“It has become more intense in the last few days and it has also become clear that we will be playing in the A World Cup. We are very happy about the opportunity, although the circumstances are very unfortunate,” said sporting director Herren and head coach Roger Bader refers to the Ukraine crisis, a backdrop to the boycotts of Russia and Belarus. The route to the A World Cup is clear, with Bader setting out the plan: “We want to show and prove that we are in group A.”
From a sporting point of view, the OEHV team actually qualified for the World Championship in Division 1A (B-WM) in Ljubljana in early May. The Austrians will now replace Belarus and will meet hosts Finland, USA, Czech Republic, Sweden, Latvia, Norway and Great Britain in the group stage in Tampere. As an alternative to Russia, France will have to deal with Canada, Slovakia, Denmark, Kazakhstan, Switzerland, Germany and Italy in Helsinki.
two weeks more preparation
World Cup preparations have been extended by two weeks to prepare for this intense tournament. “A-WM is in many ways a completely different dimension than B-WM. In Slovenia we would have played five matches in seven days, in the A World Cup we would have seven matches in ten to twelve days. And that’s all. Kind of on a different level. The tension is huge,” Bader explains.
Apart from A-WM, more doors have opened for Austria. In addition to the friendly matches against the Czech Republic (April 6 and 8), Poland (April 14 and 16) and Italy (April 24 and 25), which have already been decided, Austria was named as a substitute for Russia in four. was chosen. Nations tournament with Sweden, Finland and the Czech Republic in Ostrava (28 April to 1 May). “It’s sensational. You don’t get an opportunity like that otherwise,” enthused head coach Bader. The last week of preparation will take place in Schwenningen (Germany), where the German team will meet on 9 May. We will go to Finland on 10th May.
Rossi and Raffaeli hope
The team owner also expects support from American legends Michael Raffle and Marco Rossi in the title fight. “The later a World Cup happens, the more likely players committed to North America are to be involved,” Bader said, but put it in perspective in the same breath: “If Michael Raffle plays the play-off with Dallas Makes stars, that won’t be an issue. If he doesn’t make it to the play-offs, it probably depends on whether he has a new contract.”
Marco Rossi is not currently in a playoff spot in the AHL. “The Minnesota Wild could drag him to the NHL playoffs though. I would consult with the Minnesota general manager whether playing for Austria in a World Cup might not bode well for his development,” Bader said.
