Blumel Going to the Big “D”
October 26, 2022 – United States Hockey League (USHL) – Waterloo Black Hawks News Release
Waterloo, Iowa – An explosive start in the American Hockey League has propelled former Waterloo Black Hawk forward Matej Blumel to a spot on the Dallas Stars’ roster, the NHL club announced today.
Playing his first North American professional season, Blumel had eight points (five goals, three assists) in just two AHL weekends for Dallas’ affiliate, the Texas Stars. He opened the year with at least one point during all five of Texas’ games and a goal in four straight. More than 26 percent of his shots on goal hit the net. That superb first impression placed him into a tie for the AHL’s goal-scoring lead, plus a tie for third in points.
During the offseason, Blumel signed with Dallas following three seasons in Czechia’s professional Tipsport Extraliga. As a member of the HC Dynamo Pardubice program, Blumel took the ice in 129 regular season games, tallying 33 goals and 28 assists. He has also played in 13 career postseason games with Pardubice, earning four points (two goals, two assists). Blumel represented Czechia at the 2021 and 2022 IIHF World Championships.
The now-22-year-old joined the Black Hawks at age 17, drawing the attention of NHL scouts during two years in Waterloo. Blumel played in 108 USHL regular season games, recording 38 goals and 40 assists. He was particularly productive in his second year, when he notched 30 goals and 30 assists in 58 appearances. Blumel finished among the league leaders on power play goals (9), game-winning goals (8), and shorthanded goals (4). That summer, the Edmonton Oilers selected him during the fourth round of the 2019 NHL Draft.
Dallas hosts the Washington Capitals on Thursday and the New York Rangers on Saturday. While Blumel is on the cusp of his NHL debut, the Black Hawks’ most accomplished NHL alumnus, Joe Pavelski, is currently tied for the Stars’ scoring lead with seven points (four goals, three assists). Since joining Dallas in 2019/20 (before the 14th of his 17 NHL seasons), Pavelski has played in 212 regular season games with 70 goals and 100 assists, also helping the Stars reach the 2020 Stanley Cup Final Series.
One other NHL club – the L.A. Kings – currently has two former Black Hawks on their roster: defenseman Mikey Anderson and goaltender Cal Petersen.
Three Black Hawks alumni – Tom Novak, Jack Drury, and Dylan Samberg – made their NHL debuts in 2021/22. So far in the current season, a dozen former Waterloo players have seen NHL ice time. An organizational record 15 alumni played in at least one game last winter.
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