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Michael Hrabal - Nov. 25, 2024 – Vol. 78, Issue 5 - Ryan Kennedy

ALL’S WELL THAT ENDED well for Michael Hrabal and the Czechs at the 2024 world juniors, but the Utah HC prospect made sure to learn from his first time on the big stage.

Hrabal was in net for Czechia’s quarterfinal upset over Canada last year, making 28 saves in the 3-2 victory. After a loss to Sweden, Czechia took on Finland in a bonkers bronze-medal game that saw Hrabal pulled after two early goals before his team stormed back for an 8-5 win. “Team success is the most important thing, so winning bronze was great,” Hrabal said. “There were games I didn’t play very well, but I learned a lot. I came back strong after the tournament and grew as a goalie. I’ve tried to continue that and get better every game.”

Hrabal is a sophomore at UMass, where he has been the Minutemen’s starting goalie since he arrived on campus last year. “I love UMass,” he said. “It’s a great school. I have great teammates and great coaches. The culture here is something no other team has, so I’m very thankful I chose this school.”

Hrabal was first introduced to life in North America in Omaha, Neb., where he played for the USHL’s Lancers. “Having to do laundry and other things by myself, it was a big change,” he said. “But I had a great billet family and great teammates who helped me adjust.”

While his freshman season at UMass was a success, Hrabal took lessons from the WJC in order to build his game once he returned to Amherst. “Skating was a big part,” he said. “That tournament showed me I needed to improve there. When I compare last season and this season so far, my skating and my playing the puck to help the team on the breakout is incomparable.”

At 6-foot-6 and 210 pounds, Hrabal holds obvious appeal as a future pro goalie. He’ll become even more effective as he continues to add pieces to his game, and UMass, under coach Greg Carvel, is an excellent place to develop. The titan-sized netminder didn’t want to assume he was guaranteed a spot on this year’s WJC squad, but with the experience he already has in the tournament, he’d be a key asset for a program that has medalled twice in a row – and would love to make it three. 

Utah's Caroline Klein Pens Goodbye To Mammoth Fans Recently, Utah Mammoth Chief Communications Officer Caroline Klein passed away after a long battle with cancer. Originally, I debated writing about it because it was tragic and, out of respect for her family, I held off. That was until I read Caroline's beautifully written goodbye to Mammoth fans and felt it was worth sharing.

Utah & Edmonton Could Be Trade Partners Early In 2025-26 Season The Utah Mammoth and the Edmonton Oilers could become trade partners very early in the 2025-26 season. With the recent news of Connor Ingram being cleared from the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program, there is now a position battle for the backup goalie spot in Utah.

Ingram's Return Creates Backup Goalie Battle Late yesterday afternoon, news broke that Utah Mammoth goalie Connor Ingram was cleared by the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program and is free to return to the NHL. This is excellent news for him and the organization.

Did Team USA Snub Utah’s Nick Schmaltz From Olympic Camp? Yesterday, Team USA released their invite list to the <a href="https://teamusa.usahockey.com/news_article/show/1344220" target="_blank">2026 Men’s Olympic Orientation Camp</a> which included 44 players. For the Utah Mammoth, their own Logan Cooley and captain Clayton Keller were two of the 44 invited.