Friday, 14. August 2026 |
Preview: EHC Red Bull München vs. the Black Wings Linz
Our Form
After the first week of intensive on-ice training, our guys are now set for their first progress check at this early stage of preparation. During the sessions over the past few days, Oliver David and his coaching staff have already picked up the pace—with the forecheck and work in the defensive zone, among other things, on the agenda.
“We’ve focused on the fundamentals so we can get comfortable with our system,” reveals Patrick Hager. Now the Red Bulls are looking forward with anticipation to their first test in Linz. “This will be a great start for us. Of course, we want to win the game and keep getting better at executing our system,” says our captain.
The Opponent
The Austrians, who finished ninth in the regular season last year and were eliminated by Villach in the pre-playoffs, have also been back on the ice for about a week. Coach Philipp Lukas’s team will also be playing its first preseason game of the new season against us.
Last season, Linz finished in the middle of the ICE Hockey League standings, scoring 141 goals and allowing 148. Their power play (20.6 percent) and penalty kill (81.4 percent) were also roughly in line with the league average. Graham Knott was the top scorer with 21 goals and 28 assists; the Canadian forward remains on the roster.
During the offseason, the two-time Austrian champion (2003 and 2012) bolstered its roster with, among others, goaltender Dylan Wells (Kansas City Mavericks, ECHL), as well as Kyle Topping (MoDo Hockey), Trenton Bliss (Stavanger Oilers), and Brady Shaw (Ferencvárosi TC)—three highly dangerous forwards.
Die Black Wings Linz im Duell mit dem EC Red Bull Salzburg
The Match
With plenty of speed and early pressure, we want to put our opponent under pressure in their own zone as usual and create scoring chances that way. “It’s also always important in the first game that everyone stays healthy and gets a feel for the physical play again,” Hager emphasizes.
But the Red Bulls have definitely been warned, as Linz proved to be significantly more dangerous in front of goal and more compact at home last season than on the road. In short: At home, the Black Wings were far more dominant and stronger than they were on the road.
Player in the Spotlight
Sunday’s game will be a very special one for our new addition, Trevor Carrick. After all, the Canadian—who moved to Munich this summer from North America as captain of the Charlotte Checkers (AHL)—won’t just be making his debut for us. The 32-year-old will also be playing on a larger rink for the first time since New Year’s Eve 2015. Back then, he won the Spengler Cup in Davos with Team Canada. “I still have to get used to that and adjust my playing style accordingly,” says the defenseman, referring to the different rink dimensions.
His first few days in his new home have definitely been “hot” due to the temperatures. “But it’s just great here. I’m very happy and enjoying it. The conditions at SAP Garden are outstanding,” Carrick gushes. “I’m still getting to know all the guys and their habits on and off the ice. It’s great to be out on the ice with my new teammates.”
A new chapter in Vojtěch Mozík’s career has also begun. The Czech defenseman (who played seven NHL games for the New Jersey Devils) joined the Linz team just a few days ago and brings a wealth of experience from the AHL and three top European leagues.
In addition, the 33-year-old has already won the Champions League with Rögle BK and represented his home country at two Winter Olympics—including the 2022 Games in Beijing, where he played alongside our new defenseman Lukas Klok. Due to a serious knee injury, Mozík was sidelined for the past year and a half. Now the right-handed shooter is planning a fresh start in Austria.
Facts and Figures
This will be the fourth time the two teams have faced off in exhibition games. Their first matchup took place 15 years ago. In August 2011, Linz won 4–1; a year later, the Black Wings won 3–1 at the Olympia Ice Arena.
In the summer of 2015, Munich turned the tables under then-head coach Don Jackson. Keith Aucoin, Jason Jaffray, Daniel Sparre, and Maxi Kastner (with two goals) scored in the 5–2 victory.
Game Day Info
The game will be played at the LINZ AG Eisarena, which seats a total of 4,865 spectators. For all fans who want to be there in person, tickets are still available here.
The game will also be broadcast via a paid livestream on Sporteurope.TV—and, of course, we’ll be covering it as usual in the live blog on our website.
Mit Video
With Lukas Klok on the Olympiasee// STORIES
“The team's pace, quality, and intensity are already high.”// STORIES
Mit Galerie
“Ride the Wave”: Here Are Our New Home and Away Jerseys for the 2026–27 DEL Season// FANS