Bulldog Insider: Slovakia’s Gajan proving doubters wrong in U.S.

DULUTH — Growing up in Slovakia, college hockey was never on the radar of Minnesota Duluth freshman goaltender Adam Gajan.

Playing in the NHL was, but he kept getting overlooked by Slovakia’s national teams growing up.

“What are the chances of me making it? Probably lower than zero,” Gajan said. “So no chance, but I always believed that I could prove I’m better than what most people thought.”

Over the last three years, Gajan has been proven right. He came to America in 2022 to play for the Chippewa Steel of the North American Hockey League, and after just a few games, “everything changed.”

Gajan joined the News Tribune’s Matt Wellens and Zach Schneider of My 9 Sports on the DNT’s Bulldog Insider Podcast this week to share his journey from Poprad, Slovakia to Chippewa Falls and Green Bay, Wisconsin, and finally to UMD.

Below are edited excerpts from this week’s episode with the 2023 second-round pick of the Chicago Blackhawks, who was the top goaltender selected at No. 35 overall in the 2023 NHL Draft.

Bulldog Insider: You had mentioned that you didn’t know about college hockey until a couple years ago. Take us through your decision to leave Slovakia and come here to the United States.

Gajan: I wasn’t sure about college hockey because of school and everything like that. I was thinking about major junior as well, but especially being a goalie, I know you need more time to develop. And I was never thinking I would be drafted. The biggest guy I was looking at was Sergei Bobrovsky, a guy who is one of the best goalies in the NHL, but was never drafted. If he can be the best goalie in the NHL without being drafted, I can make it there, too, without being drafted.

I was never looking at being drafted, My goal was to go to juniors, play two — maybe three — years, go to some school, but not like Duluth. Maybe a school, not like the best hockey school, but where I can play games and maybe improve over those four years. Then one day I can make it to the NHL.

Then I came to Chippewa and everything changed after a few games. It was a lot faster than I thought, but it was always my goal. I felt like college hockey is the best spot for me to go to to develop and get to the NHL one day.

BI: You said at one point you talked to 20 college teams, thereabouts?

What was it about UMD that stood out among all the colleges that you talked to?

Gajan: I always said, if I had to decide by myself, I would still be thinking because I didn’t have any dream school. When I talked to Adam Krause the first time, I saw the Bulldog logo, I had no idea what it is. Which is so different from every guy here.

I had my visit here, but I went to all five official visits I could have went to. It was the culture and you can see the goalies. Our goalie coach, Brant (Nicklin), was working with goalies who were undrafted and signed after playing here.

Talking to my agent, teammates, coaches, they all love UMD and thought it would be a great option for me. I went with UMD and it was a great decision.

BI: At that time, you’re not thinking NHL Draft or anything like that. You’re looking for a school that is going to allow you to develop and hopefully get a pro contract afterward?

Gajan: After two games in the NAHL, I already started thinking about the draft because I played, like, three games in the NAHL and already talked to an NHL team. I was eligible the year before and I say if a hundred goalies were drafted, I wouldn’t be one of those hundred goalies. Then I play a few games in the NAHL and an NHL team starts talking to me.

I wasn’t expecting it, but after those few games I was like, ‘Oh, I guess there is a chance.’ And then it was just getting bigger and bigger, higher and higher.”

Clint Austin / Duluth Media Group

BI: You mentioned you played a couple of games in the NAHL Showcase in Blaine, and you had not just NHL teams and college teams, but you mentioned USHL teams were also talking to you.

You eventually went to the Green Bay Gamblers for 10 games, but then back to Chippewa Falls. Why stay in Chippewa Falls for the entire season and not make the jump to the USHL?

Gajan: Before the season I had zero options. My only option was Chippewa and I just had such a great relationship with coach (Casey Mignone) and was thankful to him in Chippewa. I didn’t feel like leaving the team and him was the right option.

I went to Green Bay, and they could protect me for the next year, and came back to Chippewa because that’s what I feel is right to do. I loved it there and without coach Casey giving me a chance, I would probably still be in Slovakia, and I don’t know if I would be playing hockey, because playing hockey in Slovakia is not great.

I was just so thankful for him, I didn’t feel like I want to leave.

Check out the full episode for more from Gajan. You can find the Bulldog Insider Podcast at

DuluthNewsTribune.com/BulldogInsider

, and on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes drop almost every Thursday throughout the UMD men’s and women’s hockey seasons.