Roger Bader remains Sporting Director and Head Coach until 2025

When his contract was last extended two years ago, Roger Bader set himself the goal of making Austria a top-division nation. “In my view, this will be the case when we have stayed in the top division three times in a row,” the Swiss coach explained at the time.

They are very close to achieving that goal. Austria stayed in the top division in Tampere (FIN) in both 2022 and 2023. In 2024, they will travel to Prague, where they will face Denmark, Switzerland, Canada, Finland, Czechia, Norway and Great Britain.

In good time before the start of World Championship preparations, Roger Bader's contract was extended by one year in both his roles as Men's Sporting Director and Head Coach of the senior national team.

“In doing so, we are recognising Roger's very good and professional work, and with the early contract extension we also want to ensure that the entire staff can prepare calmly and with full focus for the upcoming tasks at the World Championship and in Olympic qualification,” explains ÖEHV President Klaus Hartmann.

Roger Bader is regarded internationally as an expert with many years of experience. The Swiss coach also has an excellent network across Europe and as far as North America. This currently enables the national team to undertake high-calibre World Championship preparations, with games against all medallists from the 2023 World Championship – Latvia, Germany and Canada – as well as medal contenders Czechia and Division IA nation Slovenia.

Roger Bader: “I am proud to be the Head Coach of Austria's men's ice hockey national team. My goal is for us to establish ourselves among the top 12 nations. We are on the right track. Our focus is now solely on the World Championship, where we want to stay in the top division for the third time in a row.”

Alongside his role as Head Coach of the senior national team, Bader will also continue to serve as Sporting Director of all men's national teams. In his role as Sporting Director, Roger Bader developed a three-stage four-year concept in consultation with ÖEHV President Klaus Hartmann and ÖEHV Vice-President Günther Ropatsch, focusing on improving youth development, professionalising coach education, implementing the Red-White-Red Thread and Goalkeeper Development. 

Roger Bader has been working for the ÖEHV since 2014, having joined as Head of Development, becoming Sporting Director in 2017 and already taking over as Head Coach of the senior national team at the end of 2016. This makes him one of the longest-serving current Head Coaches at the ÖEHV. Under his leadership, Austria was promoted to the Top Division in 2017. At the respective World Championships in Denmark in 2018, and in Finland in 2022 and 2023, Austria remained in the Top Division.

World Championship preparations begin in three weeks with two test games against Latvia in Riga. The following week, Austria will play Slovenia in Villach in their first home game. The remaining opponents are Czechia, Germany and Canada.

Tickets for all home games are available HERE now.

The 2024 World Championship begins for the Red-White-Red internationals on 11 May against Denmark. The other opponents are Switzerland on 12 May, Canada on 14 May, Finland on 16 May, Czechia on 17 May, Norway on 19 May, and Great Britain on 21 May. Fan trips with ÖEHV partner G&K-Reisen to Prague for Austria national team games can be booked HERE.

World Championship preparations

Latvia vs. Austria
Thu, 4 April 2024, 18:00 (CEST), Riga (LAT)

Latvia vs. Austria
Fri, 5 April 2024, 18:00 (CEST), Riga (LAT)

Slovenia vs. Austria
Thu, 11 April 2024, 19:00, Bled (SLO)

Austria vs. Slovenia
Fri, 12 April 2024, 18:00, Villach

Czechia vs. Austria
Thu, 18 April 2024, 17:10, České Budějovice (CZE)

Austria vs. Czechia
Sat, 20 April 2024, 18:00, Linz

Germany vs. Austria
Thu, 25 April 2024, 19:00, Garmisch (GER)

Austria vs. Germany
Sat, 27 April 2024, 16:15, Zell am See

Austria vs. Canada
Sun, 5 May 2024, 19:00, Vienna

2024 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship

10–26 May 2024
Hosts: Czechia
Venues: Prague and Ostrava
Group A – Prague: Canada, Finland, Switzerland, Czechia, Denmark, Norway, Austria, Great Britain
Group B – Ostrava: USA, Germany, Sweden, Slovakia, Latvia, France, Kazakhstan, Poland

Schedule

Austria vs. Denmark
Sat, 11 May 2024, 16:20

Austria vs. Switzerland
Sun, 12 May 2024, 20:20

Canada vs. Austria
Tue, 14 May 2024, 20:20

Finland vs. Austria
Thu, 16 May 2024, 16:20

Czechia vs. Austria
Fri, 17 May 2024, 20:20

Norway vs. Austria
Sun, 19 May 2024, 16:20

Austria vs. Great Britain
Tue, 21 May 2024, 12:20