contents
Connor Hughes has received his first national squad for the home games as part of the Euro Hockey Tour in Freiburg. Not long ago, the Gottéron giant would never have expected it.
Connor Hughes is not nervous before his debut for the Swiss national team. “We have a strong team and can keep up with the other top European teams,” said the goalie before the Swiss Ice Hockey Games in Freiburg. Nevertheless, Hughes is also emotional when he joins the national team for the first time.
“It’s an honor to wear the Swiss cross on your chest. I’m really looking forward to this week,” said the 26-year-old goalkeeper from Fribourg-Gottéron, who currently has the best defensive rate in the National League.
National trainer Patrick Fischer describes his new protégé, who weighs over 100 kilos and is over 1.90 meters tall, as an emotional type. “When I informed him about the squad over the phone, he reacted very kindly,” says Fischer. It was noticed that he was close and that he was very happy. “Even now in training, he’s as happy as a little boy who is experiencing something new.”
Looked up to Canada’s players as a kid
As a young boy, Hughes never dreamed of playing in the Swiss national team. As well as: The Swiss-Canadian dual citizen only came to Switzerland in 2017, before that he knew little about local hockey and rather looked up to the Canadian national players.
Also at the beginning of this season, his 6th in Switzerland, he would not have expected a squad. “I just wanted to play as many games as possible for Gottéron,” says the 26-year-old.
But then regular goalie Reto Berra was injured, Hughes moved up – and has had a fantastic season so far. Even Fischer admits how surprised he was by this performance explosion. But the surprise didn’t last long, soon followed by the call-up to the national team.
Hughes says: “For me it’s doubly special that it’s a home tournament and still in Freiburg.” There he knows the ice, the fans, the city. The goalie is not nervous, but all the more excited.