Wild sign Samuel Hlavaj to two-year, entry-level contract

The 22-year-old Hlavaj posted an 8-20-0 record with a .902 SV% and 3.10 GAA with Plzen HC in Czech Extraliga this season. The 6-foot-4 Slovak native spent two seasons with HC Slovan Bratislava of the Slovakian League, recording a .912 SV% and one shutout in 27 games.

Hlavaj represented Slovakia at the 2023 IIHF World Championships, as well as three different World Junior Championships between 2019 and 2021.

Before playing professionally in Europe, he spent two seasons with the QMJHL’s Sherbrooke Phoenix between 2019-20 and 2020-21. In his first season, he led the league in GAA with 2.25, was named Defensive Rookie of the Year, was named to the All-Rookie Team and to the Second All-Star Team.

The Wild are 36-30-9 with 81 points, sixth in the Central Division. With seven games to go, they’re 10 points out of a Wild Card spot in the Western Conference. They will likely miss the playoffs for the first time since the 2018-19 season, and for just the second time since the 2011-12 campaign.

Their next game is Saturday afternoon as they host the Winnipeg Jets, then they fly to Illinois to take on the Chicago Blackhawks.