The fortunes of Zsombor Garát have changed in the past week, he will still be playing junior hockey in U.S. however in a different league and with long time friend Bence Stipsicz in the USHL.
The last time we talked to Zsombor Garát at the start of the summer just after the Austin Bruins of the NAHL drafted in the first round with the 11th pick overall. Garát planned to travel out to Austin Wisconsin in August for training camp and hoped to earn an NCAA D1 scholarship with his play during the season.
The head coach of the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders of the USHL got in contact with Garát as they had an import roster spot open up as one of their planned imports decided to to be with the club for the upcoming season. Garát was invited to a tryout camp where he participated in four scrimmages, after which the coaching staff invited him to training camp where he will be one of the four import players along with Bence Stipsicz.
“Everything worked out well for me, I worked hard and I did my best during the tryout and it paid off.” Zsombor still had to take care of his situation in Austin before committing to the tryout in Cedar Rapids. “I talked to the Austin Bruins of the NAHL after this USHL opportunity came up, the Austin coach was correct and said that I should go to the tryout and if it didn't work out I would still have a place on the roster, luckily everything worked out well.”
Naturally for Zsombor he plays to attend university in the United States after playing junior hockey. “I do not really want to get out of the swing of going to school so hopefully I will only play one season of juniors but it could end up becoming two.”