Benjamin Baumgartner and Vinzenz Rohrer had the biggest impact on Austria's game. The two Switzerland-based legionnaires showed their experience from the National League.
They found solutions under pressure faster than many of their teammates and had relatively little trouble adjusting to the international level. The duo stayed together across all three games.
With both on the ice, play shifted more frequently into the opponent's zone. Baumgartner and Rohrer shielded the puck well, combined along the boards, and kept their opponents busy.
Baumgartner's intensity was particularly noticeable. The ankle injury that cost him the World Championship in Zurich in the spring is still causing him problems. Nevertheless, he rewarded himself with a goal and an assist in the final game against Latvia.
Rohrer brought his usual high energy to the ice. In addition, the confidence he gained in Zug was evident in his offensive plays. However, one serious lapse remained: his completely unnecessary physical altercation against Slovakia caused further damage to the team. Afterwards, Austria lost control of the game.
The top line of Ali Wukovits, Benjamin Nissner, and Lucas Thaler also generated some momentum, but remained largely unrewarded in finishing. The consolation goal to make it 1-6 against Slovakia was their only tangible return.
Nissner gave the line structure, while Thaler drove the puck into the attacking zone multiple times, especially on the power play. The Villach native has taken a good step forward in his development following his move to top DEL club Red Bull München. He contributed both his shot power and his vision.
Wukovits had missed the last two World Championships due to injury. In Düsseldorf, he put himself forward for future selections. The Viennese native has not lost his playmaking flair over the years. He repeatedly found good positions, stood strong in battles, and tried to hold his ground physically as well. However, the end product could have been higher.
Henrik Neubauer also put in a solid tournament performance. The Black Wings forward's biggest asset, his speed, showed repeatedly. Furthermore, he looked for his own shot and put the puck on net.
In defense, the pair of David Maier and Dominic Hackl appeared to be the most stable. However, even those two did not get through the tournament entirely without mistakes and avoidable penalties.
Who fell short of expectations?
For Clemens Unterweger, the gap between expectations and performance was particularly striking. The veteran and captain is expected to calm the game down with the puck, organize the build-up play, and also create offensive spark.
In Düsseldorf, he managed that far too rarely. Neither alongside club teammate Thimo Nickl against Germany nor with Niklas Würschl against Slovakia did he find the necessary composure.
Unterweger and Thaler shared responsibility for the goals making it 0-2 and 0-3 against Germany. In both situations, battles behind the net were lost, and shortly afterwards the puck was in the back of the net.
Unterweger also fell short of his potential in the game against Slovakia. For the 0-1 goal, he was beaten too easily and struggled to get a grip on the match afterwards. The KAC defenseman has proven often enough in the past that he can do much better.
The tournament went similarly tough for Thimo Nickl. At the World Championship, the Klagenfurt native was one of the standout performers in the Austrian squad, convincing with his force in battles and offensive contributions. In Düsseldorf, by contrast, he stood out primarily for puck-handling errors.
His icing contributed to the buildup of the 0-2 goal against Germany. Before the 0-1 against Latvia, he lost the puck at the blue line following an admittedly unfavorable pass from Luis Lindner. The Baltics ruthlessly converted the ensuing counterattack. While Nickl registered two assists, they do little to alter the overall disappointing impression.
Simeon Schwinger barely found his way into the game outside a few good spells and looked physically overwhelmed. The Vorarlberg native failed to justify his spot on one of the power-play units. Looking ahead to the World Championship, things will be difficult for him.
Maximilian Rebernig also fell short of expectations. His job was to disrupt the opponent with his physicality and exert a presence in battles along the boards and in front of the net. He rarely succeeded. His skating deficits made it even harder for him to play to his strengths.
For Paul Huber, the verdict is more nuanced. In the opener against Germany he was still among the active players, using his body well in front of the net and creating space for teammates. In the duel with Slovakia, where Austria was physically clearly outmatched, it became "extremely difficult" for him too, as the Graz native noted himself.
In the final game on a line with Baumgartner and Rohrer, things went better again. A highlight pass to Rohrer stood out. Overall, however, Huber too rarely met the heightened expectations in Düsseldorf.
How did the "challengers" perform?
Of the 22 skaters, eight were not present at the 2026 World Championship. Oliver Achermann, Benjamin Baumgartner, and Lukas Haudum, who were injured at the time, are excluded from the following evaluation. They would have had guaranteed roster spots.
That leaves four defensemen and one forward who were able to present themselves as challengers. Ali Wukovits was already evaluated above.
Luis Lindner last featured during the 2025 World Championship preparation. Against Germany, difficulties adapting to the international pace were hardly visible at first. He utilized his skating strength, repeatedly carried the puck lightly through the neutral zone, and created open shot lanes in the offensive end.
Against Latvia, far less of that was on display. The Baltics played a much more physical game than the hosts and put Lindner under heavier pressure. Before the 0-1, he made the wrong decision with his pass to Nickl. Nevertheless, the Linz native could become a serious World Championship contender in the future. To achieve that, he needs to add further dimensions to his game.
Patrick Söllinger also endured a tournament of highs and lows. In his first appearance against Slovakia, he struggled significantly with the aggressive forecheck and physical play. Under pressure, he frequently lacked the right solution and stood too far off his opponents. An early turnover and a late penalty that led to the final 1-6 score fit the picture.
Against Latvia, the 22-year-old showed marked improvement. He took more initiative with the puck, troubled the opposing defense, and got off good shots. Defensively, he also looked more stable. Furthermore, he used his size – 1.88 meters and 97 kilograms – to better effect. That is precisely what he needs to do even more consistently going forward to command a larger role in defense.
