DENVER – Forward Ondrej Pavel, 23, became the 22^nd former Maverick men's hockey player to make his National Hockey League debut when he skated for the Colorado Avalanche at Ball Arena against the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday night (Nov. 7).  
 
Pavel played 10 games for the Colorado Eagles (AHL) before his call-up on Monday, November 6. He held a plus-5 rating with six penalty minutes in Loveland.
 
From Praha, Czechia (Prague, Czech Republic as known more widely in English-speaking countries), Pavel played two games for the Colorado Eagles (AHL) in 2022-23 after 39 games for the Mavericks in his third collegiate season. The left-shot center appeared in 94 games for the Mavericks with 18 goals, 23 assists and 41 points. Last season he held a plus-6 rating with 34 penalty minutes, 30 blocked shots and one game-winning goal. He finished the spring with 15 points (six goals, nine assists).
 
Pavel spent two seasons with Fargo of the United States Hockey League where he served as team captain and recorded 11 goals, nine assists and 20 points in 40 games. He won Fargo's Tom Clifford Leadership & Dedication Award in 2019-20. Pavel also represented Czechia at the 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship.
 
Former Mavericks currently on NHL rosters include Pavel, Teddy Blueger (Vancouver Canucks), Walker Duehr (Calgary Flames) and Tyler Pitlick (New York Rangers).

Other former Minnesota State players to play in the NHL include Tim Jackman (MSU 2000-02), Ryan Carter (2004-06), Grant Stevenson (MSU 2001-03), David Backes (MSU 2003-06), Steve Wagner (MSU 2004-07), Jon Kalinski (MSU 2005-08), Travis Morin (MSU 2003-07), Tyler Pitlick (MSU 2009-10), Eriah Hayes (MSU 2009-13), Kael Mouillierat MSU 2006-10), Casey Nelson (MSU 2013-16), Daniel Brickley (MSU 2015-18), Teddy Blueger (MSU 2012-16), C.J. Suess (MSU 2014-18),  Connor Mackey (2017-20), Marc Michaelis (2016-20), Walker Duehr (2017-21) Nathan Smith (2019-22), Jaxson Stauber (2019-20) and Akito Hirose (2022-23) and Jake Livingstone (2022-23).