Former Nittany Lion forward Nikita Pavlychev has agreed to terms for a one-year deal in the American Hockey League with the Syracuse Crunch. The franchise, an affiliate of the Tampa Bay Lightning, announced the signing on Tuesday.
Pavlychev becomes the seventh Nittany Lion to ink a professional contract this offseason, the former Pittsburgh Penguins draft choice became a free agent this past weekend following the deadline for teams to sign previously drafted college players.
“Pav has proven to be a scoring threat and there was definitely not a harder forward to play against in the entire NCAA,” Penn State head coach Guy Gadowsky said in a statement. “We are very happy to see the work he has put in as a hockey player and an athlete pay off, and we’re all excited to see him succeed at the next level.”
Originally a seventh round (197th overall) of the 2015 NHL entry draft, the tall 6-foot-8 prospect became one of Penn State’s most physical assets and saw his game grow greatly on both ends of the ice turning him into one of the nations’ premier big men.
His Penn State career concluded having scored 36 goals and 70 points while his 12 power-play tallies are good for fifth and his 137 games played are tied for the eighth most at Penn State.
During his final season Pavlychev scored seven goals while adding seven assists for 14 points in 27 games following a career-year as a junior where he netted 14 goals with 15 assists for 29 points in 39 games.
“I will forever be grateful for the opportunity that Penn State has provided me with. My four years as a Nittany Lion have not only helped me develop as a hockey player but as person too,” Pavlychev said in a press release. “I’ll always cherish the friendships that I have made along the way.”
