The Genève-Servette HC (also called Servette or GSHC) is a professional
ice hockey
Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice ...
club based in
Geneva
Geneva ( ; french: Genève ) frp, Genèva ; german: link=no, Genf ; it, Ginevra ; rm, Genevra is the second-most populous city in Switzerland (after Zürich) and the most populous city of Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland. Situa ...
,
Switzerland
). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
and competing in the
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team s ...
(NL), the top tier of the Swiss hockey league system. The team plays their home games at the
Patinoire des Vernets, which has a
seating capacity
Seating capacity is the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, in terms of both the physical space available, and limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile tha ...
of 7,135.
The team is currently the oldest team in the NL, being founded in 1905.
Team history
* 1905 : Foundation of
Servette FC's ice hockey section.
* 1954 : The club plays on artificial ice for the first time, in the "Pavillon des Sports". Until then, Servette had to host its opponents in
Lausanne
, neighboring_municipalities= Bottens, Bretigny-sur-Morrens, Chavannes-près-Renens, Cheseaux-sur-Lausanne, Crissier, Cugy, Écublens, Épalinges, Évian-les-Bains (FR-74), Froideville, Jouxtens-Mézery, Le Mont-sur-Lausanne, Lugrin (FR ...
or
au Pont. The first match on the new artificial ice sees Servette play
Urania Genève Sport (UGS).
* 1956 : First promotion in Swiss National League B.
* 1958 : Inauguration of the new ice rink called "Les Vernets".
* 1959 : Servette wins the "Swiss Cup" after beating
Neuchâtel-Sports Young Sprinters HC 7–3 in the final, in front of fans, it is a crowd record for a hockey game in Les Vernets.
* 1963 : Creation of Genève-Servette HC after the fusion of the ice hockey sections of Servette & UGS.
* 1964 : Genève-Servette is champion of the
Swiss National League B (second division), after beating the
EHC Biel in the final, and is promoted to the top league in Switzerland, the
National League A
The National League (NL) is a professional ice hockey league in Switzerland and is the top tier of the Swiss league system. Prior to the 2017–18 season, the league was known as National League A. During the 2018–19 season, the league ...
.
* 1975 : Relegated to the Swiss National League B.
* 1980 : Relegated to
1. Liga (3rd division).
* 1995 : Promoted to National League B again, after a victory over
Luzern.
* 2001 : Promoted to National League A, after a successful series (4–0) over
Chur in the final.
* 2008 : On March 24, the GSHC reaches the Swiss National League A final for the first time in its history, after a clear win over
HC Fribourg-Gottéron in the semi-finals (4–1 in the series).
* 2010 : After a good season (2nd place), the GSHC defeated
HC Fribourg-Gottéron in quarter-finals after being led 3–1 and
EV Zug in semi-finals. Against
SC Bern in Finals, the GSHC came back from 3–1 to 3–3 before losing the seventh game in
Bern.
* 2011 : Were third-most attended team in Switzerland for the 2010–11 season with 6,971 spectators per game.
* 2013 : Winner of the
Spengler Cup.
* 2014 : Second consecutive
Spengler Cup win.
* 2017 : Fell to
EHC Kloten in the
Swiss Cup
The Swiss Cup (; ; ; ) is a football cup tournament that has been organised annually since 1925–26 by the Swiss Football Association. Since 1999 the winner earns the chance to qualify for the UEFA Europa League or the UEFA Europa Conference L ...
final.
Team information
Les Vernets
The
Patinoire des Vernets was built in 1959 and is located in the Geneva neighborhood of the same name. It serves as the main arena for the GSHC. It was renovated in 2009 in order to increase the spectator capacity from 6400 to 7140.
On January 24, 2012, local authorities and the club reached an agreement to build a new arena, in another part of town, with a seating capacity of 10,000. In 2012, it was scheduled to open by 2015, or possibly 2016. As of 2019, construction has yet to start.
Mascots
The official mascots of Genève-Servette are Calvin and Calvina, two
anthropomorphic eagle
Eagle is the common name for many large birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of genera, some of which are closely related. Most of the 68 species of eagle are from Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, j ...
s that first appeared at the beginning of the
2006-2007 season. They are Switzerland's first and only mascot duet. Their names are derived from
John Calvin, famous theologian of the Protestant
reformation
The Reformation (alternatively named the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation) was a major movement within Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the Catholic Church and in ...
in
Geneva
Geneva ( ; french: Genève ) frp, Genèva ; german: link=no, Genf ; it, Ginevra ; rm, Genevra is the second-most populous city in Switzerland (after Zürich) and the most populous city of Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland. Situa ...
.
In addition, Sherkan, a
bald eagle, opens every home game by flying throughout the arena, reaching for his master standing in the center of ice. Sherkan is very popular amongst fans and players alike. Sherkan is Europe's first living animal to partake in an ice-hockey game opening ceremony.
