The season is quickly approaching, which means it’s time to look towards the future. We do that every year with the Five For Howling 25 Under 25, ranking the Coyotes’ best players under 25. For this year’s rankings, I am joined by James Reeve (@JamesRJReeve), Mike Gould (@miketgould), Haynes Evans (@HaynesPEvans), and Matthew Jacobson (@TheAZSportsGuy).
Michael Hrabal
2022-23 League: USHL (Omaha Lancers)
Games Played: 31
Goals-Against Average: 2.86
Save Percentage: .908
World Juniors Under-18 Games Played: 5
World Juniors Under-18 GAA: 3.11
World Juniors Under-18 SV%: .920
Highest Rating: 16
Lowest Rating: Not rated
Awards: U18 WJC Top 3 Player on Team, USHL All-Rookie Team
For the first time in this year’s 25 Under 25, we are looking at a player drafted this year. Michael Hrabal was drafted 38th overall and was considered the top goaltending prospect at the draft.
The 6-foot-7 netminder was born in Praha, Czechia, and started playing in North America last season in the USHL. The Lancers finished towards the bottom of the standings, but Hrabal stood out, and by the end of the season, he earned a spot on the USHL All-Rookie Team.
Along with a successful North American debut, Hrabal showed what he could do on the world’s stage. Czechia didn’t make it far in the tournament, but Hrabal stood out and was named a top-three player on his team.
After agreeing to play for the University of Massachusetts, Hrabal will take his talents to the NCAA next season. He will likely need a few more years of development, but it will be interesting to see if Hrabal can continue to improve.
Goaltenders tend to take the longest to develop, and with 27-year-old Karel Vejmelka, 26-year-old Connor Ingram, and 24-year-old Ivan Prosvetov on the team, there is no need to rush Michael Hrabal. There is a chance he will get significant time in the NCAA, ECHL, and AHL before he is ready to play in the NHL, and that is perfectly normal.
Before the draft, goaltending was a significant weakness for the Coyotes’ prospect pool. Hrabal doesn’t guarantee that the Coyotes have a goaltender of the future, but he definitely makes things better.