It was just a note in a margin, as Pius Suter joined in the summer of 2015 to the ZSC Lions . A separate Junior, who had returned from Overseas in the first team wanted to establish. The headlines belonged to another Teenager: Auston Matthews. The American child Prodigy, not, disappointed, enchanted, the League one Winter and then went to conquer the NHL. Meanwhile, Matthews is only a footnote in the history of the ZSC Lions, who went into that season against SC Bern in the quarter-finals with 0:4 in. Suter, however, is the people of Zurich to the key figure.

As for him, Marc Crawford was sent back in the first team, was the Valais eller for his 19 amazingly precocious. With 23, he is now on track to be the first Swiss to Damien Brunner (2012) and Guido Lindemann (1982) Topskorer of the National League. Suter is a strong team player, prefer to "us" than of "I" and the upcoming weekend in the battle for the qualification victory against the EV train. But he can't hide the fact that it would mean the award of the best points hunter a lot.

From 9 to 29 goals

Two rounds still to play, with its 51 points, he has three ahead of his strike partner Garrett Roe and four on Berns Mark Arcobello. And be additional trump card: According to gates, he very clearly, in case of a tie after points, he would be so forward. He's become a scorer, his yield of 11 and 9 goals in the two previous seasons to the current 29, has increased, shows his versatility. "When I played with Pettersson, who is an excellent shooter, I was looking for the Pass. With Roe it's now Vice versa, since I have to spot the gaps and go inside so he can me playing it."

"The defenders have their Tricks to get a feel that you want to get a in front of the gate."

Otherwise, a calm, level-headed person who does not push himself to the fore, he does well on the ice this. With his 174 shots on goal, he is number 2 behind Arcobello (182), and none of them has shot nearly as often from the "Slot," as he (119 Times), from the competitive Zone immediately in front of the gate. Where corners must be in accordance with the Jargon bruises once. "Yes, I've already got some," says Suter with a grin. "The defenders have their Tricks to get a feel that you want to there get. On the upper arm, they meet with their cross-checks quite well."

But Suter has his Tricks. He is no longer with his 77 or 78 pounds ("I had long been on the scales") is not a muscleman, the wegdrängt the opponent in front of the gate. He beats them with Cunning and speed. "The defender can't Puck always and the players to keep an eye on," he says. "And if you're playing the Puck behind the goal, he needs to rotate. This makes it difficult for him to keep the Overview." Usually it is a fraction of a second. Suter dashes to the front, and the Puck is in the goal.

he is an all-rounder at a very high level, but not a Blender with a single ability, which would sting the eye, is a reason for its continuous development. He always had to look for solutions to to enforce. "If you're 14, 15 is a head taller than your opponent, you don't have to do certain things to succeed," he says. "You have to acquire you at a later date. I was challenged as a Junior always, especially since I played a Vintage higher. And if you're a professional, you need to set you again a whole different game."

Much as he has benefited from his two Junior years in Canada, in Guelph. After the first test game on a small field, when he was four balanced violently on the ice, he want to be on the next flight and the same again to return home. He thought of a Better one.

"How he reads the game is unbelievable!"

ZSC-Coach Rikard Grönborg finds, Suter might have a superior quality: "the way he reads the game is unbelievable! He is mentally always two steps ahead. You can teach hardly." In addition, the Swede very much appreciates that Suter is not a one-dimensional Skorer, but in all situations. "He also takes in the Boxplay responsibility, at 3 to 5 field players. And he expects this of himself. He feels responsible for the success of the team. Such a player I love."

And meanwhile, Suter can Shine even. His solo run in Overtime in Bern two weeks ago, when he was all of three-duped against other players and hit the goal of the season. "Yeah, so I had never fired," he says, slightly embarrassed smiling. If that is true self-confidence, success one of such things. Suter but Suter, if he would not attach the same, that the run-of-stressed System Grönborg very responsive. And that all was only possible thanks to good players.

Despite his NHL dream, he wants to gain weight, because otherwise his pace would suffer.

in Addition to his high Hockey IQ, the Speed is their best attribute. And he wants to maintain. Despite his NHL dream, he wants to gain any weight, only more powerful, but not massive, because otherwise his pace would suffer. The Zurich-based Thomas Roost, the scaling for the Central Scouting Bureau for the NHL players, the plausible. "Of course Suter is the NHL is a light-weight. But as the ice hockey has developed, there is now more space for lighter players. And who wants to gain mass, should not do that on a single stroke, but continuously."

Suter's contract with the ZSC Lions runs until 2023, but he has an opt out clause for the NHL. Roost is convinced that he will receive this summer a Chance. "He's being watched by several Clubs very well," the NHL Scout. "Every year there are Europeans in his old age, to be tried in the NHL. And it will help him, that the former Swiss Topskorer Dominik Kubalik has taken in Chicago. This shows that the National League that produces good players."

Detroit as an NHL Destination?

Where could Suter land so? In 2017, he visited the Camp in Ottawa, 2018, that the New York Islanders. Roost types, however on Detroit: "The Red Wings are rebuilding and have a Flair for it, to discover not so well-known players. In addition, the Detroit played in forward Robby Fabbri and Tyler Bertuzzi in canadian Junior hockey with Suter. A Franchise won't get a lot of opinions, they just listen to the Scout X or Y. If you assess the players you have played with someone who helps him. And Suter is a good guy with an excellent work ethic."

Maybe history repeats itself Yes. Damien Brunner, the last Swiss Topskorer, moved in the year after that, to Detroit, and presented themselves in due to the lockout shortened season excellent. After that, he opted for a move to New Jersey, which was probably a mistake. The Red Wings Suter would cross paths with Matthews, by the way again – the Toronto Maple Leafs play in the same Division.

icebreaker – Hockey Podcast by Tamedia

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Created: 27.02.2020, 20:07 PM