Team Switzerland’s All Time Starting Six

Switzerland might not have the accolades or the pedigree of women’s hockey powerhouses like Canada, Finland or Team USA, but in the past 10 years, the Swiss have become a force to be reckoned with on the international stage. Their best finish at the World Championships came in 2012, when they came third, winning their first international medal. In 2014, they again had a bronze medal finish at the Sochi Olympics, knocking off Sweden in a 4-3 victory. Switzerland is a fun and exciting team to watch, with a great mix of gifted young players and experienced veterans.

There were some obvious choices for Team Switzerland’s all-time starting six, the players here have been integral to Switzerland’s recent success on the international stage.

Wing | Alina Müller

Alina Müller is only 23, but already she’s cemented herself as one of the best Swiss hockey players of all time. Müller caught the attention of the women’s hockey world in Sochi when she not only became the youngest person to ever win an Olympic medal in ice hockey at 15, but also scored the goal that won Switzerland the bronze. Müller is without a doubt one of the most exciting under 25s in women’s hockey right now. She excels not only at the international level, but at the NCAA level as well, most recently scoring 38 points (12 goals, 26 assists) in the 2020-21 season at Northeastern.

Wing | Stefanie Marty

Marty has been a key part of the Swiss team since her first World Championship in 2003 and she was a mainstay on the team up until her retirement in 2017. It’s Marty’s performance at the 2010 Olympic games in Vancouver that really earns her a place on Switzerland’s all-time starting six. Marty scored nine goals in just five games over the course of the tournament, which tied her for first place in goal scoring with Canada’s Meghan Agosta.

Center | Lara Stalder

Stalder is one of the most well rounded forwards to play for Switzerland. She has experience playing defense which makes her an even better center. Stalder had three goals and three assists in Pyeongchang in 2018, her most recent World Championship was in 2016 where she finished fourth in scoring with nine points. Honestly though, just talking about Stalder’s points does her a disservice. Stalder sees the game at an elite level and her play has elevated those around her whether it’s in the SDHL, on the national team or at UMD where she easily made the jump from defender to center in her sophomore year.

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Defense | Nicole Bullo

Defenders can tend to be the unsung heroes of a team, a lot of what they contribute doesn’t necessarily translate to the box score, but Bullo brings an offensive edge to the blue line. Bullo is one of the most prolific Swiss defenders when it comes to scoring and she’s been a staple on the national team since her first World Championship in 2003 when she had a goal and an assist in all four games that the Swiss played. She was an important part of the team that won bronze at the Olympics in Sochi, playing in all six games and putting up three assists.

Defense | Julia Marty

Julia Marty was the long-time captain of the Swiss team until her retirement from the international competition in 2015-16. She has 29 points with Team Switzerland.  Marty’s captaincy led the team to historic best performances, including the bronze medal in 2014 and a bronze at the World Championships in 2012.

Goaltender | Florence Schelling

Schelling is the obvious choice between the pipes for Switzerland’s all-time starting six. Her stats speak for themselves, most notably a career .919 SV% in 67 appearances with the senior national team. Schelling has put up elite numbers everywhere she’s played. In 98 games with Northeastern, she had an average SV% of .940. Save percentage isn’t the only thing that makes a goalie great though, and Schelling’s ability to face a barrage of shots from some of the most prolific goal scorers in women’s hockey and still put up numbers above .900 is what makes her a truly special goaltender.

Data Courtesy of Eliteprospects and Team Switzerland