Can someone post like a cliff notes version of the characteristics of each NLA team and compare them to An NHL squad
I’m definitely becoming a Lugano and Davos guy
This is gonna be hard. Especially since our fan culture is a big part of how the club is perceived by other people. Also since, like most European leagues, the NLA has a promotion/relegation system it doesn't mean that only the big cities have a franchise, some teams are from small towns and even villages. But I'll try to give you a little overview (without an NHL comparison) even though a lot of people probably disagree.
Let's start with the most heated rivalry in Swiss hockey, the teams from the Italian speaking part of Switzerland:
1.
HC Ambrì-Piotta *1937 (La Valascia, cap. 7000, *1959):
Ambrì and Piotta are small villages and both part of a municipality called Quinto with a population of just around 1000 people. The municipality is located in the Leventina Valley in the mountainous north of the canton of Ticino. Their arena is open at it's end which, combined with the winds in the valley, makes it probably the coldest arena in western Europe.
The team usually plays a tactical defense first game since they can't afford losing, as simple as it is.
Sadly they have to build a new arena during the next years since "La Valascia" is in a potential avalanche path. Ambrì is one of the financially struggling teams in the NLA and are mostly always fighting against relegation but still have the most passionate fans in the league. Their fans are well known for their left-leaning views (Not a usual thing in Swiss hockey culture) and they are heavily influenced by Italian ultra culture. They only made a finals-appearance once in 1999 where they lost against HC Lugano, or as they would call it; LugaNO!
(I may be biased on this. Even though I'm not a fan of the club I frequently visit their games and kind of support them.)
2.
HC Lugano *1941 (La Resega, cap. 8000, *1995):
While Ambrì is the poor club of the league, their opponents in the canton of Ticino are exactly the opposite. Located at the shores of Lago di Lugano the city is well known as Switzerland's gateway to mediterranean culture. Lugano was the first fully professional team in Swiss Ice Hockey and they have a very successful past where they were known as "grande Lugano" (great Lugano) with 7 championships won between 1986 and 2006. But even though they always have a good roster they haven't won anything during the last 13 years, they came closest in 2018 where they lost the finals in game 7 against their rivals from Zürich. Lugano has a pretty balanced team with some very gritty players but also snipers like Fazzini who are able to make the difference on the scoring board.
Games against Ambrì and Zürich are probably the most heated to experience in Lugano and can get pretty rowdy.
3.
ZSC Lions *1930 (Hallenstadion, cap. 11'200, *1939):
Zürich is, like Lugano, one of the big clubs in Swiss hockey. With 9 championships (6 since 2000) they are on of the most successful teams in the recent times. They won back to back titles in 2000 & and 2001, both against HC Lugano. This, paired with the fact that Zürich is perceived as the city of the snobby German speaking part of Switzerland, makes for a heated rivalry between Zürich and Lugano.
Zürich has also won the only Champions League where the KHL participated in 2009. As cherry on the top they then also beat the Chicago Blackhawks for the Victoria Cup. Zürich is known for playing a less gritty but more tactical hockey.
Even though ZSC was known for having a great atmosphere back in the last century and early 2000's it sadly has become the opposite after the renovation of their Arena. Doesn't matter the seats you have, you're always a mile away from the ice. Makes for good view though. And they're currently building a new arena so this will get better soon.
(Pretty biased on this one. I've been a supporter of this club since I got into the old smoke filled arena as a kid in the 90's and I still visit every game of my hometown club.)
4.
SC Bern *1931 (PostFinance-Arena, cap. 17'031, *1967):
SC Bern is probably the biggest club in western Europe. They rank highest on avg. attendance outside of the NHL and are the most successful team in recent times with 5 championships since 2010 and 16 since they started playing in 1931. With their huge standing section for over 10'000 people in their arena it can sure be intimidating for visiting teams. Since the whole canton of Bern is pretty nuts for hockey SCB is the go-to club for thousands of people. Especially with the amount of success they had over the years. The club is known for a gritty kind of play and they use this image very offensively in their marketing ("We play according to a codex: hard, but hard"). Due to the fact that they very seldomly call up players from their own juniors and are more relying on offering contracts to players from other teams they face criticism from other fans but also their own. Due to their recent success SC Bern is the team you want to beat.
5.
SCL Tigers *1946 (Ilfishalle, cap. 6050, *1975):
Another team from the canton of Bern. Located in the valley of Emmental we have the SCL Tigers from Langnau, a small town with a population of only 9500 people.
The Tigers are the only pro sports team in this region but they are deeply rooted in the rural region they're coming from. They also market themselves as a more traditional club and play Swiss folk music after the team has scored. Since they got promoted back to the NLA in 2015 the Tigers play a very defense orientated game which is not very spectacular but has gotten them to the playoffs once, and more important, kept them away from being relegated. In their past they have won one championship in 1976.
6.
EHC Biel/Bienne *1939 (Tissot-Arena, cap. 6521, *2015):
Here we have the last team from the canton of Bern. EHC Biel/Bienne come from the bilingual city of Biel (as I'd say in Swiss German, or Bienne in French). After being promoted back to the NLA in 2008 the club has transformed to a championship contender nobody wants to play against. They play a very offensively oriented high paced game and due to their former NHL netminder Jonas Hiller they don't get scored on too much. This could transform into a problem since Hiller announced that he will end his career after this season and good goalies are hard to find in Switzerland. With championship titles in 1978, 1981 and 1983 Biel used to have a short era of success in the NLA and I'm pretty convinced that their forth championship title isn't too far from now. Biel, aswell as the SCL Tigers, have a strong rivalry with SC Bern.
I'll do the other half of the teams during the next week, don't know when I'll find time to do so.