Due to HC Ajoie being promoted after winning the Swiss League title and not having any team relegated, the National League will consist of 13 teams next season. 52 games will be played and the regional groups will be adjusted, as Watson's Klaus Zaugg writes.
Despite being in Switzerland's Northwest, Ajoie will join the Eastern group. This is due to the planning of the schedule, which had to be started before a Swiss League champion was crowned. Putting the 13th team into the Eastern group apparently was the easiest way of handling this.
Two groups will consist of five teams, the third of only three teams. The teams in the bigger groups will face each other one extra time, the one in the small group two extra times. Together with the four games against every opponent, this will result in 52 games for each team.
East: HC Davos, SC Rapperswil-Jona Lakers, ZSC Lions, SCL Tigers, HC Ajoie
West: Genève-Servette HC, Lausanne HC, HC Fribourg-Gottéron, EHC Biel, SC Bern
South: HC Lugano, HC Ambrì-Piotta, EV Zug
