The new NHL season kicked off on the night of Tuesday to Wednesday. The Stanley Cup is now vacant again and two Austrians are involved in the fight for the coveted trophy. Three more are ante portas. At the start of the new season, Marco Rossi, Marco Kasper, David Reinbacher, Vinzenz Rohrer and Gregor Biber answered our questions.
For Marco Rossi and Marco Kasper, the new season starts on the night from Thursday to Friday. Rossi meets the St. Louis Blues with the Minnesota Wild, Kasper meets the Montreal Canadiens with the Detroit Red Wings.
Marco Rossi
Are you happy that the regular season finally starts this week?
Marco Rossi: “Yes, definitely. The summer preparation, especially the training camps, always takes a long time. You’re happy when it starts again.”
How important is this pre-season phase?
Marco Rossi: “The first few friendly games are very important to get you back into it. These games are there so that you get the timing, the feeling and the flow again. The more games like this you play, the better the feeling you get. But then you quickly want it to be about something again.”
Most recently you said: “I feel better than ever.” Of course, this also increases expectations and probably increases the pressure on you. How did you learn to deal with that pressure in the NHL?
Marco Rossi: “You learn to deal with it. The league is simply tough. You have endless pressure. Whether it comes from you or from outside. And you always have to deliver. As a player, you know that. It’s often difficult, but you also have to have fun. You have to stay cool, look at yourself and look at the points where you want to improve. There’s a lot of talk, especially in the media. So it’s also important that you have a good and clear head has.”
You improved your scorer points from 40 to 60 last season – what are your plans for the coming season?
Marco Rossi: “Of course there are always certain personal goals that you pursue. I think I’ve taken a good step and I know that I still have more in me and can take on responsibility. So I’m looking forward to the coming season.”
When would the 2025/26 season end up being a successful one for you?
Marco Rossi: “As a team, the goal is always to reach the playoffs. That’s the first goal. And once you’ve achieved that, of course it’s the Stanley Cup. You also have to be realistic, but anything is possible in the playoffs.”
Marco Kasper
What expectations are you going into the season with?
Marco Kasper: “In terms of scorer points, I have no expectations. I’m just looking forward to the new season and the new challenge. I think all of us in the team worked well over the summer. The mood is good and I’m convinced that we can achieve a lot.”
What did you focus on in summer training and how has this already been noticeable in the preparation?
Marco Kasper: “The focus is almost always on becoming stronger and faster. I also worked on my shot and scoring.”
You’re entering your second full NHL season. To what extent does the fact that you are no longer a newbie make everyday life easier for you?
Marco Kasper: “Yes, it definitely makes everyday life easier if you already know the procedures. Otherwise, every season starts from scratch. You always have to give your best in every game, in every training session and work hard every day.”
How much is routine for you now?
Marco Kasper: “The procedures on match days, especially at home games, are always the same. Everyone has their own routine. You get it together pretty quickly. There are things you always do.”
When would the 2025/26 season end up being a successful one for you?
Marco Kasper: “It’s no secret that we want to get back to the playoffs. We want to continue to develop, be mentally and physically stronger as a team and give our best in every game. If we can do that, we can be confident. We want to play meaningful games in the playoffs in the spring. That’s our goal.”
How happy are you that the regular season starts this week?
Marco Kasper: “Very. Of course you want to win every game in preparation, but the fact that the season is starting now and the first game in which points are at stake is great.”
David Reinbacher
How are you currently feeling with your hand injury?
David Reinbacher: “I think it will take just under three weeks. Overall, we’re assuming four to six weeks, but of course I’m only assuming four. By the end of October, everything should be in order for me to be able to play.”
How did the preparation go for you, apart from the injury?
David Reinbacher: “It was a great experience to train and work together with Vinzenz Rohrer. He is a very good friend, so it was a great time. It’s a shame that he’s no longer there.”
What expectations are you going into the season with?
David Reinbacher: “My goal is to knock on the top at some point this year and then hold on. In the first step, I want to improve month by month and play and learn as much as possible. And of course stay healthy.”
Have you already received information or feedback from the club about this?
David Reinbacher: “Not so much at the moment. We’re trying to get through the time until I can play again. Then there’s definitely a plan we have. We’ll then communicate and discuss what’s coming up for me that year.”
When would the 2025/26 season end up being a successful one for you?
David Reinbacher: “I would say anything over 65 games and maybe one or two games in the NHL. Then I would be very satisfied. Then it was a successful season in which I was able to take the next step.”
Vincent Rohrer
In the summer you made the jump to North America to the Montreal Canadiens. How was the time? What are you taking with you for the coming season?
Vinzenz Rohrer: “It was a cool time. I would have liked to have stayed longer to get more insight into how everything works and runs. It was something new again.”
What was the feedback from the organization?
Vinzenz Rohrer: “It was positive overall. I now have another year of development in Zurich, I will try to take on a bigger role here, play a lot and then want to attack again next year. Then we’ll see where it goes.”
Has this made you more hungry to make the jump to the NHL?
Vinzenz Rohrer: “Yes. It’s always good to get new perspectives. It’s very interesting, it’s something new and that’s motivating. More of that would be cool.”
What goals have you set for yourself for the new season?
Vinzenz Rohrer: “The focus is on development. Continue like we did in the last two years, build on that and be successful with the team.”
When would the 2025/2026 season be a successful one for you?
Vinzenz Rohrer: “From a sporting perspective, the title in Switzerland and in the Champions Hockey League would of course be a good start. We have been very successful in the last two years. Personally, it means trying to make a difference in every game and playing well.”
Greg Biber
Gregor, like last year, you completed the NHL Development Camp at Utah Mammoth again this year. How have you been?
Gregor Biber: “It was more pleasant than last year because you already knew how everything worked. It felt pretty good, the feedback was also good. The plan is that I’ll play for Rögle this season and then we’ll see how the season was and whether it’s worth going over. In any case, it sounded very promising.”
What goals have you set for yourself for this season? When would you say you have developed again?
Gregor Biber: “I think if I play a lot. We have a very good team with fairly experienced defenders. It’s definitely not easy to fight through it. But if I play my game and get chances, hopefully the season will go well.”
How much contact do you have with your NHL club during the season?
Gregor Biber: “We hear from each other very regularly. Utah always asks how I’m doing and we often watch videos. It feels like it’s not that far away anymore. They’re happy with my development. Now it’s time to get stronger, gain weight and improve little things.”
You recently suffered a concussion in a game. How are you doing?
Gregor Biber: “I’m looking from day to day. I won’t play this week. Next week we’ll see whether I can start team training again. But we won’t rush into anything. It’s better to have one or two more days of rest before I’m out again for a few weeks because I started too early.”
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