NHL Draft: Roger Bader pleased with progress

Two promising Austrian prospects were selected at the 2022 NHL Draft in Montreal – Kasper eighth overall by the Detroit Red Wings and Rohrer 75th overall by the Montreal Canadiens. Austria head coach Roger Bader is naturally delighted and sees this as evidence of the progress made in recent years.

09 July 20222 min read

Roger, how did you experience the 2022 NHL Draft?
Roger Bader: "I am very pleased for both of them and not surprised either. Although a draft is always unpredictable, I expected Marco to go in the top ten and had already been thinking Detroit. The assumption that Vinzenz would be drafted in the third round also proved correct."

What happens next for the two of them?
Roger Bader: "The focus now is on taking the next step. As Marco said before the draft: ´My goal is not to be drafted, but to play in the NHL.´ When someone is drafted in the first round, it means that they are considered capable of having a great NHL career. And when someone is drafted in the third round, especially by a major franchise such as the Montreal Canadiens, it shows that they see NHL potential. Now it is about making progress and hoping to get the opportunity. It is also important to receive a contract. Initially, the draft merely means that the respective franchise owns the rights to the player."

There has been repeated speculation that Detroit will leave Marco Kasper at Rögle for another year. Do you see it that way too?
Roger Bader: "It is difficult to judge from the outside what Detroit's hockey operations department is thinking. He would definitely get plenty of ice time at Rögle in the SHL, but they may also bring him to North America so that he can quickly become familiar with the style of play. In any case, I would not be surprised if he plays another season at Rögle."

What is emerging for Vinzenz Rohrer?
Roger Bader: "I myself am curious to see what Montreal considers best for him. They definitely have plans for him. We will see what exactly they look like."

How do you assess this year's draft for Austrian ice hockey?
Roger Bader: "Until two years ago, we had to wait a long time for another player to be selected in the NHL Draft. In the past two years, there have been five (note: Marco Rossi, Thimo Nickl and Benjamin Baumgartner 2020, Marco Kasper and Vinzenz Rohrer 2022). That shows that we have made progress; otherwise, this would not have been possible. All five had also previously taken the step abroad in order to take the final step towards the NHL Draft. At the World Championship in Tampere, we were the fourth-youngest team, which also underlines our path."