RANGERS AGREE TO TERMS WITH ONDREJ PAVELEC

Pavelec, 29, has appeared in 379 career NHL games over parts of 10 seasons (2007-08 – 2016-17), all with the Atlanta/Winnipeg franchise, posting a 152-158-47 record, along with a 2.87 GAA, a .907 SV%, and 17 shutouts. He has registered a .900 SV% or better in eight of his 10 seasons in the NHL, including all seven seasons in which he has made at least 15 appearances. Pavelec established career-bests in GAA (2.28), SV% (.920), and shutouts (five) in 50 appearances with Winnipeg during the 2014-15 season. He also established career-highs in appearances (68) and wins (29) in 2011-12 with Winnipeg, and he ranked fifth in the NHL in saves (1,845) and shots against (2,036) during the season. Pavelec helped Winnipeg advance to the playoffs in 2014-15, and he started all of the Jets’ four playoff contests.

The 6-3, 215-pounder split this past season between Winnipeg and the Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League (AHL). Pavelec appeared in eight games with the Jets in 2016-17, posting a 4-4-0 record. He also appeared in 18 games with the Moose during this past season, posting an 8-7-2 record, along with a 2.78 GAA and a .917 SV%. Pavelec made at least 30 saves in 10 of his 18 AHL appearances in 2016-17, including a season-high, 43 saves in his final AHL appearance of the season on January 15, 2017, vs. Chicago.

Internationally, the Kladno, Czech Republic, native has represented his country in several tournaments. Pavelec was a member of the Czech Republic’s Olympic team in 2010 and 2014, and he appeared in four contests during the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. He was also a member of the Czech Republic’s team at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. Pavelec has been named one of the Top Three Players on his Team at the IIHF World Championship in each of his last three appearances at the tournament (2011, 2013, and 2015). He helped the Czech Republic earn a gold medal at the 2010 IIHF World Championship and a bronze medal at the 2011 IIHF World Championship.

Pavelec was selected by Atlanta in the second round, 41st overall, of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. The pick Atlanta used to select Pavelec was acquired in a trade with the Rangers (the Blueshirts included the pick in a trade with the Thrashers to acquire the 12th overall pick in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, which New York used to select Marc Staal).