My Personal Experience I never played pro, but even as a youth player in the EVZ organization, you could already feel something real — the kind of pressure and energy that mirrors what the pros deal with, at least at its roots. Winning is euphoric. There’s no better feeling. And winning consistently, whether it’s tournaments, championships, back-to-back titles - takes that euphoria to another level. But with it comes a psychological shift. You get more satisfied with yourself. Complacency creeps in. And most of all: you become the target. Win once? No big deal. But start winning consistently, and everyone circles your name on the schedule. You’re the measuring stick. Other teams build their entire mindset around beating you. And as a team, you need to be ready for that.
That’s not an easy ask, especially if your squad is full of younger players. As incredible as the OYM is for the EVZ (and yes, it’s absolutely world-class — anything else is just silly, honestly), there’s a fair question to ask: Are we relying too much on youth at a time when psychological resilience is just as crucial as physical readiness? I don’t have the answer. But it’s worth discussing.
The Difference Between a Dynasty and a Really Good Team
Let’s shift to the NFL. I’ve watched this play out over and over again.
A team finally gets the pieces right: talent peaking, minimal injuries, and the football gods on their side. They go on a run, win the Super Bowl, and bask in the glory. But then?
Their rising stars want to get paid and leave.
Everyone else studies film and figures out how to beat them.
The next season brings more injuries.
A few roster changes disrupt chemistry.
Or worse: they keep the roster intact, but satisfaction sets in. Outside distractions grow. Egos emerge. Players start freelancing. Sound familiar?
Just look at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers post-Super Bowl. That roster was stacked. They had no business missing out on another title run. But they did, and badly. (Yes, I watched that LAR game too.)
Now compare that with the New England Patriots.
For over two decades, they weren’t just good, they were consistently there. Playoffs. Contention. Another ring always within reach. Why?
A stable young core of elite coaching and leadership (Belichick + Brady).
A culture that attracted talent. Players were willing to take pay cuts just to be part of something great.
Bold management: better to cut a player a year early than a year late.
That’s what separates a good team from a true dynasty. And you could say the same about the Chicago Bulls in the ’90s — Jordan, Pippen, Jackson. But we’ll save that for another day.
So How Does This Translate to the EVZ?
For a while, things were perfect in Zug - finally.
After two decades without a championship, everything came together:
A dynamic coach.
A superstar goalie (Leonardo Genoni).
A clutch forward (Gregory Hofmann).
A core of high-performing players who bought into the system.
And it worked. Two championships in a row. Dominance. Professionalism. A team that finally lived up to the promise.
But then the clock started ticking.
Genoni is now 37. Hofmann is 32. The coaching staff changed. The head coach, once a driving force, didn’t have the same impact. Maybe satisfaction crept in. Maybe personal goals or distractions shifted the focus. That’s speculation, but not unreasonable.
Meanwhile, new players came in - mostly short-term signings. Guys who didn’t know the system, hadn’t built chemistry, and weren’t there to be around for the long run and develop. And yes, the budget also ballooned. Just last week, EVZ’s CEO admitted they’ve never spent more on incoming players. So they are paying more for players to come in, not less.
That’s rarely a good sign unless you’re a club like ZSC, with deep pockets and the ability to sign NHL-caliber talent year after year. For the EVZ, it just meant spending more to try to patch holes instead of building something sustainable.
Injuries to Genoni and Hofmann only accelerated the unraveling.
So now the coach is gone. An inexperienced interim steps in. And the club is asking what’s next.
So What Is Next?
Let’s be clear: this isn’t a one-year rebuild.
But it is fixable… if the right decisions are made now.
Zug needs to define its next young core and go all in on it:
A consistent and good coaching staff.
A star forward.
A top defender.
An elite goalie.
That’s the new spine. Once that’s in place, the rest will follow. You can complement the core with good players to build the team character the way you want. An all offense team, an all defense team, a balanced team focused on consistency…. your choice.
I don’t know if Michael Liniger is the right coach. Personally, I would’ve gone with experience. But I don’t know him, and that’s where you have to trust your CEO and head of sport. If they’re wrong, their seats should get uncomfortable.
Tough decisions will follow. That probably means letting go of aging stars and starting fresh.
But here’s the upside: Zug is perfectly positioned for this rebuild to actually succeed.
They have the OYM. They have the infrastructure. They have the youth system. They just need to find the right core of young up and coming star players to develop and a balance between youthful energy and veteran resilience - one that holds up when pressure peaks.
Will They Be Bold Enough?
Will they be bold and make the necessary changes? Where will the next core of super stars come from? I really hope they do make the right decision. I am a big EVZ fan and played for them until I was 15 after all. What do you think? Let me know in the comments.
