Since the last meeting of the past season, our Lions have been able to take advantage of 99 days to recover from their emotions and prepare for exercise 2025-26. After a resumption of collective training on July 21, the team quickly regained its pace, chaining ice and physical work sessions to approach the new season in the best way.
As part of their pre-season preparation, our players will play a first match this Friday, August 15 against the HC Friborg Gottéron at 7 p.m. at the Vallée de Joux sports center to participate in the 2025 edition of Hockeyed.
Arrivals at the Lausanne Hockey Club
The bench of our Lions was strengthened during the summer break with the arrival of many players in all positions. Among the guards, Connor Hughes Return to Lausanne, after an experience of a year in the Montreal Canadiens franchise, making it possible to reform a duo with Kevin Pasche In front of the club cages.
Among the defenders, Nika himself et Erik Brännström will ensure the contingent of foreigners in the Lions. The first has arrived since EHC Kloten after a first season in National League National League (30 points registered), while the second (15th in the 2017 Draft NHL) left the NHL after 7 seasons played with the Ottawa senators as well as the Vancouver Canucks. On the Swiss side, Iñaki Bargangano Go back to his training club after playing 4 seasons with the Rapperswil Jona-Lakers (171 games). After having lived a fruitful year in LHJMQ with the Oceanic of Rimouski, Basile Sansonns will live its first season with professionals. The same for Gael Asa Who, after having played 13 games under the colors of the LHC the previous year, will start the new exercise with the first team.
On the offensive side, the Lausanne supporters are pleased to find an alumnus of the house for this next season, Flora douay. With an imposing template (190cm for 98kg), the arrival of French in the Vaud staff will improve the overall physical magnitude of the team. The LHC will also be able to count on a player who has tasted victory many times during his young career, Yannick Zehnder. 4x Swiss champion over the past 5 years, the from Zug will be able to bring his experience to his team. In the contingent of foreigners, two new arrivals also strengthen the club: the American Austin Czarnik as well as the Canadian Drake Caggiula. With more than 200 games played in NHL, the first made the heyday of SC Bern during the 2024-25 season, ending Postfinance Top Scorer with 56 points registered in 49 games. The second discovers for the first time in his career a European league after 9 seasons in the great American league (92 points in 289 games).
The changes have also impacted the constitution of the quartet of main coaches. While Geoff Ward as well as Cristobal has are still in the Lausanne Staff coaching, Rob Cookson (formerly in the ZSC Lions) and Cory Emmerton come to bring their respective experience in the Vaudois locker room.
