Former Milwaukee Admirals forward Ondrej Pavel has signed a two-year deal in Finland with Tappara, it was announced earlier this week.
A product of Praha, Czechia, Pavel split time last season between the Admirals and the Colorado Eagles. In a combined 57 regular season games, he scored eight goals and added 12 assists for 20 points. With Milwaukee having made the playoffs, Pavel went pointless in two games.
Having been in North America since the 2016-17 season, Pavel has played U16 hockey all the way through to the NHL since leaving his home country. Having made his pro debut at the end of the 2022-23 season, Pavel has since appeared in two NHL games – both with the Colorado Avalanche – but did not register a point.
As Pavel makes his way back to Europe, he will be an important addition for Tappara as they face off against other strong Liiga teams. Capable of producing points and going to the dirty areas, Pavel will be one to watch.