Graduate transfer goaltender Max Prawdzik is one of the several faces wearing maroon and gold for Sun Devil Hockey for the first time this 2019-20 season. The 22-year-old netminder elected to come across the country from Boston University in the offseason.

With his transfer, Prawdzik has become part of a three-man challenge week in and week out for Arizona State’s starting goalie spot. Sophomore Evan DeBrouwer and freshman Justin Robbins are also in the mix for playing time as well.

Prawdzik appeared in just a handful of games over his career with the BU Terriers, one of college hockey’s historic powerhouses. But playing behind the NHL’s Dallas Stars 2017 first-round pick in Jake Oettinger led to little opportunity there for him.

“It felt like in places where I’ve been in the past, maybe it wasn’t as much of a competition because other guys were set in stone, to no fault of their own,” Prawdzik said.

The Andover, Massachusetts, native had two big reasons why he chose to play his last year of collegiate hockey at Arizona State. The first was being able to further his education in the Sports Law and Business Master’s degree program at ASU.

And two, he knew there would be equal opportunity for him to get a shot at becoming a potential starter much more often with Sun Devil Hockey.

“[ASU head coach Greg Powers] didn’t guarantee me anything, but he said, ‘Hey, if you’re the best goalie, you’ll play.’ And that’s all you can ask for,” Prawdzik said in describing his early talks with Powers.

“I felt that this was a good opportunity to have just a fair opportunity.”

Along with the promise of a serious chance for solid playing time, the program was also given a strong recommendation from a special alumnus.

That same person also happens to be one of Prawdzik’s childhood best friends, Joey Daccord.

“He’s one of my best friends from home,” Prawdzik revealed. “He had really great things to say about playing here. He loved it.”

The two say they’ve known each other forever with their families living in the neighboring towns of Andover and North Andover.

“It’s really funny that we grew up together, then in college, he ends up going to the same school I went to after I leave so it’s really kind of funny how two different worlds collide,” Daccord said.

Prawdzik has been going to Daccord’s father’s training camps all throughout their early hockey lives. Daccord’s dad, Brian, is currently a goaltending consultant for the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs while he continues his goalie training business, called Stop It Goaltending, back home in the Boston area.

“Since my dad got to know Mr. Daccord and we got to know their family, and then we’d have sleep-away camps and we’d room together,” Prawdzik said. “It turned into every summer since I can remember playing goalie, it was just me and Joey training together all summer, working out.”

The two were always on the same road, from prep school to going through the whole college process, to thinking whether or not they wanted to play junior hockey.

“We got drafted the same year in the USHL (United States Hockey League),” Daccord said. “He actually got drafted ahead of me in the USHL Draft way back in the day. It’s just kind of one of those things where we went through a lot together and we stayed close ever since.”

Daccord was drafted by the Ottawa Senators 199th overall in the 7th round of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. He chose to play in the USHL that same year instead of going straight to college.

Prawdzik went straight to BU and was on the roster but did not see ice time during his freshman year.

Once they both were decided on their respective schools, when Daccord moved across the country to play at ASU in 2016, the two friends didn’t get to see each other as much. However, they’d still skate together every chance they had.

Daccord would go on to finish his collegiate career as the best goalie in ASU’s young history as an NCAA division one program. He chose to forego his senior year and sign his NHL entry-level contract back in the spring, leaving a vacancy in net for Sun Devil Hockey.

Prawdzik, being close to Daccord, had the insight on the program’s situation for the upcoming 2019-20 season.

“I think he was in constant communication with Joey that a net was gonna be open here, right, because Joey was going to sign,” Powers said, “So, them being best friends certainly helped lead Max down the path to coming here.”

After spending four years at BU and not getting the opportunities he hoped for to put his game on display, Prawdzik knew ASU was right where he belonged for his last year of collegiate eligibility.

“I’m super close to Joey and I’m really grateful for the kind words he put in for me to help me get a shot here,” Prawdzik said.

Powers admitted Prawdzik had options for where he would transfer. But the goalie felt a fresh start in Tempe was the obvious choice.

“It’s just a good fit,” Powers explained. “He wanted to go somewhere where he’d have a legitimate chance to earn playing time, and he knew that it would happen here. We’re gonna play the guy that gives us the best chance to win. It’s that simple.”

Nobody could expect to follow up the legacy Daccord left behind, but Prawdzik feels he can make an impact right away.

“I think that was the biggest reason that he came, and then he’s just immersed himself in everything he’s doing,” Powers said. “It’s great to have him here.”

Daccord described him as a talented goalie, complimenting his skating, hands, and ability to see the puck well. They picked up on a lot of similar traits playing together so often growing up.

“Especially when he’s on, he’s a really good goalie,” Daccord said. “I’m excited to see him do well, and I’m excited to see Evan do well, too. ASU’s goalie department is in very good hands, so I’m excited to see both of them play and do awesome this year.”

On Sunday of opening weekend, Prawdzik made his first start as a Sun Devil. He backed his team to a 6-4 victory over Mercyhurst.

“It’s just so refreshing to be in an honest competition where if I‘m the best goalie out there in practice on a Monday, it matters, it counts,” Prawdzik said. “And if I’m not, it counts. It’s refreshing to have it feel like my work is actually gonna to pay off.”

“Our team’s really good and also, the guys are awesome. I love the guys.”

Prawdzik joins a brotherhood within the locker room at ASU, led by captain Brisnon Pasichnuk. It’s a locker room that may not have as much raw talent as the one he left, but it’s one in which he has the chance to make much more of an impact with a group he’s grown fond of that is aiming to create their own legacy as a burgeoning program.