EHC Chur is working on promotion: back in the spotlight with the shine of the Von Arx brothers and Niederreiter

Last season, three Swiss League clubs, La Chaux-de-Fonds, Olten and Visp, applied for promotion to the National League, all of which were approved. Ultimately, champion La Chaux-de-Fonds barely managed to qualify for the competition against Ajoie. The residents of Neuchâtel, together with Olten and Visp, have also applied for a license for the National League this year. But they were rejected after the criteria were tightened. Especially because the infrastructure with the ice rink “Les Mélèzes”, built in 1953, is inadequate and the club’s renovation plans are delayed.

This leaves only Olten and Visp as possible participants for the competition qualification and for possible promotion. Olten has been rolling up his sleeves for years, but always fails. The Solothurn team is currently making a new – and perhaps last – attempt (after last season they had to make up for a loss of 1.2 million francs). Realistically, as the current leader, the only serious challenger is you. Although Visp would be the favorite candidate for promotion in terms of catchment area, infrastructure and youth movement, it is currently not up to date in terms of sports and is only in 8th place. With four wins in a row, at least an upward trend can be seen.

Arosa and Chur switch roles

The number of people wanting to be promoted to the Swiss league has also decreased by one club. While there were two last season at Martigny and Arosa, now there is only one left at Chur, which withdrew its original bid for promotion last year. Martigny was promoted in the spring and Arosa announced last week that he was not eligible for promotion. Other clubs are not interested at the moment.

What is currently happening in the canton of Graubünden is special. Last season Arosa wanted that – and Chur didn’t. Now it’s the exact opposite. “We have done our homework structurally and financially, everyone is fired up for the next step,” says Chur’s interim president Carmine Di Nardo (40), who explains the change in opinion. Meanwhile, the traditional Arosa club reports that it does not want to take experimental risks for the club’s upcoming 100th anniversary in 2024.

The semi-finals of the play-offs are enough for promotion

The two Graubünden would actually prefer to play in the same competition so as not to lose the lucrative derbies (sometimes with more than 2,000 spectators!). But this desire of the two clubs does not correspond to their respective strategies. “Of course we think this is a great shame, but ultimately everyone has to do their own research. “We obviously hope that we will be promoted and that Arosa will follow later,” says Di Nardo. In any case, this option is kept open at the traditional club from the holiday resort of Graubünden.

If the licensing committee approves Chur’s application (decision before February 1), further hurdles to promotion are modest. The current leader of the MyHockey League would only have to reach the semi-finals of the play-offs as the only candidate – there are no relegated teams from the Swiss League. “If we don’t succeed, we’ll try again next season,” Di Nardo tries to take some of the pressure off. The goal sooner or later is not just to get promoted, but to establish the club in the Swiss league.

Niederreiter gets involved

Former NLA club EHC Chur certainly has charisma. On the one hand, this is because none other than local NHL star Nino Niederreiter (31) is on the board. “He gets involved, receives weekly reports from me, participates in our video calls and is happy with our forward strategy,” Di Nardo reveals. Two stars also hold sway on the coaching bench. The legendary ex-HCD successful brothers Reto (47) and Jan von Arx (45) are the heads of the revival in everyday life. “They brought a lot of professionalism,” Di Nardo said. Their contracts expire at the end of the season and Di Nardo’s great wish is to renew with the duo: “The talks are ongoing.”