Release from 28.08.2026

Villach’s Alexander Rauchenwald looks ahead confidently to new season

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Alexander Rauchenwald is set to begin his eighth season with his hometown club EC iDM Wärmepumpen VSV’s first team. After a serious knee injury, the 33-year-old, who has already returned to full team training, is looking forward to the upcoming campaign in the win2day ICE Hockey League. In this interview, the center discusses his personal road back and Villach’s preparations.

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Rauchenwald suffered an ACL tear and meniscus damage in his left knee in November 2025. Just under nine months after the injury, the 33-year-old is back training with the squad. “I’m on a good path. I still need to make sure both thighs and the relevant muscle groups are roughly equally strong. I’m trying to get used to contact again in training, and if everything continues to go well, I hopefully can play a preseason game before the season starts,” Rauchenwald said.

Patience as the key to success
The center is entering his eighth season overall with Villach’s first team. After spells in Salzburg and Sweden, he returned to his hometown in the 2021/22 campaign. Once fully fit again, Rauchenwald is not only expected to be a key on-ice contributor but also a leadership figure. “For us, it’s important that everyone is healthy; we don’t necessarily have the deepest roster. We have very good domestic players in our squad, as well as imports who have performed well in the league in recent years. I’m sure the new players will bring some fresh energy, and that Pierre Allard’s system will start to click as time goes on,” Rauchenwald said.



After taking over as head coach of the eagles mid-way through last season, Allard has now been able to conduct the entire preseason with the team – a major advantage, according to Rauchenwald: “When you come in during the season and make several changes, it takes – as in any other business – a few months for things to work. It’s obviously much easier for the team and the coaching staff when you start working together from the beginning of the preseason. You have six weeks of preparation, and the coaching team can implement its ideas with the squad. Still, it always takes time in a new season for things to click. If we’re patient, I’m sure we’ll achieve good results in the coming season.”

“We can be a very dangerous team”
Villach reached the quarterfinals via the pre-playoffs last season, where they were eliminated by eventual champions Graz. “We were actually in good shape until December, then we hit a losing streak. It took us a while to find our footing again. To get into a better position, we need a consistently strong regular season. If we’re at full strength and get rolling, we can be a very dangerous team.”