The Austrians, who actually only qualified for the World Cup in Division 1A (B-WM), will meet hosts Finland, the USA, the Czech Republic, Sweden, Latvia, Norway and Great Britain in Tampere as a substitute team for Belarus. Top-class opponents, therefore, several training camps are planned up to the World Cup. Head coach Roger Bader once invited 22 players for Linz. They get the chance to prove themselves in the friendlies against the Czech Republic on April 6th away and in Linz on April 8th.
“As usual, we talk about rolling planning in preparation for the World Cup. Many players at home and abroad are still in the play-offs and therefore not available. In the past few years, the players have always taken their chances from the first few weeks, developed and recommended them for further tasks,” said Bader in an ÖEHV broadcast, adding: “One or the other could surprise and have it in the World Cup squad done. Every single player has a chance of winning the A World Cup.”
“Use time optimally”
The majority of the players for the tests against the Czech Republic are provided by the teams from Innsbruck, Graz, Dornbirn and KAC, which was eliminated in the quarter-finals of the ICE Hockey League. There are four ice training sessions before the first match. “That’s very little. It is all the more important to use this time optimally. Speed and intensity will be the focus in the next few weeks,” said Bader.
The top nation of the Czech Republic will show what the team can expect at the World Cup. “I see it very positively that we are playing against such a world-class team at the beginning of the pre-season. This allows us to see where we need to be in the next five to six weeks.” The result doesn’t matter, but the development. Depending on the course of the play-offs in the domestic and international leagues, further players will be nominated for the team camp.
Young followers can prove themselves
Speaking of nominations: On Friday, Leon Wallner, Finn van Ee and Armin Preiser, three young hopefuls, moved up to the team camp and can prove themselves not only in training but also in the friendlies against the Czech Republic. “Wallner, Van Ee and Preiser are young talents who are here now to show themselves and to gain experience,” said Bader about the three replacements, of which Wallner and Van Ee belong to the core of the U20 team.
“Above all, I would like to give the young players the opportunity to get a taste of the national team, to benefit from this experience in further development and to recommend themselves for further tasks,” says the team boss. The local ice hockey fans can look forward to Wallner in particular. Because he showed rapid development in the second Swedish league: “He has asserted himself at Södertalje SK and is now a regular player,” says Bader about the hope for youngsters.
