It’s not every day you can trade for a potential first-round goaltender, but that’s exactly what the Omaha Lancers did last summer when they acquired Michael Hrabal from Dubuque.

Standing at a towering 6-foot-6 and weighing 216 pounds, the Czech netminder enjoyed a terrific rookie season in the United States Hockey League.

Hrabal stood out on a Lancers team that spent most of the 2022-2023 season at the bottom of the standings. 

The 18-year-old led all rookie goaltenders with a 2.86 goals-against average, a .908 save percentage and three shutouts. 

🚨 TRADE ALERT 🚨

The Lancers would like to welcome Affiliate Goaltender, Michael Hrabal from the Dubuque Fighting Saints! ⚔️🔥
Full Story: https://t.co/ieKgxqqDTc pic.twitter.com/hCdjkmahEz

— Omaha Lancers (@OmahaLancers) August 12, 2022

According to Lancers head coach and general manager David Wilkie, he profiles closest to former Omaha netminder and New Jersey Devils 2018 draft pick, Akira Schmid.

“Michael (Hrabal) reminds me a lot of Akira with probably more explosiveness,” Wilkie told FloHockey.

Michael Hrabal Player Profile

Date of Birth: Jan. 20, 2005
Age: 18
Height: 6-foot-6
Weight: 216 pounds
Catches: L
Ranking: No. 2 by NHL Central Scouting (NA Goalies)
Production: 31 games, 2.86 GAA, .908 SV%, 3 SO
College: University of Massachusetts

Adjustments Proved To Be No Problem For Hrabal

Until his first USHL season, Hrabal played his entire career in the Czechian league. 

With the HC Sparta Praha U20 squad last year, he went 18-3-0. He posted a 2.14 goals-against average and .936 save percentage, with one shutout.

The young netminder excelled for the Czechia U18 team at the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. 

There, Hrabal collected a 2.73 goals-against average and a .917 save percentage in four games and wanted to try his hand at playing hockey in North America.

Playing on a smaller rink in the USHL, adjusting to the speed of the game, recovering and getting back to his feet, and puck play all were part of the adaptation process. 

Despite the Lancers getting off to a poor start, Hrabal proved he not only belonged in the North American game, he was one of the top goaltenders in the first half.

Before the holiday break, the UMass commit compiled a 2.63 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage, with two shutouts.

Quick Learner

Through a hands-on approach of video coaching sessions and on-ice development, Hrabal made vast improvements to his game in a short amount of time.

“A lot of European goalies, they’re big like (Hrabal), but they don’t use their hands very well – they play a blocking style,” Wilkie said. “He needed to work on his blocker, glove and catching pucks, and that’s just repetition.”

Hrabal has the size prospective NHL clubs fawn over. His big frame naturally occupies a lot of the goal, leaving very few openings for the opposition. 

But when he first arrived in Omaha, Hrabal’s puck play was an area that required a considerable amount of attention. Because of the European goaltending style, netminders rarely have to play the puck from behind the net.

However, Hrabal turned this area of concern into a strength in the second half of the season.

He posted a 2.53 goals-against average and a .898 save percentage, with one shutout, in 15 games after the holiday break. Further, Hrabal allowed two or fewer goals in eight of those games.

“His work ethic got much better, and his back-to-his-feet fundamentals were tremendous,” Wilkie said. “I think the biggest one was his emotional maturity. I’ve never met a goalie who doesn’t give up a goal and just being able to worry about the next play and fight through some adversity. By the end (of the season), he was a really good package.”