NEWS
Princely Salary? Rohrer Likely to Remain in Switzerland Next Year
But no longer for the ZSC Lions. A competitor is said to have secured his services. Meanwhile, the relationship with Montreal is said to have cooled.
Vinzenz Rohrer's sporting future appears to be settled for now.
The 21-year-old will reportedly be loaned by the Montreal Canadiens to Switzerland for another year. However, the forward is not expected to play for his development club, the ZSC Lions, in the National League, but rather for EV Zug.
This is reported by several Swiss media outlets, including the "Neue Zürcher Zeitung" and "Watson". According to these reports, the three-time Swiss champion prevailed in a bidding war against ZSC, SC Bern, and HC Davos.
In Salary Realms of Andrighetto and Malgin
Rohrer is reportedly set to sign a three-year contract with a princely remuneration.
According to various insiders, the Vorarlberg native will receive an annual salary of 750,000 to 800,000 Swiss Francs. Normally, only exceptional players like Sven Andrighetto or Denis Malgin command salaries in these realms.
The winger is also said to have been assured a larger role than he had in Zurich. With the Lions, Rohrer was primarily deployed in the third offensive line and on the penalty kill.
New Sports Director Made Special Trip to Austria
The driving force behind the transfer is said to be Zug's new Sports Director, Ted Suihkonen.
He reportedly visited Rohrer in his home country to convince him to join EVZ.
The American-Swedish dual national has worked as Head of Development since 2021 and was entrusted with the sporting management of the entire club in June.
Chaotic Summer in Zug
Former Sports Director Reto Kläy served for twelve years and was officially dismissed due to "differing strategic visions."
However, Swiss media report that a power struggle over the direction of the OYM performance center ultimately sealed his fate. EVZ President and billionaire Hans-Peter Strebel is behind the OYM project.
His tenure saw championship titles in 2021 and 2022, but the team's season ended after the quarterfinals in the last two seasons.
CEO Also Gone
CEO Patrick Lengwiler also resigned.
His contract was not due to be terminated until autumn 2027, but Lengwiler decided on an immediate end. He had been in various roles in Zug since 1997 and served as CEO of EVZ for the past 14 years.
His successor is Paolo Duca, who had been employed as Sports Director at HC Ambri-Piotta for the past eight years.
Davos Was Expected to Win the Race
Recently, HC Davos was considered the hottest contender for the services of the ÖEHV forward, with negotiations reportedly already far advanced.
However, on Monday night, the Swiss record champion, as well as SC Bern, reportedly received a rejection. ZSC is said to have been out of the running for some time, with an offer for the same salary as the previous season having been rejected.
Rohrer's entry-level contract with the Montreal Canadiens, which he only signed in summer 2025, is still valid until 2028. Until then, the Canadiens will decide where the Rankweil native spends his season.
Relationship Between Montreal and Rohrer Cooled?
In the spring, Rohrer finished the season after the Lions' early playoff exit with the AHL farm team Laval Rocket, for whom he recorded one goal and two assists in six games.
Meanwhile, the "enthusiasm for a continuation of the liaison has cooled on both sides," writes the "Neue Zürcher Zeitung."
This is likely another reason why the 21-year-old is expected to spend another season in the Swiss National League.
