NAHL alum Pavel signs NHL contract with Avalanche

Ondrej Pavel played in the NAHL for the Minot Minotauros during the 2017-18 season, which included an appearance at the 2018 Robertson Cup.

The Colorado Avalanche Hockey Club announced that the team has signed former NAHL and Minot Minotauros forward Ondrej Pavel to a two-year, entry-level contract for the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons. He will join the Colorado Eagles on a professional tryout contract (PTO) for the remainder of the 2022-23 campaign.

Pavel, 22, just completed his junior season at Minnesota State University, where he recorded 15 points (6g/9a) in 39 games. The center has skated in 94 career outings with the Mavericks, tallying 41 points (18g/23a) from 2020-23. He tallied career-highs in points (22), goals (12) and assists (10) and finished with a +19 plus/minus rating as a sophomore in 2021-22, appearing in all 44 games to help the Mavericks capture the CCHA championship. Pavel helped Minnesota State to the WCHA regular-season title in 2020-21 recording four points (0g/4a) in 11 outings.

Pavel skated in 48 North American Hockey League games with the Minot Minotauros, tallying 18 points (8g/10a) in the 2017-18 campaign. He appeared in 12 postseason outings and recorded six points (2g/4a), helping his team finish as the runner up for the 2018 Robertson Cup.

The Prague, Czech Republic, native represented his country at the 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship, appearing in five games. He also skated for Czech Republic at the 2017 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, recording three points (3g/0a) in five outings.