Paul Sintschnig, the 16-year-old shooting star of EC VSV, has reached the next milestone in his stellar career: being called up to the Austrian national ice hockey team for the prestigious Germany Cup.
The Klagenfurt native is currently experiencing a rapid rise. The decision for the familiar environment at VSV pays off, as the attacker emphasized to LAOLA1: “If someone gives me the trust, I make sure that I use it and give the trust back.”
On September 12th he made his debut in the win2day ICE Hockey League. Just two weeks later, he made history when he became the youngest double-winner in league history. He currently has six scorer points – four goals and two assists – in 13 ICE appearances.
VSV coach Tray Tuomie is full of praise and uses the youngster flexibly: “He has really made an impact. We used him everywhere, whether on the 1st or 4th line. He has also played in the power play and penalty killing.”
Despite the hype about his talent – Tuomie sees him as “one of the top players in his year in the world” – the coach urges the public to exercise moderation. He emphasizes: “We don’t have to slow him down himself, but rather the external expectations of him.”
Sintschnig himself remains modest: “I just enjoy it and make sure I get a lot of ice time so that I can continue to develop.” The Germany Cup is now the next highlight, where the youngster will attract the attention of the ice hockey world.
Team boss Roger Bader is also excited about the 16-year-old, as he revealed to the “Kurier”: “You know that I like to throw players into the deep end and see whether they can swim. Marco Kasper also played in the national team with the grid helmet.”
Image: VSV/Stefan
