Squad's Strengths
Phil Lukas's squad cannot fail due to a lack of depth. Eight defenders and 14 forwards are available (at least), which should cushion against one or two injuries.
Among the forwards, however, are also Stefan Gaffal (who barely got going after his lengthy absence) and Luca Erne (whose stint in Villach failed early, now injured).
Graham Knott and Shawn St-Amant (though the latter with a modest season) should continue to form a strong offensive pairing, while the quick Kyle Topping and Brady Shaw – also recently the top scorer in Budapest – might form another duo.
On paper, there's also sharpshooter Brian Lebler (if his legs can still carry him), along with Oskar Maier (scoring breakout with the Pioneers), Lukas Kainz, and Emil Romig, more Austrians who bring a certain offensive potential.
Has the team really gotten faster? Maier is one of the quickest domestic players in the league; he also utilized his speed more effectively recently. Trevor Bliss is a physically strong player with a drive to the net, and Topping certainly has "good wheels."
Even with new defensive signing Philipp Wimmer, his legs are not the reason why there was a big gap between his highs and lows in Salzburg.
As a group, the Black Wings should exhibit better mobility than last season, even if the bar was set low then.
Squad's Question Marks
Not that there's anything bad to report about him, but Dylan Wells, a 28-year-old ECHL player, is playing in Europe for the first time. Goalie coach Jürgen Penker tapped into his NHL contacts, receiving positive feedback about Wells, especially from his time in the Oilers organization.
Wells brings good size and footwork, but how he will actually perform remains to be seen. With Martin Reder, only an untested backup is available – the towering homegrown talent has only played in three ICE games and not many other games in recent years.
It felt like almost every Austrian who became a free agent this year received an offer from Linz. Wimmer (who would have still had a contract in Salzburg), Kainz, and the Pioneers trio Maier, Erne, and Marlon Tschofen also ended up at the Donaulände.
As mentioned – the squad is now deep, but was there enough quality?
Only two foreign players on defense, and one of them is returning from an eighteen-month injury layoff. Vojtech Mozik was supposed to be the long-sought right-shooting defenseman, a search that had been ongoing for a long time.
Even before his ACL tear, his best offensive periods were long ago, and his already modest mobility certainly didn't improve.
Mozik is unlikely to make it through his tryout; a right-handed shot for the power play is being sought – the remaining power play alternatives like Niklas Würschl, Luis Lindner, or Wimmer are more like experiments.
Here, upgrades could be made
Including Mozik or his replacement, there are eight foreign players on the roster, so further upgrades could be made. However, an already large squad speaks against it...
Outlook
A question mark in goal, which could also become an exclamation mark. Few puck-movers on defense, but the offense is deeper and faster.
The Black Wings could move up a bit, but breaking into the Top 6 would almost be considered a coup...
