Color of Hockey: Devils' Siegenthaler celebrates Swiss, Thai roots

William Douglas has been writing The Color of Hockey blog since 2012. Douglas joined NHL.com in 2019 and writes about people of color in the sport. Today, he profiles New Jersey Devils defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler, who will represent Switzerland at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 in February and hosted a youth hockey camp in Thailand last year.

Jonas Siegenthaler said he'll be proud to play for Switzerland at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. He also hopes his participation in the tournament will inspire young hockey players in Thailand, a country he calls a second home.

Siegenthaler, the son of a Thai mother and Swiss father, hosted a youth hockey camp in Chiang Mai, Thailand, the nation's second-largest city, attracting nearly 100 players in June 2024.

“It's really special to show the kids what you can achieve,” said the New Jersey Devils defenseman, who is believed to be the NHL’s first player of Thai descent. “I think because I did the camp, they're probably going to follow me at the Olympics as well.

“You never know, maybe in 20 years Thailand is going to be taking part in the Olympics as well. That’s kind of my goal.”

Hockey is growing in Thailand, which has a population of 71.6 million. It has been a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation since 1989 and has eight indoor rinks, 538 junior players, 104 female players and 90 senior male players, according to IIHF figures. Bangkok, the nation’s capital, is set to host the Southeast Asian Games, which includes men’s and women’s ice hockey, in December.

Siegenthaler said he has dreamed of playing in the Olympics ever since he was a child growing up in Zurich. Now the 28-year-old is on the cusp of achieving that dream after he was one of six NHL players named to Team Switzerland’s preliminary roster on June 16. He joins Devils forwards Nico Hischier and Timo Meier; Los Angeles Kings forward Kevin Fiala, Winnipeg Jets forward Nino Niederreiter and Nashville Predators defenseman Roman Josi.

“Jonas obviously for us is a big defensive coordinator,” Switzerland coach Patrick Fischer said. “Defensively, he plays big minutes, plays a lot of D-zone starts, face-offs, PK and is kind of the counterpart of Roman Josi, who is obviously a little bit more the motor for us offensively from the back part. Jonas brings just a calmness, experience into our defensive game, and his personality reflects that, too.”

An alternate captain for the Swiss team that won the silver medal at the 2025 IIHF World Championship, Siegenthaler has played in five Worlds and three IIHF World Junior Championships since 2015. He has one assist in seven games for New Jersey this season. Limited to 55 regular-season games last season because of injuries, he had nine points (two goals, seven assists) but still finished fourth on the team in blocked shots with 92. He has 67 points (10 goals, 57 assists) in 374 NHL games with the Washington Capitals and Devils and three points (one goal, two assists) in 25 Stanley Cup Playoff games.

Siegenthaler said he’s looking forward to the Olympics, especially playing alongside Hischier and Meier. But his excitement is also mixed with a sense of purpose; he said it won’t be enough for Switzerland just to show up in Milano Cortina.

“We're not just happy to be here, we’re playing for something,” he said. “If you look at the Olympics, in 2006, and compare it to Switzerland now, I think it's almost like two different worlds.”

It was nearly 20 years ago that Switzerland, then a country of 7.4 million people, shocked the hockey world when it defeated Canada 2-0 in the preliminary round at the 2006 Torino Olympics.

Martin Gerber’s 49 saves and former NHL forward Paul Di Pietro’s two goals stunned a Canadian team that included future Hockey Hall of Famers Rob Blake, Martin Brodeur, Jarome Iginla, Roberto Luongo, Chris Pronger and Joe Sakic.

“One of those nights where the stars are lined up and we need a hot goaltender, and somehow in hockey that can happen,” said Fischer, who was a forward on the 2006 Swiss team and later played 27 games as a forward with the Phoenix Coyotes in 2006-07. “But I think those days are over. We don’t need an unbelievable goaltender and every bounce to go our way. We can compete with Canada every day if we deliver a strong, consistent performance like they do.”

Switzerland has since become a consistently formidable opponent; it has won silver medals at four IIHF World Championships (2025, 2024, 2018, 2013) and played the United States to a scoreless tie in the 2025 title game on May 25 until Buffalo Sabres forward Tage Thompson scored in overtime. The Swiss defeated Canada 3-2 in a shootout in the 2024 semifinals of the tournament.

“We’ve brought up some pretty good players, Swiss players,” Siegenthaler said. “I mean, if you compare us to Canada, we're still small (in country size) Switzerland, but think we can keep up with them as well.”

Siegenthaler said he plans on hosting another hockey camp in Thailand next summer and hopes to have some Olympic hardware to show to attendees.

“If we win an Olympic medal, I think I’ll definitely bring it,” he said.