SC Bern

Lore & Background

SC Bern's ice hockey section officially began play on 1 January 1931. The team regularly fills the PostFinance Arena, one of the largest ice hockey stadiums in Europe. In 2006, they set a European club record for average attendance with 15,994 over 22 home games. The club has won the Swiss Championship thirteen times, with the most famous victory coming in 1989 over HC Lugano. During the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Daniel Brière, Dany Heatley, J. P. Dumont, Marc Savard, Henrik Tallinder, and Chris Clark played for SC Bern, though league rules allow only four non-Swiss players per game. After a disappointing 2006 playoffs, the club replaced head coach Alpo Suhonen with John Van Boxmeer and general manager Roberto Triulzi with Sven Leuenberger, a former defenceman who played 13 seasons with the club and had his number 16 retired. On 30 September 2008, SC Bern faced the NHL's New York Rangers in an exhibition celebrating 100 years of Swiss hockey; the Rangers won 8–1. During the 2012 NHL lockout, Roman Josi, Mark Streit, and John Tavares played for SC Bern, with Tavares becoming the PostFinance Top Scorer (42 points in 28 games). Guy Boucher coached the team in 2013–14, later replaced by Lars Leuenberger (who won the 2016 championship), then Kari Jalonen (who won the 2017 title). On 1 October 2018, SC Bern played a friendly against the New Jersey Devils, featuring former player Nico Hischier, the first Swiss drafted first overall in an NHL entry draft. Jalonen was relieved on 28 January 2020 after poor results, replaced by Hans Kossmann.

Reader's Guide

SC Bern's significance lies in its sustained fan support and championship pedigree. As the most-attended European club for 18 consecutive seasons through 2018–19, the team demonstrates exceptional local engagement, regularly filling the large PostFinance Arena. The club's 16 NL championships (most recently 2019) and three Swiss Cup titles underscore its dominance in Swiss hockey. Its history includes notable NHL lockout players (2004–05 and 2012) and exhibition games against the New York Rangers (2008) and New Jersey Devils (2018), the latter featuring Swiss first-overall draft pick Nico Hischier. The club's coaching carousel—from Alpo Suhonen to John Van Boxmeer, Guy Boucher, Lars Leuenberger, Kari Jalonen, and Hans Kossmann—reflects a high-performance environment. Retired numbers, including Sven Leuenberger's #16 and Ivo Rüthemann's #32, honor long-serving players. The team's traditional rivals—HC Fribourg-Gottéron, EHC Biel, and SCL Tigers—add regional intensity. SC Bern's legacy is built on consistent attendance records, multiple titles, and a willingness to host top NHL talent during lockouts.

Did You Know?

• SC Bern has been the most attended ice hockey team in Europe for 18 consecutive years as of the 2018–19 season.
• During the 2012 NHL lockout, John Tavares led the team in scoring with 42 points in 28 games.
• The club's most famous championship victory came in 1989 over HC Lugano.
• Sven Leuenberger, whose number 16 is retired, played 13 seasons for SC Bern and later served as general manager.