Théo Rochette underlines that he is a great talent in the playoffs. Thanks to his three goals in the third final game against the ZSC Lions for the first win, Lausanne is back in the championship race.
21.04.2025, 04:30
21.04.2025, 08:01
SDA
Théo Rochette doesn't actually want to be in Lausanne, he dreams of the NHL. His immense potential was evident early on, as a junior player for the LHC he recorded more than respectable scoring figures. At the age of 16, he went to North America to join the Chicoutimi Saguenéens junior team. He was subsequently even allowed to play for a Canadian U17 team. His father Stéphane, a former referee, was born in Canada. Théo Rochette seemed to have a great future ahead of him.
But then came the big disappointment at the end of June 2020. He was passed over in the NHL draft, as he was in the following two years. He lost his self-confidence and had to learn to deal with it. NHL legend Patrick Roy, the former goalie who was his coach with the Quebec Remparts, helped him with this. In the 2022-23 season, Rochette captained the Remparts to victory in the Memorial Cup. He contributed 46 goals and 81 assists in 83 games. He then returned to the LHC.
Ward full of praise and Pius Suter as a role model
Rochette's biggest deficit is underlined by Lausanne coach Geoff Ward's answer to the question of where the 23-year-old could improve the most. He mentions his height and weight. Rochette is 1.80 m tall and weighs 78 kg. Of course, he won't grow any more, but Ward would like to add about seven kilograms to his weight.
Otherwise, he is full of praise for his protégé: "He loves the game, can be used in any situation, is a very intelligent player who makes his teammates better. You can't say that about everyone." Ward is convinced that he would make the most of any chance he gets in the NHL.
The example of Pius Suter also gives him hope. He has the same position as Rochette, was also not drafted despite good performances in the junior league OHL, before he received an NHL contract at the age of 24 after returning to Switzerland to join ZSC. In the past qualifiers, he shone with the Vancouver Canucks with 25 goals and 21 assists in 81 games. He can now expect a nice pay rise.
Not a man of great tones
For Rochette, it's now all about continuing to promote his own cause. In Saturday's 4-2 win in the third game of the final against ZSC, he scored once in a numerical tie, once shorthanded and once on the power play. It was the second time in the current playoffs that he scored three goals in one game. He now has a total of eleven goals in the decisive championship phase, which is the best figure.
That's why he doesn't make big noises - it's not his nature. Rochette said: "For an attacking player like me, it's always nice to score goals and contribute to a win. On top of that, it was an incredible team performance that we put in." He sees the following as reasons for his strong performances: "The coach trusts me completely. My teammates also help me a lot. The chemistry between us is right."
Title and then World Cup?
In this form, Rochette is also likely to be a candidate for the World Championships in Herning and Stockholm in May. He was temporarily off the national team's radar after turning down a call-up for the U20 World Cup in 2020. But he was reprieved and made his debut for the Swiss national team against Finland on February 8, 2024.
Logically, however, the World Cup is not an issue for him at the moment and his entire focus is on the play-off final. Because Rochette is not only dreaming of the NHL, but also of the first championship title for Lausanne, which is once again realistic after the first win in the final. The series continues on Tuesday with the fourth game against the Lions in Zurich-Altstetten. ZSC forward Derek Grant's outburst in the 58th minute after receiving a two-minute penalty for delay of game underscores the fact that the game is now in the balance.
