Start of the 2026–27 Season

Black Wings Now Younger and Faster—and Better?

A 196-day break is enough: The Black Wings are kicking off the new season.(Bild: GEPA)

Starting Friday, the world will be a better place again for Austria’s hockey fans: The win2day ICE Hockey League kicks off the 2026/27 season. For the EHC Black Wings, last year’s poor performance led to a major shakeup—but the fans remain loyal to the Linz team.

More than half a year without hockey is really enough! 196 long days after the 1-5 home defeat in the second pre-playoff game against VSV and the early start to the offseason on March 6, the Black Wings kick off the new season tomorrow in Fehervar. In head coach Philipp Lukas’s fourth season, the EHC missed the playoffs for the first time, making qualifying for them now almost a “must.”

Söllinger and Pusnik unveiled the new jerseys in St. Florian.(Bild: Black Wings)

Budget Cut by About 15 Percent
“It’s the clear goal! Linz needs the playoffs, and the league needs Linz in the playoffs,” says President Peter Nader, who cut the budget by about 15%. “If you miss the playoffs, it’s really a sign of failure,” forward Emilio Romig points out, adding that in the NHL, only half—16 out of 32 teams—can make it to the playoff stage. In the win2day ICE League, it’s eight out of this year’s 14 teams—Milan has now joined the league.

Managing Director Peter Nader cut the budget by about 15 percent(Bild: BWL/Reinhard Eisenbauer)

Ten new signings
“I’m convinced we have a team that can achieve a lot,” says Coach Lukas, who brought in ten new players this year—twice as many as he did after reaching the semifinals in 2025 (see right).

(Bild: Krone kreativ/BWL/Reinhard Eisenbauer)

Brian Lebler and Co. want to celebrate—and make the playoffs at all costs this year.(Bild: GEPA)

Starting with just eight foreign players
The motto for this overhaul: Get younger and faster! As a result, an armada of “over-30 stars” like Roe, Collins, new team manager Kristler, Ograjensek, Barron, and MacKinnon left the team, which is now joined by eight “under-30 stars.” “We have a lot of players who are already on the national team or have what it takes to make it,” says the coach, who is starting this season with only eight foreign players instead of ten—including just one defenseman in Friday’s game in Fehervar, especially since tryout player Mozik is injured.

Philipp Lukas is entering his fifth season as Black Wings coach.(Bild: BWL/Reinhard Eisenbauer)

KADER BLACK WINGS 2026/27

• TOR: Dylan WELLS (Kan/27), Martin REDER (Ö/21), Domenic BURGHARD (Ö/20).
• VERTEIDIGUNG: Greg MORO (Kan/30), Gerd KRAGL (Ö/29), Patrick SÖLLINGER (Ö/22), Niklas WÜRSCHL (Ö/27), Luis LINDNER (Ö/25), Philipp WIMMER (Ö/24), Christoph TIALLER (Ö/23), Paul EDER (Ö/21).
• ANGRIFF: Graham KNOTT (Kan/29), Shawn ST. AMANT (Kan/29), Kyle TOPPING (Kan/26), Trenton BLISS (US/28), Brady SHAW (Kan/33), Brian LEBLER (Ö/38), Emil ROMIG (Ö/33), Oskar MAIER (Ö/24), Henrik NEUBAUER (Ö/29), Julian PUSNIK (Ö/26), Lukas KAINZ (Ö/31), Luca ERNE (Ö/22), Stefan GAFFAL (Ö/29), Marlon TSCHOFEN (Ö/24).

The fans remain loyal to the Black Wings: About 1,800 season tickets have been sold.(Bild: GEPA)

1,800 season tickets sold
During the preseason, the team posted two wins in seven games; the lines were frequently shuffled, and star players were given rest. “We wanted everyone to get playing time and see different combinations. I’m satisfied with the preseason,” says Lukas, whose team can continue to count on its fans: Despite a weak season and higher prices, around 1,800 season tickets were sold again. About one-fifth even opted for the “Dream Big Season Ticket”—which includes all games up to a potential final. Time to give something back to the fans!