As Viaccoz, who is also a board member of the Swiss Ice Hockey Federation, told Le Matin, he wants to present his proposal to the National League by the end of September. His plan is to merge the National League B and the first league into one league with 20 to 24 teams that would be organized in two groups - a sort of Eastern and Western Conference.
A main reason for Viaccoz' new concept is the youth development: "Every year we have ten players per elite-junior team, who do not find a place in a NLB-team, but are too good for the first league," he explains. "If a sport does not provide its youth players with good perspectives one has to push the alarm button and find solutions."
However, Viaccoz' idea would have to be accepted by the National League and the various NLB-teams. The league assembly has to agree on a merging of the two leagues, which will most likely be a highly controversial topic.
