Czech broadcaster Česká televize announced via their website on April 19 that long-time Colorado Avalanche backup goalie Pavel Francouz has officially retired.
The news shouldn’t surprise Avalanche fans, given that GM Chris MacFarland had previously expressed to DNVR Sports that Francouz would not be returning from the lower-body injury that held him out of the entire 2023-2024 season, and that retirement was Francouz’s preference.
Francouz was a fan-favorite, and instrumental to the Avalanche winning the 2022 Stanley Cup where he appeared in seven games. Francouz started and won six of those games, including all four games in the sweep of the Edmonton Oilers in the Western Conference Finals.
He finishes his four-year NHL career having played in 73 games (starting 64), all for the Colorado Avalanche. Francouz won 44, lost 21, and recorded a .919 Save Percentage after joining the Avalanche at age 28 following a successful career in the Czech Extraliga.
Per his retirement video, Francouz will now embark on a second career as a TV analyst for Česká televize starting with the upcoming Hockey World Cup.
Front Range Hockey wishes Pavel all the best in retirement!
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