[Editor’s Note: This interview was recorded before the weekend of March 1-3, which means that there is only one game left for Zürich and they are confirmed regular season champions.]
It has been a stellar first season for Vinzenz Rohrer in National League, the Swiss top division, and he has shown great toughness and skill in order to stay up with the Lions all through the season. Looking to the playoffs, what are his own expectations, that of the team and those of the fans?
“I think the team is feeling pretty good for the playoffs. I’m feeling really good about the playoffs too. Obviously, my first playoffs as a pro in the men’s league, it’s gonna be a hell of an experience for me that I’m really, really looking forward to, to the next step over there,” Rohrer takes a breath before continuing. “In Zurich, we got a huge fan base. It’s a big city, I think we didn’t win since 2018, and that’s a pretty long stretch here in Switzerland. I mean, the whole team has the same mindset. Only winning the title is enough. You obviously don’t want to put too much pressure on yourself, but that’s how everybody thinks in the locker room and that’s what we are playing for in the playoffs.”
In his first year as a professional hockey player, Rohrer had 18 (7G+11A) points in 48 games, but the transition into one of the world’s top leagues, and the team with one of the, if not the, biggest budgets in continental Europe has been seamless. What has been the biggest change for you as a hockey player?
“I would say what everybody mentions from North America to Europe was coming back to the big ice. On the other hand, it’s obviously different playing with men. It’s different being the youngest in the team again, to be the rookie and do all the rookie things,” Rohrer says before continuing deeper into the National League’s strengths. “I mean, in some way, it’s a different game, obviously because of the bigger ice. It’s such a good league here, especially the top teams. We got a lot of really good imports. A lot of really good Swiss guys. A lot of ex-NHLers. That’s obviously something you gotta adjust to, all the speed, all the good players. That’s a difference coming from a good junior league to one of the best leagues in the world here in Switzerland.”
“Obviously, when I signed with Zurich, it was not like I would have a fixed spot on the third line. I also don’t have it now. It’s never fixed, but it’s been really good. It wasn’t like that. I mean, obviously you come in and you have to work for your spot. [Especially] if you don’t perform or if they have the feeling, well, he doesn’t have confidence. I think it’s been really good that coach gave me so much trust throughout the season that helped me big time, obviously,” Rohrer pauses before continuing “I think that’s a pretty good thing, to stay up the whole time, be in one team, not always be kind of in between. I think was really, really important for me personally and also hockey-wise.”
Where does the Austrian forward think that he has developed most over the season?
“Probably is the physical aspect. I feel like in some way that was also the biggest step I took in some way with my strength coach, I think we have done a really good job so far. I think we’ve done a really good job and I would say that’s the biggest difference.”
It has been a work in progress and Rohrer has put the effort in, not only during the off season but throughout the season.
“I would say I feel from the beginning of the season to now to the physical part, not really putting on a lot of mass but explosiveness, all the little muscles, all the mobility, all the skating. I would say that’s been a pretty good step that we have taken this season.”
With 48 games played during the season, with the playoffs coming up does Rohrer feel fatigued given the big step he took this season?
“I mean, in two of the most important stats that we measure during practice, I had my PR [performance review] yesterday, that was pretty good. I would say I’m in really good shape so far. I’ve invested a lot in the gym throughout the season, so that I will be in good shape. Maybe sometimes it wasn’t the best shape for [games] on Friday or Saturday, but I kinda looked at it in the big picture. I’m feeling really good. It’s still not like I’m taking it too light in the gym. It is still two weeks to the playoffs and then we’ll obviously come down with all of that. But no, physically it’s not like it had worn me down or anything. I would say even in the opposite way – because I invested pretty much in the early in the season. I have the energy and it’s easier to maintain everything.”
Playoffs are coming up and more often than not there tend to be a comparison that Rohrer is a new Brendan Gallagher, what are his own thoughts on that comparison?
“I’ve heard that before. Obviously it’s such a big name where you’re like; ‘it’s an honor to be mentioned [in the same sentence] as that type of player. [With regards to] how successful of a career [he has had].'”
Vinzenz Rohrer understands the comparison though, and he can see the same parallels.
“I would say especially this season, one of my main attributes was to bring energy to bring grit, to skate a lot, to be that young guy that tries to be involved to be in the play, be back, be up and down. That’s obviously within kind of the same case, [as with Gallagher] and also that area around the net. It’s not too much now because I don’t play power play, but in Ottawa, I was two years in front of the net and I love the area in front of the net.”
With the Swiss Hockey Federation having the same kind of transfer deal as Sweden and Finland, and Rohrer having another year to go on his contract with Zürich, there isn’t a real option to send him to Laval Rocket for next season and develop in AHL. How does that come into play in his own mindset for next season?
“I mean, it’s something you don’t think about too much before the playoffs, obviously. I mean, obviously, my goal is the Montreal Canadiens, but for now it’s the Zurich Lions to win the championship. But if you see the big picture again, I want to take the next step obviously. There are many [factors] so I have to talk with Zurich, have to talk with Montreal, got to talk with my agent, got to talk with everyone that guides me and surrounds me. Tough to say, but obviously Montreal is the boss in some way.”
The 2024 World Championships will be in Prague and Ostrava, Rohrer has been part of the Austrian team in the small European friendly tournaments during season, what are his own thoughts on the World Championships?
“Obviously a World Championship is a huge experience at 19. I mean, that’s something I can’t really control if they put me on the team or not. I can only play as good as I can and then that’s how I can influence it. Again, that’s something I’m not thinking too much before the playoffs, but obviously that’s on my schedule after everything is done here in Zurich, you know…”
Rohrer leaves the rest of the thought in the air, but going to the World Championships is clearly an important goal for the youngster.
Is there a lot of talk with the others about the NHL, you have [Sven] Andrighetto, [Yannick] Weber, [Denis] Maglin, and others who have played in NHL?
“I mean, it was pretty funny the first time the team was together with all the imports and everything. We went on a trip to Barcelona. Then we were sitting at the table and Weber was sitting in front of me, and Andrighetto was sitting on the right of me and then we talked and obviously the NHL came as a question at some point. Then they asked me, because they didn’t know me well back then, ‘you’re drafted right?’ and I’m like third round to Montreal. And both said the same thing. ‘Oh, really? We were picked [by] Montreal in the third round too.’ There we were three of us that were picked from Montreal in the third round. That was a funny, funny coincidence.”
There is another Austrian player playing a few tram stops away from you in Kloten. Could you tell the Montreal Canadiens fans a little bit about David Reinbacher’s season?
“We mostly connect in doing like media stuff. We were on a podcast and then you meet somewhere together and then you start to talk and everything. I mean, we’re not talking too much about hockey too much or we [try not to talk] about hockey too much. His team Kloten is not doing the best, so he has a hard time.
“Obviously, if you’re in such a team, it’s always [tough]. The season is always longer than it is, I would say for instance, for us in the first place team. That’s something that is hard, but on the other hand, it is probably also good in some way because you can learn a lot. I mean, I’m not too big of a hockey watching guy. Obviously you see numbers and you see what other people say, you always hear that from people and you never know what’s right and what is true. As I’m not watching his game, so I couldn’t really tell you how it’s really going on.”
Listen to the full interview here:
