Former Red Wings Player Finalist For Swiss League MVP

What a difference a year makes in the hockey fortunes of former Detroit Red Wings forward Austin Czarnik.

During the 2023-24 NHL season with the Red Wings, Czarnik would account for one assist throughout 34 games.

Last season, while playing for SC Bern, Czarnik produced 20 goals and 36 assists in 49 games. That was a good enough output to land him the Swiss National League scoring title.

It’s also placing him as one of three finalists for the league’s MVP award.

“Nothing compares to the NHL, but this league is definitely fast,” Czarnik told DHN’s Max Smith in an exclusive interview. “It’s a really fast league and some of these guys… Every team has guys that could be in the NHL.”

Czarnik will be back in Switzerland next season, only he’ll be playing for Lausanne.

✨ 𝐒𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐬 𝐈𝐜𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐲 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 – 𝐍𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐬 𝐌𝐕𝐏 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐫 𝐒𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐠𝐮𝐞 ✨

🏒 Sven Andrighetto | @zsclions
🏒 Austin Czarnik | SC Bern
🏒 Stéphane Charlin | SCL Tigers

ℹ️: https://t.co/QL0vbwTQAN #SIHF pic.twitter.com/ZXLZqD6nFU

— Swiss Ice Hockey (@SwissIceHockey) July 27, 2025

After years of long road trips and enduring bus rides across North America, an element former Grand Rapids Griffin Czarnik found most appealing about the European game was the shortness of travel excursions for away games.

“That was probably the biggest draw for me to come here,” Czarnik said. “Because every single night, I’m able to be in my bed here, and I get to be with my kids every single day.

“When everything is good at home, it helps you to be able to perform at the level that you want to perform at. Whenever I feel like you’re with your family, you know that things are going well and you’re there to support them every day, and that’s something I really wanted to do for my wife.”

Former Red Wings Player Lone North American Finalist

While two of the three finalists for Swiss National League MVP are former NHL players, Czarnik is the only nominee who isn’t from Switzerland.

Ex-Montreal Canadiens and Colorado Avalanche forward Sven Andrighetto of Zurich SC is nominated. He helped his club win the Swiss National League title for the second year in a row, scoring 20 goals.

Austin Czarnik lights the lamp first in #GRvsRFD. @griffinshockey | #CalderCup pic.twitter.com/u8QQGjkHHU

— American Hockey League (@TheAHL) May 1, 2024

SCL Tigers goalie Stephane Charlin is the third finalist. He led the league with a 1.80 goals-against average and .946 save percentage.

The league will be announcing the winner on Thursday.