Merrill’s Matt Purmal has been criss-crossing the continent in his quest to move up in the hockey world, but his latest move will be practically next door.
Purmal was drafted by the Green Bay Gamblers with the understanding he would clear the competition at their main camp. He did and now he will report to the USHL squad-the top junior league in North America-on September 2.
“I’m very excited to go play for them,” Matt said. “It’s very close to home and I’ll have a bunch of people that can come to watch me. It’s the closest team to home.
“I think it’s going to be a great opportunity. Even at the try-outs, a couple of schools (colleges) had shown interest, and during the season I’ll probably get more. That’s also exciting.
“I’ll just try to play my defensive game and provide as much offense as I can.”
Just two years ago, Matt was playing NAHL juniors in Wichita Falls, Tex., after a successful high-AAA stint with the Marquette (Mich.) Electricians. He jumped more than two thousand miles to play for the AJHL Fort McMurray (Alberta, Can.) Oil Barons last year.
Purmal offered four goals and 14 assists for the Oil Barons, decent numbers for a defenseman. He had the top plus-minus rating on the squad, approaching a dozen to the good, and served 105 penalty minutes while serving something of an enforcer role. He was voted the team’s Best Defenseman, and also to the AJHL North Division All-Rookie Team.
The Oil Barons still were a viable option for Matt.
“Before Green Bay called, I was planning on going back to Fort McMurray, because I really enjoyed it up there,” he said. “(Green Bay) had seen me the previous year at (try-out) camp, and they had watched clips online. They asked me if I would come to them if they drafted me, and I said I would. They had an open try-out camp followed by the main camp with the draft players and returning players. I was able to skip the try-out camp, since they drafted me and invited me to the main camp.”
Purmal is a very mobile defender, but he carries good size at 6′ 3″ and 205 pounds.
“My trainer, Eric Filipiak of Parisi Speed School at Riverside Athletic Club, said my frame can support 215 pounds and still move well,” Purmal said. “That’s his goal to get me to that weight by the end of the summer. He’s done very well, putting 10 pounds on me since the beginning of the summer, as active as I am.
“When it’s closer to (September), I’ll find ice time in Minocqua, Everest or even Point. Two weeks prior, I’ll skate more heavily.”
The AJHL and USHL feature a similar level of hockey, although “the USHL is maybe a little faster,” Matt noted. “The USHL is considered the best junior hockey league where you’re still eligible for college. We’ll see where it goes from there. Take it one step at a time.”
Hockey is different from every other major sport in that only the very best players go from high school directly to college teams. Skaters first need to prove their mettle in juniors to earn college offers, then parlay strong play there to realize a dream to play for the pros.