Report: Lian Bichsel Discusses the Tough Reality of Being Ineligible to Play for Switzerland in the 2026 Winter Olympics

Bichsel's ban from the Swiss national team will end after the 2026 IIHF World Championships

Hockey fans in North America are now very familiar with Lian Bichsel. The big Dallas Stars defenseman arrived in the NHL this past season, and it’s fair to say he was every bit the physical force and steady defensive presence fans, teammates, and coaches were hoping he would be.

However, fans also know that Bichsel’s fearless personality shows up off the ice just as often as it does on it. And as Sean Shapiro detailed in his great piece on Bichsel last year, that has extended to Bichsel’s decisions about where and when to play, or not play. That included a decision by Bichsel in late 2023 not to play for Switzerland in the following summer’s World Juniors, which resulted in Team Switzerland banning Bichsel from representing the national team until after the 2026 IIHF World Championships, which will take place next summer.

With NHL players slated to participate in the 2026 Winter Olympics in February, there were still some who wondered whether Team Switzerland might end up shortening Bichsel’s ban in order to add him to a national team that could have as few as three NHL defensemen.

However, in an interview with the Swiss newspaper Blick today, Bichsel confirmed that he is still not permitted to play for Switzerland, calling the decision “difficult to accept,” via Google Translate.

Thanks to Stars Thoughts reader Matt, who pointed me to this article. It’s an interesting interview (even through auto-translation), and I’d recommend checking out the whole piece. Bichsel talks about how Tyler Seguin has shared some stories from his own time playing in Switzerland, as well as how the Stars have trusted him to complete his summer workouts at home in Switzerland, rather than coming back to Dallas earlier.

But for today, let’s look at Bichsel’s answers to Blick’s questions about his ban from national team participation this year:

Q: What about the national team? How are you dealing with the ban?

It's difficult to accept. I'm proud to play for my country, which I've done many times in the past. I'll be delighted to be called up to the national team again in due course. As I've said before, Switzerland is my home, and it's been fantastic training here this summer.

-Lian Bichsel, via Blick (Google Translate)

To Bichsel’s credit, it doesn’t sound like he’s trying to pressure Team Switzerland for a different decision, though. Instead, he’s focused more on what is within his control (something many 21-year-olds like myself didn’t learn how to do for years afterward).

Q: Still... So you'll miss the Olympics and the World Championship in Switzerland. That's not insignificant.

Yes, but it's really what I've always felt: If I can't change something, I'll do it in a way that doesn't cost me energy. I was suspended by the federation, and until the penalty is lifted, I can't change anything. So I'm focusing on myself and nothing else. My tibia surgery (related to a fracture he sustained two years ago with the national team, ed.) and rehabilitation were very intensive. This allowed me to focus on preparing for a crucial season to achieve my goal: to establish myself as a regular starter in the NHL with the Dallas Stars.

-Lian Bichsel, via Blick (Google Translate)

That context on Bichsel’s recovery from his fractured tibia is important when discussing Bichsel’s decision not to go to World Juniors. But whatever his rationale, Team Switzerland decided to penalize him for not answering the call, and that means no Olympics for Bichsel, unless something very surprising happens in the very near future.

For some more context on his ban from Team Switzerland, here’s what Swiss head coach Patrick Fischer said a couple of days ago when confirming the ban would remain in place for the Olympics (again, via Google Translate):

Q: Will there be a pardon for Lian Bichsel?

No, and it's not my sole decision. We made this decision within the athletic leadership team and also involved the captain's team.

Q: But in his case, it was just a matter of being rejected for the U20 national team, and now he's become an NHL professional.

These rules also apply to the junior national teams. When the national team calls, you follow that call-up. It sends an important signal to the next generation of players. Without the national team, many players wouldn't be where they are today. We don't tolerate cherry-pickers who only accept a call-up when it suits them and a special event like the Olympic Games or a World Cup is coming up.

-Patrick Fischer, via watson.ch (Google Translate)

Fischer talks more in that article about what Team Switzerland has done in the past decade or so to build more buy-in when it comes to national tournaments. It sounds very much like holding the line on stiff penalties like this for players who don’t answer the call to play for Switzerland is something that they see as ultimately in their best long-term interests. If you trust Google Translate (or if you speak more languages than I do), then I’d also recommend checking out the interview with Fischer.

As Bichsel himself says, he takes a lot of pride in representing his country. But with Team Switzerland sticking to their original decision, Bichsel looks like he’ll have to wait one more year before getting the chance to do so.

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Two years ago, Bichsel exercised his European assignment clause in December 2023, leaving the AHL mid-year to play in Sweden for Rögle BK in the SHL, including a surprisingly deep 15-game playoff run, after which he returned to Texas in April to join the Texas Stars’ own playoff run.

And as Sean reported at the time, Bichsel nearly played in a third playoff series that spring—for Dallas, when Chris Tanev was questionable to start against Edmonton with a lower-body injury.

At the time, Bichsel’s decision to exercise the European assignment clause in his contract was a surprising move from a sport where most players working their way up through the minors prioritize not making waves over almost anything else. But given Bichsel’s personality and history, maybe we shouldn’t have been shocked. As many opposing players have found out to their detriment, Bichsel has no problem with going against the grain.