SC Rapperswil-Jona Lakers
Swiss ice hockey club with a history of survival and revival.
The SC Rapperswil-Jona Lakers are a professional ice hockey team from Rapperswil, Switzerland. They play in the National League (NL), the country’s top division. Founded in 1945, the club originally went by SC Rapperswil-Jona, changed its name to Rapperswil-Jona Lakers in 2005, and then became SC Rapperswil-Jona Lakers in 2015. Home games are held at the St. Galler Kantonalbank Arena. During the 1994 NHL lockout, veteran Doug Gilmour played for the team. From the 2007–08 season onward, the Lakers avoided relegation each year until 2014–15, when they were swept by the SCL Tigers in the promotion/relegation round and dropped to the Swiss League for the 2015–16 season. In 2017–18, they won the Swiss Cup, the Swiss League Championship against EHC Olten, and the promotion round against EHC Kloten, returning to the National League after three years in the minor leagues. The club has two Swiss League Championship titles (1994 and 2018) and one Swiss Cup Championship (2018).
Quick Facts
- Text Color
- #000000
- Team
- SC Rapperswil-Jona Lakers
- City
- Rapperswil, Switzerland
- League
- National League
- Founded
- 1945
- Arena
- St. Galler Kantonalbank Arena
- Coach
- Johan Lundskog
- Gm
- Claudio Cadonau
- Captain
- Jacob Larsson
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The Lakers were founded in 1945 and were known as SC Rapperswil-Jona until 2005, when the club changed its name to Rapperswil-Jona Lakers and then again changed their name to SC Rapperswil-Jona Lakers in 2015. They play their home games at St. Galler Kantonalbank Arena. NHL veteran Doug Gilmour skated for the Lakers during the NHL lockout-shortened season in 1994.
The Lakers had survived relegation in every NLA season since last making the playoffs in 2007–08 until the 2014–15 season, when they were swept by the SCL Tigers in the promotion/relegation round. They returned to the Swiss League for the 2015–16 season. In the 2017–18 season, the Lakers claimed the Swiss Cup, while also finishing victorious in the Swiss League Championship against EHC Olten and the promotion round against EHC Kloten marking their return to the National League after three years in the minor leagues.
Reader's Guide
The SC Rapperswil-Jona Lakers' significance lies in their resilience and ability to bounce back from relegation. The article notes that they survived relegation in every NLA season from their last playoff appearance in 2007–08 until the 2014–15 season, when they were finally swept by the SCL Tigers and demoted to the Swiss League. Their legacy is defined by their triumphant return to the National League in the 2017–18 season, during which they also won the Swiss Cup and the Swiss League Championship. This three-year absence from the top tier and subsequent comeback underscores the club's competitive spirit. The presence of NHL veteran Doug Gilmour during the 1994 lockout adds a notable historical footnote. The club's multiple name changes—from SC Rapperswil-Jona to Rapperswil-Jona Lakers in 2005, and back to SC Rapperswil-Jona Lakers in 2015—reflect an evolving identity. Overall, the Lakers are a club that has experienced both the threat of relegation and the triumph of promotion, making them a notable entity in Swiss hockey.
Did You Know?
- The club was founded in 1945.
- NHL veteran Doug Gilmour played for the Lakers during the 1994 NHL lockout-shortened season.
- The Lakers won the Swiss Cup and the Swiss League Championship in the 2017–18 season.
- They returned to the National League in 2018 after three years in the minor leagues.
More in KHL and European Hockey Clubs, Part 3 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced