Spengler Cup: What is goalie Connor Hughes doing with Canada in Davos?

Confusion surrounding Connor Hughes

What is our Nati goalie doing suddenly with the Canadians?

What a season for Connor Hughes! Regular player in Fribourg, debut in the Swiss national team. Now the Friborg goalkeeper is in Davos – and could play for Canada tonight. There is an unusual reason for this.

Team Canada training in Davos. Surprising: Gottéron goalie Connor Hughes is in the box. Strange for the 26-year-old, who only made his debut in the Swiss national team a few days ago at the home tournament in Fribourg. Last Friday evening, Friborg trainer and sports director Christian Dubé announced that Hughes (Ka/Sz) with dual citizenship would not travel to Davos. But everything changed over the weekend.

The reason: the luggage with the equipment of a called-up goalkeeper did not make it to Davos due to the winter storm in North America. For example, Shane Doan, Team Canada’s general manager, made a last-minute call on Friday night after Hughes’ game against Servette in Friborg and called him out to stand on the ice for Sunday’s first altitude practice session. Actually, this should only be a temporary solution until the missing goalie gear arrives.

But how long will Hughes, who has already had more appearances than expected this season due to the injury of first-choice goalkeeper Reto Berra, now stay? Because the Canadian goalkeeper is still waiting for the equipment. Team Canada officials declined to comment on the situation. And Hughes himself? He was muzzled by the Canadians before the start of the tournament.

Is he even allowed to do that?

The big question is: Can Hughes even change the national team just two weeks after wearing the Swiss national team? He can – but only because the Spengler Cup is not an official tournament of the IIHF. The dual citizen can therefore wear both the jersey of Canada and that of Switzerland in the same month.

“Team Canada asked us if Connor could help out at the Spengler Cup,” says Lars Weibel, Director Sport at Swiss Ice Hockey. “We’re happy to lend a hand,” says Weibel, “since the Spengler Cup isn’t an international match, we don’t see a problem here. Connor will continue to play for the Swiss national team.”

That’s why Hughes was signed up for Team Canada on Monday. It was originally envisaged that he would return to Friborg as soon as the two goalies Michael Hutchinson and Michael DiPietro, who had been called up from North America, were ready for action. As of this writing, however, it looks very likely that Hughes will be on the match sheet against Sparta Prague tonight. (NA)