It was actually supposed to be just a transitional season. Even before the previous campaign, it was clear that Roger Rönnberg would become the new head coach of the Dragons. Shortly before the Spengler Cup, however, the club parted ways with then-head coach Patrick Emond and replaced him with Lars Leuenberger, who was originally set to join Gottéron this season as Rönnberg’s assistant. It was the start of a turbulent, yet highly successful period that began at the Spengler Cup in Davos – and is set to continue this year.

On December 22, Leuenberger took over as head coach of the struggling club. Just one day later, the Dragons earned a 2–1 away win against EV Zug. Christmas Eve was spent by players and staff with their families. On the morning of December 25, Gottéron – then sitting 11th in the standings – boarded the team bus in Fribourg bound for Davos, where they held their first training session under the new coach that same evening.

Leuenberger appealed to the DNA of Fribourg-Gottéron, to the tight-knit community where everyone fights for one another. He also introduced tactical adjustments, recalls the native of Niederuzwil in Eastern Switzerland. “I was convinced we had a good team and that the guys still knew how to play hockey.” His players were receptive. And the head coach liked what he saw from them at the Spengler Cup. “We played a brand of hockey that made it tough for opponents to score against us. On top of that, our well-known strength came through again: Fribourg is a team that likes to keep the puck on its stick. We want to create dominance in the offensive zone and maintain puck possession – not just shoot blindly at goal, but use our offensive time to our advantage. This strength has to go hand in hand with consistent discipline, across all lines and in every game.”

In their opening game of the traditional tournament on Boxing Day, the Fribourg side suffered a narrow 2–3 shootout defeat against Czech powerhouse Dynamo Pardubice. From there, however, Leuenberger’s team went on an impressive winning run. In the semifinal, Gottéron defeated host HC Davos 4–2 thanks to two goals scored in the final 252 seconds. In the final, the Dragons showed no mercy in a 7–2 victory over the exhausted Straubing Tigers – the Germans were playing their fifth game in five days, while Fribourg was contesting only its fourth in six.

With the Spengler Cup triumph, Gottéron secured the first title in the club’s history. For Lars Leuenberger, it was also a career highlight: “This tournament win means a lot to me personally as well. The Spengler Cup carries a huge, 100-year history. As a kid, I watched the live broadcasts on TV, and every now and then I was at the arena myself. Over the years, this traditional event – famous throughout the hockey world – became a cult experience for me. To now win it myself, especially in such a special situation with Fribourg-Gottéron, is and will remain unique for me.”

A Spark for a Strong Second Half of the Season
The days together in Davos proved extremely valuable for Fribourg-Gottéron’s team spirit. The sporting triumph boosted the players’ confidence even further. The Spengler Cup win became the ignition spark for a successful second half of the season: starting in January, Gottéron was the form team of the National League and finished the regular season in sixth place. In the playoff quarterfinals, the Dragons defeated third-seeded SC Bern in a hard-fought series. Their long season only ended in the semifinals – after a dramatic best-of-seven showdown that went the distance, with the decisive Game 7 lost to Lausanne.

Now, the Goal is to Defend the Title
Last summer, Gottéron cleverly strengthened its roster. With star signing Andrea Glauser from Lausanne, and young talents Attilio Biasca and Ludvig Johnson from Zug, the departures of Rafael Diaz, Dave Sutter, and Mauro Dufner were compensated in the best possible way.

Behind the bench, the club made the ultimate upgrade. Roger Rönnberg ranks among the giants of European coaching. He won a world championship with Sweden’s U20 squad and, during twelve years with Frölunda, celebrated two national titles and no fewer than four Champions Hockey League crowns. He is known as a strict teacher of tactics but, above all, he demands relentless high-tempo hockey.

This year, Lars Leuenberger will return to Davos in a different role during the last week of December – as Rönnberg’s assistant in charge of the offense. Unsurprisingly, he is hoping for as many goals as possible so that Fribourg-Gottéron can defend its title. And it is not meant to be the only piece of silverware the Dragons lift this season…

Source: Spengler Cup Online-Redaktion Team, with excerpts from the 2025 Yearbook, to be published at the end of November