Matthew Galajda Transfers to Notre Dame

One of the top available players in the men’s hockey transfer portal this season was Cornell goalie Matthew Galajda, who was a 2020 finalist for the Mike Richter as one of college hockey’s top goalies before sitting out this season due to the Ivy League cancelling their season in light of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Today, it was announced that Galajda will transfer to Notre Dame next season.

Galajda would have been a senior this past season, but gets an extra year due to the pandemic and should step in as a starter immediately. The Irish had a vacancy in goal after their starter this season, Dylan St. Cyr, opted into the transfer portal to play his bonus year elsewhere.

Galajda’s statistics at Cornell were extremely solid over all three seasons with the Big Red. He posted save percentages of .939/.921/.931 in each of the three seasons he played. In his freshman season, he was a finalist for the Richter Award and the Hobey Baker Award, and was nominated as a finalist for the Richter Award again in 2020.

It’s a big addition for a Notre Dame that just barely snuck into the national tournament this season before being eliminated by positive Covid tests. Adding a first-class goalie to their stingy defensive scheme could make Notre Dame a contender in the Big Ten next season.