiated championship, the Geneva-Servette Hockey Club qualified for the playoffs, quite a trick. Pressing for a knowledgeable mix of experienced players and young talent, the team brought back to life, high level hockey at the end of the lake.

2003-2004 Season
The Eagles continued on their stride and confirmed that they deserve fairly and squarely a place in the LNA. Chris McSorely brings very good support and continues to give numerous “ice minutes” to the juniors of the club. His game-play is the most outstanding and he regularly leads his team to the championship podium, against teams as prestigious as Davos, ZSC Lions, Kloten and Zug. In playoff, the GSHC broke through another level by going to the point of the ¼ finals, but finally fell in the semis to the future champion of Switzerland, the Bern SC.

Homage to the honorary President: Mister Claude Barbey
The history of Geneva-Servette from its fusion until now, was systematically impregnated with the presence of our honorary president Mr. Claude Barbey

At the merger, the retirement of the president of Geneva HC mr. Félicien Buzzano left the space for a trio of directors composed of Claude Barbey, Georges Bourgeois and Pierre Bill, communally called the three “B”s.

Their succession at the end of the seventies was punctuated by presidents more or less notable until the arrival of Marco Torriani in 1991. Thirty years after his own period of presidency, Marco Torriani didn’t hesitate to consult our honorary president about current issues.

Today, Without Claude Barbey, the club would perhaps not exist and these few images are here as a mark of our respect and thanks.

2004-2005 Season
The 2004-2005 season would turn out to be an exceptional one in Switzerland with the arrival of a large contingent of players from the NHL. The entire NHL season was cancelled in February 2005 because of the infamous lockout. In the beginning, the Anschutz group did not authorize the signing of North-American players by Genève-Servette because of conflict of interest as the owners of the NHL Los Angeles Kings.
Chris McSorley unveiled 5 new foreign players in spite of an appearance in the semi-finals the year before. Acquired in the Swiss market, the Eagles manager made headlines by signing Goran Bezina. The team started the season in Zoug on September 17 with Philippe Bozon, Michal Grosek and Andreas Johansson.
The season started on a high note when GSHC won its first two games with shutouts over Zoug and Langnau. Reto Pavoni would get two more shutouts in the first round with a team record of 6 wins and 6 losses.
In the month of November, Anschutz management allows Chris McSorley to hire NHL players to combat injuries on the team. Derek Armstrong (Los Angeles Kings) is the first on the list, followed by Geoff Sanderson (Columbus Blue Jackets) and Serge Aubin (Atlanta Thrashers).
Final regular season standings found Genève-Servette finish 5th with a record of 20 wins, 19 losses and 5 ties (45 points). In the Playoffs, the Eagles meet Zoug in the first round. Unfortunately the team from central Switzerland is gaining momentum at this time and the Eagles season finishes with 4 straight losses to Zoug despite many games being close.

2005-2006 Season
With a new season comes new regulations : the Swiss National League increases the number of foreign players allowed on the ice to five with a minimum of two players from the European Community. Genève-Servette continues with Andreas Johansson and Michal Grosek with the addition of Yorick Treille, Yanick Lehoux, Yves Sarault and Jan Hlavac.
The Eagles have another tremendous start to the season with road wins over Davos and Bern. But then comes November. They lose all they have gained at the start and find themselves under the relegation bar which is where they would stay until the end of the season.
In the dressing room, players come and go : Kevin Romy, Valeri Chiriayev, Yanick Lehoux and Michal Grosek leave during the season, Philippe Bozon comes out of retirement, Jason Krog arrives for a short stay at the Vernets before joining the Swedish League with Bjorn Bjurling, Jamie Wright et Terry Yake come to reinforce GSHC at the end of the regular season.
This was a season to forget with the Eagles finishing in 11th place with 39 points (16 wins, 21 losses and 7 ties). In the relegation playout series, GSHC is matched against the ZSC Lions who were also authors of a disastrous season. In this duel, the Eagles will win twice, for the first time, in the Zurich Hallenstadion. It’s only after the sixth game including penalty shots (seven rounds,14 shooters !) that Jamie Wright ensures GSHC future in the A League by beating the opposing goalie, Ari Sulander. For Philippe Bozon, this would be the last game in his career.

This season was the 100th aniversary of the club. Founded in 1905 (Servette HC) and 1906 (HC Genève), the two clubs combined in 1963 to form the Genève-Servette Hockey Club. One season after having retired the jerseys of Eric Conne (number 4) and Fritz Naef (number 6), the GSHC honors its history with a « Match du Centenaire » (Centennial Match). The club brought back several past players for the first faceoff and produced a unique jersey, without advertising, bringing back the colors and design of the first 1963 jersey. The match took place January 28, 2006 against Lugano with a victory for the guest team (5-2).

