A few weeks before the beginning of the championship, Lausanne HC has signed a high-caliber Swiss reinforcement from North America in the person of Damien Riat. "I'm coming to Lausanne because Petr Svoboda and John Fust showed a lot of interest in me very quickly and because all the conditions are here to make this an exciting opportunity" explains the 25-year-old forward.
John Fust, head coach of the Lions, describes Riat as a complete player who fits perfectly with their system of play: "he is a winger with the profile we were looking for, and his talent adds a new dimension to our team. I coached him in the national team and I know how capable he is of putting pressure on the attack while always being at the service of the team and working in both sides of the rink."
Last season, Riat played 20 games for Genève-Servette HC (18 points) on loan from the Washington Capitals while waiting to join their AHL affiliate, the Hershey Bears (AHL) for which he suited up 33 times, recording nine points.
