Ice hockey in Switzerland is one of the most popular team sports in the country rivaling football in terms of attendances and TV ratings.

In 1922, the Ice Hockey European Championships was hosted in St. Moritz and, two years later, Davos held the first Spengler Cup.

The EHC Kloten Specials were named the first Swiss Champions in women's ice hockey after winning the inaugural season of the league in 1986–87.

As ice hockey grew in popularity among young women throughout the nation, a second-tier league called the Leistungsklasse B (LKB), was formed in 1988.

The men’s national team boasts a respected twenty Olympic appearances, including bronze medal finishes in 1928 and 1948.

The Swiss women's national team boasts a bronze medal from each major international tournament.

Switzerland has produced several global iconic hockey talents that have made it to the NHL level.

Although mostly relegated to backup duties for most of his career he was a member of the Stanley Cup winning Avalanche in the 2001 finals.

This was a major milestone for hockey in Switzerland as Streit was the first Swiss player to be named the captain of an NHL franchise.

[23] Meier is among the emerging young group of highly touted Swiss to enter the NHL in recent years.

[24] After being a major success playing in the QMJHL for Halifax, Hischier was considered a top prospect in his draft class and was ranked number two out of North American Skaters.

Some of these include Martin Gerber, Raphael Diaz, Yannick Weber, Luca Sbisa, Reto Berra, Sven Andrighetto, Kevin Fiala, Denis Malgin, Sven Bärtschi, Gaëtan Haas, Dean Kukan, Joel Vermin, Christoph Bertschy, Mirco Müller, Gilles Senn, Calvin Thürkauf and Jonas Siegenthaler.