2023-24 Season

[69MG]

Mark Divver
@MarkDivver
·
2h
Sources saying highly touted '05 goalie Michael Hrabal of USHL Omaha Lancers to enroll at UMass this fall instead of in 2024
6-foot-6 Czech ranked in first round for 2023 NHL Draft by both Bob McKenzie & Craig Button

[DoctorJ]

This is a ray of hope. Don't want to put too much on his shoulders for next year but it is a huge get at the most important position.

[DoctorJ]

Who are our goalies next year? Hrbal, Brady, Graham??? Pav left, correct?

[TruBluMaroon]

^ Graham left ; Fessenden in from UNH.

[DoctorJ]

Brady still with us?

[mdogt12]

^ Graham left ; Fessenden in from UNH.

https://twitter.com/fightma247/status/1 ... KghSSBDvRg
Fessenden not coming. UNH maybe playing games over his transfer.

[TruBluMaroon]

^ Should be, If he is in good standing at UNH, then he can transfer; if not then he wouldn’t be able to play ; nothing gained on UNH’s end. Would need to get in good standing to be eligible and then transfer.
Would like to hear the actual scenario.

[69MG]

This, from June 1:

collegehockeyplayers@collegehockeypp
Jun 1
David Fessenden(41) decides to switch things up a bit @hockey_east to start a graduate program @UMassHockey
where there is an opening for a net starter. from 2 years @UNHMHOCKEY https://collegehockeyplayers.com/player ... senden-41/
we look for him to potentially play himself on some @NHL radar
@fezzie41

Still nothing official but maybe he gets here. Out of curiosity I checked last year's games. We beat him 4-2 @ UNH and he had a tough game against us (21 saves, 4 goals). He beat us 3-1 in Amherst and had a good game (27 saves, 1 goal).

[MikeUMA]

Anyone local want to help a member of #UMassTwitter out with a spare room for the Michigan games weekend?

@Carvelville
Anyone live in the Amherst area and have a guest room? No hotels available for parents weekend when UMass hosts Michigan in hockey. Not much on AirBnb. I'd rent your guest room for Friday and Saturday night (10/13-14) if someone wants to make a little $$.

https://twitter.com/Carvelville/status/ ... 7693093889

[mdogt12]

https://umassathletics.com/news/2023/6/ ... or-2023-24
Add another Goalie

[69MG]

He's the son of the Providence goalie coach. Why isn't he going to Providence?

TheCollegeHockeyHoodlum
@CHHoodlum
13h
Congrats to PC’s goalie coach Bruce Irving on his son’s commitment to Umass. Makes for a good little in-conference rivalry within the family.

[TruBluMaroon]

^ The son of the Volunteer Assistant Coach who lives 1.5 hours from Providence, and I’m guessing has a real adult job

[5150]

From The Athletic

In recent weeks, The Athletic spoke with 2023 prospect Aydar Suniev, who starred this season with the Penticton Vees, and multiple people who’ve worked with him, about visa issues which prevented him from playing games in the United States in each of the last two seasons. Suniev, who was born in Russia but has played in North America the last few years, had to leave Aurora, Ont., private school St. Andrew’s College (SAC) midway through the 2021-22 season for the BCHL because he couldn’t play in their travel schedule against American prep schools. This season, in Penticton, whenever the Vees travelled south to play games against Wenatchee, the BCHL’s lone American team, Suniev again couldn’t travel with them — that included skipping two road games as recently as April during the two teams’ first-round playoff series.


He was at the NHL Scouting Combine in Buffalo, though, and spoke with 19 teams there. I know that his visa issues came up in those conversations.

“I’m good for UMass in the fall,” he told The Athletic of his college commitment. “I’ve got all of the visa stuff sorted.”

In our current climate, these issues are starting to pop up for Russian and Belarusian players more. Ivan Miroshnichenko, drafted in the first round by the Capitals last year, tried for two years — unsuccessfully — to get approval on a visa so that he could play in the USHL. Russian and Belarusian players remain barred from eligibility for the CHL Import Draft, which has already complicated the desired path of top 2024 prospect Artyom Levshunov.

On talent, Suniev is a top-50 prospect in this NHL Draft class.

[69MG]

Just saw a mock draft and Hrabal was picked #32 (last pick in Round 1) by Las Vegas.

32. Vegas Golden Knights

Kimelman -- Michael Hrabal, G, Omaha (USHL): The Golden Knights used five goalies this season and have played 12 in their six seasons, and the only one they drafted to play for them was Jiri Patera, who played his first two NHL games this season. Taking a goalie here could be a reach, but Hrabal (6-7, 215), who will play at the University of Massachusetts next season, has the size and athleticism to develop into a franchise goalie.

Edit: Just saw another mock where Hrabal went #31 to Colorado. That would be great (in 3 or 4 years).

[mdogt12]

Ryan Leonard #8 to Washington