2006-2007 Season
Once again Genève-Servette presents a new face to a new season : Reto Pavoni is replaced by the goaltending duo of Gianluca Mona and Michael Tobler. Concerning the foreign players, even if Jamie Wright, Michal Grosek and Yorick Treille are Eagles again, none can claim to have played a complete season under the orders of Chris McSorley. To complete the group of hire guns, the Servette manager finds and signs Kirby Law, Serge Aubin and Laurent Meunier. On defense, the team can count on the addition of experienced Olivier Keller, returning to his hometown team after a 15 year absence.
Behind the scenes, everything possible is done to ensure each home game becomes an event in itself. On the ice, after a balanced start to the season, the ever dangerous month of November raises its ugly head. But GSHC reverses the momentum during December and January with a series of nine wins (4 in a row) to only three losses. After January the Eagles continue their solid play with only two undeserving home ice losses ; one against Davos under controversial circumstances and another against Zurich on penalty shots.
At the season’s final buzzer, Genève-Servette finishes in seventh place with 65 points and is chosen by second place Bern for the first round Playoff series. With fatigue and injuries playing havoc, and only after putting up a valiant effort against the Bears from the nation’s capitol, Genève-Servette has to declare defeat to the eventual Swiss Cup runners up in 5 games (4-1).

2007-2008 Season
The GSHC made some changes in its lineup, the import players in particular. They were five for four spots, including two new faces : Juraj Kolnik and Jean-Pierre Vigier. The first of these was a true offensive leader, earning the TopScorer Jersey and a spot in the top 3 of the National League A. The second brought enormous talent as well, namely in the Playoffs where he substantially increased the intensity of the game.

For this new season, the directors of the LNA decided to make a few changes to the calendar, adding six extra games, bringing the total from 44 to 50. The allowed number of foreigners was also changed, from five to four, thus making Swiss players more important.

On the ice, the Genève-Servette has its best season since the 70’s. At the end of its 50 regular season games, the GSHC was second, right behind Berne. The Eagles’ excellent placement caught everyone by surprise.

For the first time since the 70’s, the GSHC is one of the favorites for the title. After eliminating Rapperswil and Fribourg, both teams in only five games, Geneva came so close to the national title, leading 2-0 in the series against Zurich, before Zurich took over the last 4 games.

2008-2009 Season
As vice-champion, the GSHC brings in a new assistant coach (Louis Matte) and two new import players (Byron Ritchie and Tony Salmelainen). Chris McSorley put a rotation in place at the beginning of the season, despite seeing the excellent teamwork between Ritchie and Kolnik. This allowed the Slovak to become the TopScorer of the National League A at the end of the season.

This season is also remembered for injuries : that of Tony Salmelainen, having trouble with his adductors, Martin Höhener’s accident which made him unable to complete the season, Chris Rivera’s shoulder leading him to the operating room, and finally Gianluca Mona in the goal. This last one gave Benjamin Conz (17 years old) the chance to get started in December. Despite his talent, he wasn’t able to keep the GSHC from suffering a terrible end of season, being eliminated in the quarter finals by Kloten.

This season marked the end of the long-term relationship between the GSHC and Igor Fedulov. The Swiss-Russian veteran left the Vernets after nine years. He was followed by Olivier Keller, who also decided to head towards Lausanne.

Despite a less successful season from a sports point of view, the city of Geneva still grows in their love of the GSHC : both the number of season passes and the average number of spectators saw a substantial increase.

2009-2010 Season
The Vernets was unable to host the Eagles for the whole month of September as it was going through renovations. On the ice, the GSHC had a new face in the goal with the arrival of Tobias Stephan. The season only started with three import players however, under contract for the season, which advantageously valued the Swiss players on the team.

There are a few nice surprises in the lineup, namely the second line composed of Tony Salmelainen, Thomas Déruns, and Paul Savary (11th season with the Eagles). The first two of which will finish at the top of the list of GSHC scorers, the first for the regular season, and the second in the Playoffs, earning the title TopScorer of the Playoffs.

During this season, the Eagles did even better than two years previously. Quickly settling in the top ranks, they fight to the very last second for first place, barely falling short of victory.

During the ¼ finals of the Playoffs, the Eagles finish of Fribourg after a bad start in the series (3-1 in favor of Fribourg). The Eagles then eliminated Zoug in six matches winning the last game 7-2 at Herti, the Zoug rink which was permanently closing its doors.

In the Finals, the Eagles nearly pulled of a miracle, drawing even with Bern to the very last second. Starting off 3-1 in the series in favor of Bern, GSHC comes right back up, demanding a seventh game during which the Eagles finally fell. This made them vice-champions for the ninth time in the history of the club as well as for the second time in three seasons.