After choosing defensemen Marek Alscher and Ludvig Jansson and forwards Sandis Vilmanis and Josh Davies at the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, Florida Panthers general manager Bill Zito went with goaltender Tyler Muszelik in the sixth round (189th overall) of the event at the Bell Centre in Montreal.
Muszelik appeared in 16 USHL games with the United States National Team Development Program during his draft season, posting a 10-3-2 record, 3.71 GAA and .900 save percentage. Over 34 career USHL games with the USNTDP, Muszelik compiled a 15-13-4 record.
On the international stage, the 6-foot-3, 195-pound native of Long Valley, New Jersey represented the United States in two games at the 2022 IIHF U18 World Junior Championship, earning victories in both outings and brought home a silver medal.
Prior to our 2023 profile, Neutral Zone was kind enough to provide Litter Box Cats with a bit of intel on Muszelik, They had him graded as a C+ prospect (low probability of playing NHL games, but has some NHL potential) and ranked 211th in its final draft rankings, not too far of from where he was ultimately drafted.
C me: He is a 6’3″ athletic goaltender with high-end anticipation and play reading abilities. While in the butterfly he has the flexibility to keep his hips high which allows him to pounce on rebounds. He had a 0.900 sv% against USHL competition and a 0.909 sv% at the U18 World Championships. He is going to the University of New Hampshire and will be counted on to play heavy minutes early in his college career.
C me not: His overall skating ability is average. He is still developing his explosive lateral movement.
After attending his first development camp with the Panthers, Muszelik enrolled at the University of New Hampshire, where he went 4-7-2 with a 3.24 GAA in 14 appearances as a freshman. He finished the season with .883 save percentage and recorded his first collegiate shutout with a 29-save effort in a 1-0 shootout win over Maine Black Bears on February 18. He was named the Hockey East Pro Ambitions Rookie of the Week twice.
In 2023, Muszelik made a second appearance at development camp where he shared the net with fellow prospects Spencer Knight, Olof Glifford, and Ludovic Waeber as well as invitees Cooper Black and Charlie Robertson. He got the start for Team White in the scrimmage that was held on the camp’s final day and surrendered four goals in the first half of what turned out to be a 6-3 win for Team Red.
Before returning to New Hampshire for his sophomore season. Muszelik earned a invite to the 2023 USA Hockey’s World Junior Summer Showcase. While he acquitted himself well, he did not make the roster for 2024 World Junior Championship as Team USA took Trey Augustine, Jacob Fowler and Sam Hillebrandt to Sweden.
Unfortunately, Muszelik’s second season at UNH went much like his first as he failed to establish himself as starter and appeared in just eight games. He finished his sophomore campaign with a 5-3 record and posted a 3.38 GAA and .874 save percentage. He did record his second NCAA shutout in a 1-0 win over Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute on December 9.
In April, frustrated by a lack of playing time, Muszelik used the transfer portal to make to move to the Connecticut Huskies, who were looking for another goaltender to pair with fellow 20-year-old, Callum Tung while freshman Thomas Heaney likely serves as the third stringer. Tung comes to the NCAA after three seasons with the BCHL’s Alberni Valley Bulldogs.
Interestingly, both Muszelik and the undrafted Tung just attended development camp in Fort Lauderdale. Each of the future Huskies surrendered one goal during the final day scrimmage, with Muszelik yielding a breakaway marker to Oliver Okuliar and Tung surrendering the winner to Josh Davies.
Muszelik’s got the size and potential to one day become a professional, but with the lack of game action he’s gotten over the last two years, what he needs most is playing time before a proper assessment on his abilities can be made. With Muszelik (and Tung) sharing the net in Storrs, expect Florida’s scouting staff to keep a close eye on UConn this season.