Sherkan first appeared during the NLB playoffs of 2001 and has been present to every home game ever since, only missing two.
Head coaches
Chris McSorley
Chris McSorley (born March 22, 1962) is a Canadian ice hockey coach and executive. He is currently the head coach of HC Lugano. He is the brother of former NHL player Marty McSorley.
Career
Born in Hamilton, Ontario, McSorley played professio ...
served as head coach and general manager between 2001 and 2017 and was also co-owner until 2014, alongside
Hugh Quennec. Chris McSorley is the brother of
Marty McSorley, two times winner of the
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup (french: La Coupe Stanley) is the championship trophy awarded annually to the National Hockey League (NHL) playoff champion. It is the oldest existing trophy to be awarded to a professional sports franchise in North America, an ...
with the
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton. The Oilers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. They play their home games at Rogers Place, which ...
. On March 22, 2017, Chris McSorley stepped down as head coach to focus on his job as general manager. A position he assumed for the entire
2017–18 season. At the end of this season, it was announced that McSorley would return as head coach of Geneva for the 2018/19 season, while keeping his position as general manager. McSorley had signed a 15-year contract with the team in September 2016 worth CHF 10 million, while the club was still under Quennec ownership. The contract runs through the 2030/31 season.
On June 26, 2017, it was announced that
Craig Woodcroft
Craig Woodcroft (born December 3, 1969) is a Canadian professional ice hockey head coach and former forward. He is currently head coach of HC Dinamo Minsk of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).
During his playing career, he represented Team ...
would replace McSorley at the helm of the team for the next three seasons. At the end of the 2017/18 season, Woodcroft was relieved of his duties as head coach after only one season. Geneva will still pay him the remaining CHF 2 million on his contract.
On April 17, 2019, Patrick Emond, the Junior Elite team's coach was promoted head coach. He worked with the Junior team for 9 years, winning recently 2 national titles with them. It will be his first experience with an adult team.
On November 10, 2021, Emond was fired by Servette as the team was sitting 11th in the standings after 23 regular season games at the time. Jan Cadieux, who was an assistant coach at the time, took over as head coach. Louis Matte, Sébastien Beaulieu, Mathieu Fernandes and Kevin Oulevey remained in the coaching staff.
Honors
Champions
*
SL Championship ''(1)'': 2001
*
Swiss Cup
The Swiss Cup (; ; ; ) is a football cup tournament that has been organised annually since 1925–26 by the Swiss Football Association. Since 1999 the winner earns the chance to qualify for the UEFA Europa League or the UEFA Europa Conference L ...
''(2)'': 1959, 1972
*
Spengler Cup ''(2)'':
2013
File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fa ...
,
2014
File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wa ...
Runners-up
*
NL Championship ''(3)'': 2008, 2010, 2021
*
NDA Championship ''(7)'': 1917, 1920, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1971
*
Swiss Cup
The Swiss Cup (; ; ; ) is a football cup tournament that has been organised annually since 1925–26 by the Swiss Football Association. Since 1999 the winner earns the chance to qualify for the UEFA Europa League or the UEFA Europa Conference L ...
''(1)'': 2017
Players
Current roster
Notable alumni
*
Logan Couture
Logan Couture (born March 28, 1989) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and captain of the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted by the Sharks ninth overall in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, where he establishe ...
*
Yannick Weber
Yannick Cyril Weber (born 23 September 1988) is a Swiss professional ice hockey defenseman who is currently playing with the ZSC Lions of the National League (NL). He was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in the third round (73rd overall) of the ...
*
Tom Pyatt
Thomas Cullum Pyatt (born February 14, 1987) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre. He spent most of his career in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Montreal Canadiens, Tampa Bay Lightning and Ottawa Senators. Pyatt also p ...
*
Reto Pavoni
*
Philippe Bozon
Philippe Bozon (born November 30, 1966) is a former French professional ice hockey player who played for the St. Louis Blues in the National Hockey League (NHL) between the 1991–92 and 1994-95 seasons. He is the first of only seven French-bo ...
*
Oleg Petrov
Oleg Viktorovich Petrov (''Олег Викторович Петров''; born April 18, 1971) is a Russian former ice hockey right winger. He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) between 1992 and 2003.
Professional career
Petrov was drafte ...
*
Kevin Romy
*
Goran Bezina
*
Juraj Kolník
Juraj Kolník (born November 13, 1980) is a Slovak former professional ice hockey forward, who last played for the Jonquière Marquis of the Ligue Nord-Américaine de Hockey.
Kolník has previously played in the National Hockey League (NHL) ...
*
Daniel Vukovic
* Igor Fedulov
References
External links
Official site of Genève-Servette Hockey Club*
Site officiel du Genève-Servette Hockey Club*
Official Fan-club webpage*
Fan-page
{{DEFAULTSORT:Geneve-Servette HC
Ice hockey clubs established in 1905
Ice hockey teams in Switzerland
Sport in Geneva
1905 establishments in Switzerland