The Arizona Coyotes may have a future franchise altering goalie on their hands in Michael Hrabal as he has the chance to showcase his skills at the World Juniors for Chzechia.
Arizona Coyotes’ goalie prospect Michael Hrabal will compete for Team Chzechia at the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship.
The 18-year-old is playing in the NCAA for UMass Amherst where he has posted a 7-3-1 record, .905 SV%, 2.67 GAA and 2.67 GAA to go along with one shutout.
Hrabal’s most intriguing attribute is his large frame as he stands at 6’6’’ which is a big reason why the Coyotes decided to select him with the 38th overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft. He was the second goaltender to be drafted.
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“Hrabal uses his speed and athleticism nicely to shift his positioning while sprawling out to shut down high danger shots,” Josh Tessler of Smaht Scouting wrote. “He has excellent post security, he takes away a lot of space in net when the opposition is driving the puck in the corner and behind the red line. In addition to his post security, he does a good job of widening himself and taking up space down low.”
If Hrabal is able to reach his full potential, he really does have the chance to be a franchise altering goalie.
At his size and skill, the sky's the limit for what Hrabal can accomplish once he fully develops and takes the next step into the NHL one day.
This World Junior tournament will be a big chance for Hrabal to compete against the best young talent in the world and showcase his skills if given the opportunity.
While he is only 18-years-old, this upcoming month will be a crucial step in Hrabal’s development as the Coyotes wait to see if they do indeed have a franchise caliber goaltender on their hands.