With a 60-year gap between its 2013 silver and Switzerland's previous World Championship medal, collecting hardware in Stockholm was a new experience for everybody. Now, five years later, a select band has a unique opportunity to collect a second medal here in Denmark. Let's take a look at the mighty handful ...

Reto Berra (goalie)
2013 – 4 games, GAA 1.00, SVG 96.72%
2018 – 3 games, GAA 2.03, SVG 91.76%

Sean Simpson’s team in 2013 was unusual in that it rotated its goalies throughout the tournament. Berra had to share duties with Martin Gerber throughout, but he still had a profound impact on the tournament, not least in the semi-final when his 29 saves secured a shut-out win over the USA. Berra won all four of the games he started in Stockholm but Gerber got the nod for the final.

In 2018, Berra has shared the goaltending duties with Leonardo Genoni. He enjoyed a shut-out win against Slovakia and a 5-2 success against Belarus, as well as featuring in the 3-4 loss against Russia.

Roman Josi (defence)
2013 – 10 games, 4 goals, 5 assists. Tournament MVP
2018 – 3 games, 1 assist

2013 was Josi’s breakout year. An impressive season in the NHL with Nashville was followed by a historic World Championship display. Switzerland’s scoring leader, and the highest goalscorer among the D-men at the tournament, he was the first ever Swiss player to win an MVP award. It was the year the 24-year-old turned potential into results.
 

This time, arriving in Denmark after a gruelling playoff campaign with Nashville, Josi and clubmate Timo Meier gave the team a lift that saw it take fourth place in Group A. Then came the triumph against Finland.

Raphael Diaz (defence)
2013 – 4 games, 1 assist
2018 – 8 games, 1 goal, 4 assists, team captain

In 2013, Diaz arrived late to the party after play-off commitments with the Canadiens. He added extra depth to the defence, helping to steer the team through the knock-out phase.

In 2018, as team captain, Diaz has been a lynchpin for his country. Five points from the blue line represent a measurable contribution, but there’s also his vast experience as one of the oldest players on a youthful roster. He and Josi are leading the way in ice time and a roster well seasoned with NHL talent looks to the Zug defenceman as a natural leader.

Nino Niederreiter (forward)
2013 – 10 games, 5 goals, 3 assists
2018 – 8 games, 3 goals, 5 assists

Niederrieter’s pace has long been a key weapon in Switzerland’s offensive arsenal, and it’s something of a shock to realise that he’s still only 25. Like so many of his colleagues in Sweden, 2013 was a breakthrough campaign and the opening goal in the semi-final against the Americans was a big highlight. Since then, he’s been a fixture for the Wild, represented his country at the 204 Olympics and cemented himself as a leader in the current Swiss roster.

Head coach Fischer rates the forward highly, on and off the ice. “Nino is only 25 but we have a  young group and he knows that, so he’s taking charge,” Fischer said. “He loves the responsibility and he’s always been a guy who finds the way.” In this tournament so far, he’s found his wait to a point-a-game return, sharing the lead in Swiss scoring with Enzo Corvi.

Simon Moser (forward)
2013 – 10 games, 3 goals, 2 assists
2018 – 8 games, 2 goals, 2 assists

Moser’s 2013 campaign earned him a move to Nashville where he joined Josi in the Predators organisation. Things didn’t go quite as planned, despite an Olympic call-up for Sochi, and a respectable stint in the AHL ended when he returned to Switzerland. Injuries slowed Moser’s progress but he’s been back to his best in the last seasons and his three-point haul in PyeongChang was one of the Swiss successes in Korea.

In Denmark, his biggest moment so far came in Thursday’s quarter-final when he beat his man in a one-on-one and fired in a shot that Harri Sateri could only kick to Gregory Hofmann for what proved to be the winning goal.