Established in 1934, it took the Kloten Flyers until 1962 to finally reach the Swiss Nationalliga A, but they've remained there ever since. The clubs heyday was the early '90s, when they won four consecutive national titles from 1993 to 1996.

by Andreas Reiner

If your looking for the club with the longest ongoing run in the Swiss Nationalliga A (NLA) you've found the right place. Since advancing to the NLA in 1962, the Flyers have remained in the highest league. Kloten is situated just outside of Zurich, near the international airport, and is how the team took its current name "Flyers" in 1997, when the club decided to changed it from simply EHC Kloten. That same year the club's home arena, Kunsteisbahn Schluefweg, which as open to the elements at one end, was completely rebuilt and renamed Kolping Arena, named after a local health insurance company.

Golden '90s

After winning their first title in 1967, the Flyers went the next 26 years without winning a championship, though they appeared in the final series three times. Finally, in 1993, they won the first of four national titles in a row -- a record for the playoff era that still stands.

Swedish Coach Conny Evensson was at the helm for the first two championships, forming a core around then-captain and now head coach Felix "Fige" Hollenstein together with Roman Wäger, Marco Klöti, Peter Schlagenhauf, Mikael Johansson, Anders Eldebrink and goalie Reto Pavoni. For the following two years, Alpo Suhonen was hired from Jokerit Helsinki, where he had just won the Finnish championship and continued his successful career as head coach, keeping the Nordic influence in Kloten's game.

Youth movement

The Flyers are well-known for their junior program, which has produced 19 national titles since the introduction of the U20 league in 1959. Many of the juniors are acquired through partner programs with local clubs in the region. This also guarantees that the best juniors of every year get a chance to compete for roster spots on the NLA team.

With the signing of Russian head coach Vladimir Yursinov, the Flyers went a different direction in 1998. The Russian was well known to integrate young players, for which he got a lot of credit, but he wasn't able to create a championship team. Instead, the Flyers found themselves in the relegation round in 2003 but sucessfully remained in the NLA.

For the start of the next season, Anders Eldebrink as head coach and Felix Hollenstein as assistant returned to the club to a position among the league's elite and remained the coaching duo for the next seven seasons. During their tenure Kloten reached the final in 2009 and 2011 but couldn't bring back the Cup.

The almost crash-landing

In 2012, club was struggling with financial problems. With the Board and management conceiling important information from the public, the situation climaxed in April when the Flyers were unable to pay the players' salaries. Within days a task force was created to save the hockey club. Fan clubs in and around Kloten started donating, collecting money for the insolvent club. At a point when it seemed there was nothing left to save, Philip Gaydoul, the Swiss Ice Hockey Federation's (SIHF) president, stepped up as majority stakeholder, but at the same time had to resign from the position as president due to the conflict of interest between the SIHF and the Flyers. As a direct consequence, the players' salaries were reduced, which also led to several players leaving the now-saved Kloten Flyers.

From a performance standpoint, the team found itself in the relegation round for the second time since 2003 but won their first play-out series to remain in the NLA.

From flop to top

We fast-forward a little less than year. Coach Hollenstein had been reinstated after being fired in 2012, Peter Mueller and Tommi Santala found themselves in the top 10 scoring list and the Flyers finished the regular season in third place. It was an unexpected resurrection. By the end of the playoffs, Kloten would face local rival ZSC Lions Zurich in the final but fell short 4-0.

Players from the past and now

Just like many other hockey clubs around the world, Kloten also honours its past players who achieved memorable performances. The numbers of Swiss players Marco Klöti (#4), Peter Schlagenhauf (#7), Reto Pavoni (#20), Roman Wäger (#21), Felix Hollenstein (#24), Mikael Johansson (#26), Anders Eldebrink (#32) have been retired and won't be given to any player in the future.

During two NHL lockouts, players like Olli Jokinen, Marko Kiprusoff and Brooks Laich found their way to Kloten. Kent Nilsson, the Swedish star from the '70s and '80s, played in Kloten for three seasons in the early '90s, late in his career.

Outlook and near future

With finances balanced, goaltender Martin Gerber re-signed and hometown boy Denis Hollenstein returning, and season ticket sales with a good start, the 2014-15 season looks promising. It will definitely be more intense. The SIHF has reintroduced the League Cup, which brings more games for all NLA and NLB teams and, of course, the re-established Champions Hockey League, where Kloten finds itself in Group I with Red Bull Salzburg, JYP Jyväskylä and HV71 Jönköping.

Kloten fans will be able to experience some top European teams visiting Kolping Arena and maybe even follow the Flyers abroad to some of their away games. For the players, this also means gaining important experience against teams that play different styles and maybe also a welcome distraction from the sometimes repetitive daily routine of the NLA.

Team facts

2013-14 individual leaders

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