[News] Austrian Olympic Roster

[devo22]

If Slovenia get a thread, we should as well

GOALTENDERS:
STARKBAUM, Bernhard (Brynas, SHL)
SWETTE, Rene (Klagenfurt, AUT)
WEINHANDL, Fabian (Klagenfurt, AUT)

DEFENSEMEN:
ALTMANN, Mario (Villach, AUT)
IBERER, Florian (Klagenfurt, AUT)
LAKOS, Andre (Vienna, AUT)
LUKAS, Robert (Linz, AUT)
PÖCK, Thomas (Klagenfurt, AUT)
TRATTNIG, Matthias (Salzburg, AUT)
ULMER, Stefan (Lugano, NLA)
UNTERLUGGAUER, Gerhard (Villach, AUT)

FORWARDS:
GRABNER, Michael (New York Islanders, NHL)
HERBURGER, Raphael (Biel, NLA)
HUNDERTPFUND, Thomas (Timra, Allsvenskan)
IBERER, Matthias (Linz, AUT)
KOCH, Thomas (Klagenfurt, AUT)
KRISTLER, Andreas (Salzburg, AUT)
LATUSA, Manuel (Salzburg, AUT)
LEBLER, Brian (Linz, AUT)
OBERKOFLER, Daniel (Linz, AUT)
RAFFL, Michael (Philadelphia Flyers, NHL)
RAFFL, Thomas (Salzburg, AUT)
SETZINGER, Oliver (Lausanne, NLA)
VANEK, Thomas (New York Islanders, NHL)
WELSER, Daniel (Salzburg, AUT)

RESERVE LIST:
M. Lange, Heinrich, Baumgartner, Nödl, Petrik, Peintner, Rotter, Schiechl

No real surprises ... but hey, our options are limited three NHL players, three from Switzerland and two from Sweden - 17 from the Austrian league. A bit weird that both Klagenfurt goalies made it, but given that Starkbaum will undoubtedly be our number 1 and will play every game unless he completely craps the bed, it really doesn't matter.

[The Swedish Flame]

Thomas Koch! I still love that guy, even though he wasn't brilliant during his Swedish years.

Looks like a team that definitely should beat Norway at least.

[PeteMoss]

Are the Raffl's brothers?

[devo22]

Originally Posted by The Swedish Flame

Thomas Koch! I still love that guy, even though he wasn't brilliant during his Swedish years.

still our best center ... I guess he'll either play with Vanek and Grabner or on a line with the Raffl brothers.

Originally Posted by PeteMoss

Are the Raffl's brothers?

yes, Thomas is two years older. He briefly played in the WHL and USHL in 2005-06 and in Sweden in 2009-10 and 2010-11, but has mainly played in Austria ... one of the best Austrian forwards here.

[Coach]

I recognize the names Baumgartner and Nödl. Are they not NHL players?

[devo22]

Originally Posted by MattyC

I recognize the names Baumgartner and Nödl. Are they not NHL players?

Nödl was until last season ... 183 NHL games for Philadelphia and Carolina. Then he tore his ACL after being sent down to the AHL in March and didn't get a contract this summer. He went back to Austria ... still not back to his strength though (11 points in 24 games).

Baumgartner was drafted twice (in 1997 and 1999) and played in the QMJHL, IHL, AHL, ECHL, CHL and WCHL ... never made it to the big show though. Has been playing in Austria since 2003.

[vilzeh]

I remember Baumgartner from the World Championships. He looked pretty good.

[devo22]

Our coach said at the press conference today that the roster isn't set in stone and that the 8 guys on the reserve list can still make it if they play well in January - so the reserve list isn't strictly an "only if one of the 25 gets injured"-list. Would love if Nödl could still make it, he's pretty good defensively and a good penalty killer. Would be a good fit in the bottom six.

[Jordan!]

Where can a guy buy an Austrian Oly jersey? Have they been shown/released yet?

[T@T]

Originally Posted by devo22

yes, Thomas is two years older. He briefly played in the WHL and USHL in 2005-06 and in Sweden in 2009-10 and 2010-11, but has mainly played in Austria ... one of the best Austrian forwards here.

Sat with him at a golf banquet a few years back in London Ont. never mentioned he had a brother, big kid with a great sense of humor. he kept calling a couple of twins who he played with "huey and duey" even know I doubt he knew who they were. I said they remind you of ducks? and he looked confused and laughed.

[OffsideSpecialist]

Originally Posted by MattyC

I recognize the names Baumgartner and Nödl. Are they not NHL players?

Nolan Baumgartner was a Canadian NHL player, now a coach of some capacity in the AHL. Gregor Baumgartner is the reserve for the Austrian team.

[devo22]

Originally Posted by devo22

Our coach said at the press conference today that the roster isn't set in stone and that the 8 guys on the reserve list can still make it if they play well in January - so the reserve list isn't strictly an "only if one of the 25 gets injured"-list. Would love if Nödl could still make it, he's pretty good defensively and a good penalty killer. Would be a good fit in the bottom six.

they have indeed made two changes now. Goaltender Mathias Lange (Iserlohn/Germany) and forward Andreas Nödl (Salzburg) are in, Fabian Weinhandl and Andreas Kristler are out.

The goaltending change comes after Thomas Vanek, among others, heavily criticized the choice of taking both Klagenfurt goalies instead Lange, who is solid as a starting goaltender in a clearly better league. As for Nödl, our coach said that he now has reached a good enough fitness level after his knee injury to be a part of the team.

[Young-Sneezy]

That's a lovely accent they have.

[gradin-23]

Australia has an Olympic hockey team?

[flamesrule_kipper34]

^Austria

[goodyear]

Originally Posted by gradin-23

Australia has an Olympic hockey team?

not sure if trolling or geographic ignorant.

[Locke]

I'm a little concerned that Austrian players are concerned about player selections.

[_Q_]

Wait.... rosters can still be changed? What's the point of announcing a final roster then? Can we now remove all Canadiens (Price & Subban) and Canucks (Hamhuis) players because they are not good at hockey?

[gradin-23]

Originally Posted by goodyear

not sure if trolling or geographic ignorant.

It's neither.

Read the OP's "location".

[gradin-23]

Originally Posted by _Q_

Wait.... rosters can still be changed? What's the point of announcing a final roster then? Can we now remove all Canadiens (Price & Subban) and Canucks (Hamhuis) players because they are not good at hockey?

You forgot Luongo.