The Nashville Predators have made another trade, sending forward Jusso Pärssinen and a seventh-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft (previously owned by the New York Rangers) to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for forward Ondrej Pavel and a third-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft.
Pärssinen made his NHL debut on Nov. 12, 2022, and played in his 100th career NHL game on Nov. 17 in Vancouver. A seventh-round pick (No. 210 overall) by the Predators in 2019, he appeared to have fallen out of favor in Nashville despite signing a one-year, one-way contract to remain with the club in 2024-25. He has five points (2 goals, 3 assists) in 15 games for Nashville this season but has been a frequent healthy scratch.
Pärssinen has 42 career points (16 goals, 26 assists) in 104 NHL games from 2022-25, all with the Predators. His rookie campaign has so far been the best of his young career, seeing him post season-highs in games (45), assists (19), points (25) and game-winning goals (3). He scored a career-high eight goals last season and made his lone postseason appearance in Game 6 of the First Round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Vancouver Canucks.
Pärssinen also recorded 34 career AHL points (9 goals, 25 assists) through 46 games with the Milwaukee Admirals and added nine points (1 goal, 8 assists) in 14 Calder Cup Playoff games last season.
In return, the Predators receive Pavel, who has two assists and 16 penalty minutes through 14 games with the AHL’s Colorado Eagles in 2024-25, his second full professional season. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound forward played in 61 games for the Eagles in 2023-24, recording 10 points (6 goals, 4 assists).
Undrafted, Pavel made his NHL debut with the Avalanche on Nov. 7, 2023, and went on to play in one more game for Colorado that season. He played three seasons at Minnesota State University – Mankato prior to turning pro, helping lead the Mavericks to back-to-back CCHA championships in 2022 and 2023 and the WCHA regular-season title in 2021.
Internationally, Pavel has represented his native Czechia at the 2020 World Junior Championship and earned silver at the 2017 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. He is expected to be assigned to the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals to fill the void left by the recently recalled Vinnie Hinostroza.
The Predators’ next game is against the Winnipeg Jets Monday at 6:30 p.m. CT at Canada Life Centre.
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