UConn men's hockey adds UNH goaltender Tyler Muszelik

UConn men’s hockey filled one of its biggest remaining holes, adding former UNH goaltender Tyler Muszelik out of the transfer portal.

A native of Long Valley, New Jersey, Muszelik is listed at 6-3, 194 pounds and catches with his left hand. The Florida Panthers selected him in the sixth round of the 2022 NHL Draft after he spent two seasons with the US National Team Development Program’s USHL squad.

Muszelik never established himself as a starter with the Wildcats. During his freshman campaign in 2022-23, he played in 19 games but had a 3.24 goals against average and .833 save percentage. Muszelik faced the Huskies that season, stopping 23 of 25 shots in a 3-2 victory for UNH on Feb. 11.

This past year, he appeared in just eight games and put up a 3.38 goals against average and .874 save percentage. Muszelik is still young — he doesn’t turn 20 until July 1 and is eight months younger than Callum Tung, who will join the team as a true freshman this fall.

From Elite Prospects’ scouting report on Muszelik in its 2022 NHL Draft Guide:

“Always fast to adjust his angles but conservative in the magnitude of the adjustments, Muszelik thrives when he’s able to play a game of predictions. He’d rather wait out an oncoming breakaway and stay on his skates to take away the top of the net, utilizing quick lower-body movement to turn away lower shots with his pads from his knees once he’s figured out where the puck is headed.”

UConn’s now set at goaltender with the addition of Muszelik. He’ll be expected to compete for time with the aforementioned Tung while freshman Thomas Heaney will likely serve as the third stringer. The Huskies turned over the entire position this offseason after Arsenii Sergeev transferred to Penn State, Ethan Haider turned pro and Matt Pasquale graduated.

This shouldn’t be the end of UConn’s use of the transfer portal this offseason. The Huskies still need to add a couple forwards to replace Matthew Wood and Samu Salminen, who transferred out.