The Steinbach Black Wings Linz are pushing forward with their squad planning and are presenting their next attacker, Kyle Topping. In addition to game intelligence and speed, the 26-year-old Canadian also brings experience from numerous top European leagues. Travis Barron & Luka Maver, however, are not returning to the steel city.
Educated in his native Canada, Topping gained early attention for his offensive productivity. In the WHL youth league he developed into a reliable scorer and was recommended for appearances in the ECHL and AHL. The left-handed shooter collected 35 points in the third-highest league and 20 points in the second-strongest league in North America in just under two years.
In 2022, the traditional Swiss club La Chaux-de-Fonds became aware of him and brought him to Europe. On the way to the title in the second highest division, Topping scored an outstanding 19 points (10 goals) in 25 games, but failed with his colleagues in the subsequent qualification for promotion to the NLA.
The left-handed shooter then moved on to Västerås IK in Sweden. With another 36 direct goals (17 goals), he became the team’s second-best scorer at Benedikt Oschgan’s club at the time, but missed the playoffs.
The center forward then moved to HPK in Finland and again recorded strong 29 points, but remained there without a postseason. In the last championship it should finally work out with a run in the most important phase of the season. Active again in Sweden’s second highest league, he led Modo Hockey to Game 7 of the semi-finals. He crowned another successful season with seven goals and four assists. Especially when he was in the majority, he stood out on the one hand with a good overview of his teammates, and on the other hand he delivered precise one-timers himself.
The strong center forward will strengthen the Steinbach Black Wings Linz for the 2026/27 season and will wear the shirt number 24 in the future.
No return from Barron and Maver
With Travis Barron and Luka Maver, the Stahlstadters announced two more departures, each of whom ultimately did not receive a new contract offer. The former became the second-best scorer (42 points) in his year at the Untere Donaulände and played 45 games for Linz. The latter made 29 appearances in the 2025/26 season due to a persistent injury.
The Steinbach Black Wings Linz would like to thank Travis Barron and Luka Maver for their work and wish them all the best for the future in their private and sporting lives!
Voices
Kyle Topping: “I’m looking forward to my fifth year in Europe and to bringing my previous experiences to Linz. The exit in Game 7 of the semi-finals last season motivated me and connects me with the Black Wings. Brodi Stuart, who scored this legendary overtime goal here, is a good friend. So of course I feel a little pressure to score a similarly important goal. I want to help us come together quickly as a team and act aggressively to make life difficult for every opponent!”
Head coach Philipp Lukas: “Kyle was already one of our preferred candidates last year, and I’m very pleased that it has now worked out. He brings a lot of speed and offensive power. He has already proven his skills in strong leagues for several years, and we are convinced that his style of play fits our expectations very well.”
blackwings.at , Image: BWL / Eisenbauer
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