A bit of a bummer here as Matej Machovsky didn’t have the patience to stick around and earn a spot. From the Grand Rapids Griffins:
GRIFFINS ANNOUNCE ROSTER TRANSACTIONS
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Grand Rapids Griffins on Sunday announced that center Trevor Yates has been released from his amateur tryout and that goaltender Matej Machovsky will be returning to the Czech Republic for the remainder of the season.
Signed to a contract for the 2018-19 campaign and to an amateur tryout for this season on March 29, Yates skated in his professional debut with the Griffins on Wednesday at Texas. He appeared in a total of two games with Grand Rapids and picked up his first pro point on an assist in Thursday’s 6-2 win at San Antonio.
Yates, 23, appeared in 33 games with the Cornell Big Red (ECAC) this season as an alternate captain and posted career highs in points (26), goals (13), assists (13) and plus-minus rating (+17) to cap off a four-year career. He tied for the team lead in both points and goals, helping the Big Red capture the Cleary Cup as the ECAC’s regular season champion and earn a second consecutive bid to the NCAA Tournament.
A native of Beaconsfield, Quebec, Yates appeared in 120 career games with Cornell from 2014-18, producing 65 points (32-33—65), 30 penalty minutes and a plus-20 rating.
In his first pro season in North America, Machovsky, 24, showed a 1-1-1 record, a 2.43 goals against average and a 0.911 save percentage in four games with the Griffins. He made his AHL debut on Feb. 21 against Chicago and stopped 14-of-15 shots in a relief effort. Machovsky picked up his first career AHL victory in his first start on Feb. 25 versus Iowa, recording 26 saves and turning aside all three of the Wild’s shootout attempts.
Machovksy produced an 11-9-1 record with two shutouts in 21 games with the ECHL’s Toledo Walleye this season. If he had enough minutes to qualify, he would have tied for second in the league in GAA (2.02) and ranked fourth in save percentage (0.928).
A native of Opava, Czech Republic, Machovsky played the last four seasons with Plzen HC of the Czech Extraliga. Appearing in 178 games from 2013-17, the 6-foot-2, 200-pound netminder amassed a 94-84-0 record and a 2.23 GAA.
Second-seeded Grand Rapids will face third-seeded Manitoba in the best-of-five Central Division Semifinals. Game 1 is set for Saturday, April 21 at Manitoba.
Tickets for Games 3 and 4 (if necessary) of the division semifinals at Van Andel Arena are currently on sale and can be purchased at all Star Tickets locations, including The Zone, online through griffinshockey.com/tickets, by phone through Star Tickets at (800) 585-3737, or via the Griffins app for iPhone or Android.
George – curious to know your thoughts on Machovsky’s upside? He tore up the ECHL and looked like he was doing well at the AHL. That doesn’t necessarily translate into NHL success (see Coreau, Jared), but you never know until they get some NHL minutes.
I get his frustration with playing time. I assume we still have his rights. Do you know if he’s coming back next season?
I get the feeling from past articles that he is moving on Rob. Not 100% on that…