Austrian Imports Sintschnig & Uschan sign with Halifax
2026-07-29
The Halifax Mooseheads have officially secured both of their selections from the 2026 CHL Import Draft, as forward Paul Sintschnig and defenceman Nico Uschan have signed QMJHL Scholarship and Development Agreements ahead of the 2026-27 season.
“We’re very excited to officially welcome Paul and Nico to the Mooseheads organization,” said General Manager Cam Russell. “Both players bring a strong combination of skill, competitiveness, and international experience, and we believe they’ll be great additions to our lineup and our dressing room. We look forward to helping them continue their development in Halifax and are eager to see the impact they can make this season.”
The Mooseheads traded up with the Baie-Comeau Drakkar prior to the June 30 CHL Import Draft to acquire the second overall selection, which they used to choose highly regarded Austrian forward Paul Sintschnig. The 17-year-old from Klagenfurt, Austria, enters the season as an NHL Draft-eligible prospect after gaining valuable experience at multiple levels during the 2025-26 campaign.
Sintschnig appeared in 32 games with Villacher SV of the ICEHL, Austria’s premier professional hockey league, and also represented his country at the IIHF World Junior Championship Division IA tournament. Across all levels, he collected 35 points in 64 games. The 6-foot-1, 176-pound left-shot forward has already made history as one of the youngest players ever to debut for the Austrian senior national team, earning his first appearance at just 16 years old.
Halifax later selected Nico Uschan with the 81st overall pick in the second round of the import draft. The 19-year-old defenceman was a teammate of Sintschnig’s with hometown club Villacher SV in the ICEHL.
Standing 6-foot-1 and weighing 185 pounds, Uschan is a left-shot blueliner expected to provide a steady veteran presence on the Mooseheads’ blue line. His professional experience and mature defensive game should make him a valuable addition to Halifax’s backend heading into the 2026-27 season.
Both players will be with the Mooseheads when training camp opens on August 19th at the team practice facility in Dartmouth.
Season Tickets for 2026-27 are on sale now, while Half-Season Tickets will go on sale on August 5th.