Philipp Wimmer rarely managed to display his technical skills and instead caught attention with several mistakes. Despite his imposing frame of 1.95 meters and 96 kilograms, the Viennese defenseman too seldom uses his body to advantage in battles and along the boards. Poor timing and positional weaknesses made it far too easy for opponents to bypass him. He was also involved in several goals conceded. Little of the larger role he plays in Linz was visible with the national team.
Niklas Würschl was likely the biggest loser among the challengers. He earned his call-up with solid performances for Black Wings Linz. However, the Deutschland Cup demonstrated how much he struggles at this level. His physical play, already not a major strength in the domestic league, became a problem internationally. Offensively, he also failed to create spark. His decision-making often took too long, slowing down the play. Against Slovakia, he also allowed himself to be infected by Unterweger's nervousness.
How did the goaltenders fare?
David Kickert started in goal for the opener against Germany. The experienced Viennese netminder looked composed, impressed with good angle play, and positioned himself more aggressively in his crease. In the past, he was repeatedly accused of being glued to his line. That happened occasionally against Germany as well, but overall his performance was solid. He was blameless for the goals conceded.
Florian Vorauer started decently against Slovakia and executed the system plan consistently. As the game wore on, however, the Klagenfurt native looked increasingly uncertain. He didn't look good on the 0-3 goal. He made the saves he had to make, but was unable to offer much beyond that. The 26-year-old thus remains the clear number three on the national team for now.
Nicolas Wieser had already been mentioned as a potential World Championship candidate after his strong season leading up to Graz's championship title. At the Deutschland Cup, the Villach native got his opportunity against Latvia, but failed to seize it. He looked shaky from Latvia's very first shot. The finish for 0-2 was one he would have stopped on a good day.
Before the 0-3 goal, a blunder by Wieser initiated the next dangerous situation: he blocked a Latvian chip right into the path of an opponent's stick. David Maier could only stop the prime chance with a slashing penalty. To be fair, he also made a great save during the subsequent power play before an own goal resulted in 0-3. He could also have prevented the 2-6 goal on a better day. With this performance, it will certainly be difficult to push for a World Championship roster spot in the near future.
What can Austria build on?
This tournament did not yield many positives. At the very least, however, the team spirit should be highlighted.
Even when trailing heavily, heads did not drop. Against Slovakia and Latvia, the ÖEHV team showed their strongest play precisely when the games were long lost.
In all three games, there were individual good to very good phases. They showed that Austria can keep pace with stronger nations and even dominate them for stretches. To do so, however, the team must stick more consistently to its strengths.
That happened far too rarely in Düsseldorf.
What needs improvement?
The Deutschland Cup was a harsh reality check. Nevertheless, it could prove valuable for the team's development, as the issues were clearly exposed across several areas.
Wir haben in jedem Spiel gut angefangen, gute Momente gehabt, doch wir sind meistens nach einem Gegentor, das oft in einer eigenen Druckphase gefallen ist, zurückgefallen. Das darf nicht passieren.
One of the biggest issues was the lack of consistency over 60 minutes. Good spells alternated with glaring mistakes. At this level, such carelessness is punished ruthlessly.
Bader observed a recurring pattern: "We started well in every game, had good moments, but we usually regressed after conceding a goal, which often came during a spell of our own pressure. That shouldn't happen."
Another area of concern was shot quality. Against Latvia, Austria registered 70 shots, 22 of which missed the target. For the head coach, the issue lies less in shooting technique than in the timing of the release. He noted that players often take too long before pulling the trigger.
Paul Huber sees it similarly: "You have no time, the shot has to be on and off. Sometimes we're still looking for the pass, maybe take too long, and then the opponent is already there. Under pressure, it's hard to put a good, well-placed shot on net."
18 of the 22 skaters earn their bread and butter in the win2day ICE Hockey League. There, compared to the international level, they have significantly more time to pick their shot or find a better-positioned teammate. "The opponent does it differently; they shoot right away," explains Bader.
The short preparation time also left its mark. The head coach did not expect two training sessions to be enough to re-accustom the players to the significantly higher pace after nearly half a year without playing together.
Bader emphasizes: "It's physical, high-pressure, and as a result we lose a lot of pucks because players are used to having more time." These are all points "that we have to keep learning," says the Swiss coach.
Es war schon bei der letzten WM eher ein Schwachpunkt, obwohl es die letzten Jahre eine Stärke war.
The penalty kill causes him particular concern. Eight of the 15 goals conceded came while shorthanded. The success rate of 38.46 percent was correspondingly weak. "It was already a bit of a weakness at the last World Championship, even though it had been a strength in recent years," says Bader.
Huber tries to explain the issues: "We have the system instructions, but we don't execute them well enough. We break up too few plays and give away far too many Grade-A chances."
The mandate is clear: put constant pressure on opponents along the half-walls to prevent one-timers. However, that failed repeatedly. Passing lanes weren't closed down, leaving opponents with clear lanes to shoot.
Before every game, the coaching staff addressed the shorthanded play once more and tried to make minor adjustments. Improvement failed to materialize. "At this tournament, it was a major weakness; we have to change something," Bader acknowledges.
When is the next camp?
In February, Bader will gather his team once again. Participation in a four-nation tournament in Oslo is scheduled, where Austria will face hosts Norway, Denmark, and France.
By then, regulars who were missing in November for various reasons are expected to return: Peter Schneider, Dominic Zwerger, Mario Huber, Bernd Wolf, Ramon Schnetzer, and Atte Tolvanen.
Additionally, some young players and challengers will get an opportunity. Anyone who proves themselves in the league over the course of the season can put themselves in contention for the World Championship.
Finally, in April, five weeks of preparation for the 2027 World Championship in Mannheim will begin.
