In sports, as in life, no one gets a second chance to make a first impression.
Austrian forward Vinzenz Rohrer was assigned to the AHL’s Laval Rocket on April 15 after finishing his Swiss A League season with the Zurich Lions. And even though Rohrer played in just one game for the Rockets — the regular season finale in Toronto — head coach Pascal Vincent felt comfortable dressing him for the start of the playoffs.
“It’s more than just one game,” said Vincent. “It’s training camp this year. Our guys are watching all his games. The reports we’re getting … he’s coming here with determination. He’s eager, he’s excited to be here. He’s a live guy who moves his feet. He could really kill penalties. He blocks some shots. He’s very strong and fits what we want. He’s got the right mindset.
“He’s a great player and we feel comfortable having him on the roster. Playoffs or not, we’re here to improve. We need to put those guys on the roster to see what they have. And he responded well.”
Rohrer, selected by the Canadiens in the third round (75th overall) in 2022, scored a goal and had an assist against Toronto on April 19. It was a low-key game for Laval, the Rockets’ last win in the North Division for a long time, but both of Rohrer’s points came with Laval playing for a while.
When Laval’s best-of-three playoff series against Toronto began Wednesday, the 5-foot-10, 161-pound right winger was on the Rockets’ third line with captains Lucas Condotta and Jared Davidson. Rohrer didn’t score a point in the 3-1 win, but did have two shots on net.
Game 2 of the series goes Friday at Place Bell (7pm, RDS) before the series shifts to Toronto with games on Sunday at 4 pm and, if necessary, on Tuesday at 7 pm
“I wouldn’t say I’m surprised, but I appreciate it, obviously,” said Rohrer. “I think it’s always the coach’s decision. I’m grateful and I’ll try to do everything to keep it that way.”
Rohrer is not new to North American hockey. He spent two seasons playing junior for the OHL’s Ottawa 67’s, showing offensive skills. In 118 regular season games, he had 44 goals and 97 points.
While Rohrer admitted the Canadiens probably would have preferred him to stay here when he was drafted, he believed his development would improve by returning to Europe.
When the Lions won two Swiss league titles, Rohrer was cast in a different role, playing as the team’s third line on the penalty kill. He wasn’t trusted on offense and his stats dipped. After scoring 15 goals and adding 10 assists in 52 games last season, Rohrer had just four goals and 12 points in 41 games in 2025-26. Zurich was eliminated from the semi-finals.
Rohrer, who attended training camp with the Canadiens in September, said it’s been a change getting used to the North American style of play — especially the physicality. It helped him to have fellow Austrian, defender David Reinbacher, as a partner.
“Everything happened so fast,” said Rohrer, 21. “It’s a tight game. Not much happens in 5-on-5. I tried to adjust as quickly as possible.”
Besides playing a few games in Europe, giving Rohrer more time to practice and develop, he was coached by Marc Crawford, who won the Stanley Cup with Colorado in 1996 – one of seven teams he coached in his 1,169-game career.
“Marc Crawford as a head coach was really important, in retrospect,” Rohrer said. “I came in and he trusted me a lot. I came in young, and Zurich is a really good team. But he gave me a shot. He tried to put me in big situations at the end of the game. It was tough love in a way.”
And now Rohrer is trying to take the next step. The AHL is full of young players who came up short in their journey due to size or talent. Whether Rohrer can overcome that obstacle will determine his path. He knows he has to compete and play dirty.
“He’s a top-level player, and he’s played in a competitive league against men,” said Vincent. “He’s got to be very strong. I don’t like to compare, but Paul Byron was really dynamic. He was a good PK who created opportunities for himself. He was going to difficult areas and he’s the same size.
“Rohrer can be that type of player who is quick, strong (player), smart defensively, touchy and can play against the top. I think there is a seat for those players.”
hzurkowsky@postmedia.com
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