Checking in With Adam Gajan

Image Credit: UMD Athletics

Adam Gajan is chasing greatness in goal with Slovakia and the Chicago Blackhawks. Catch up with the former Minnesota Duluth Bulldog goaltender.

Written by Mike Klein

FRIBOURG, Switzerland — When Adam Gajan faced the decision of how to best achieve his hockey aspirations, one message stood out: “Go West, young man.”

From an early age, the Poprad, Slovakia, native dreamed of playing in the National Hockey League and for the Slovak national team. Based on his decision to play his first year of 16-and-under hockey in Finland, he would go anywhere and play for any team to make that happen.

After playing the 2018-19 season with the HPK organization, Gajan returned home to play on the junior hockey circuit before rolling the dice and relocating to northern Wisconsin in hopes of playing in the NCAA.

“I don’t remember how I first heard of NCAA hockey,” Gajan said. “I went to a lot of goalie camps in Slovakia and I’m sure I heard people talking about it there. The more I heard, the more I became interested in it.”

“I know a lot of kids in the USA dream of playing college hockey, but it’s not as big in Slovakia, but it turned out to be the right choice,” he said. “Goaltenders take longer to develop and the chance of playing professionally right after juniors is small, so I thought NCAA hockey would give me a few more years to improve and hopefully achieve my goals.”

Having been overlooked for most of his career, Gajan searched for opportunities in the United States and connected with a coach in Chippewa Falls, WI, and that lit the spark for his rise.

“The coach of the Chippewa Steel was the only one who seemed interested,” he recalled. “He found me a spot in a summer showcase,” he said. “I played very well, and by then, I had a lot of options, but I appreciated what the Chippewa coach did for me, so I decided to play for him.”

Image Credit: Kyle Cannillo, Chippewa Steel | Gajan in game action with the NAHL’s Chippewa Steel

Gajan’s decision to play in the North American Hockey League paid off handsomely. He received a six-game call-up to the USHL’s Green Bay Gamblers and earned a spot on Team Slovakia for the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championships in Canada. He made the most of his debut in the national colors, posting a 2.40 goals-against-average and .936 save percentage, enough to be named the top goaltender in the tournament.

Between his performances with the Steel and the national team, Gajan received considerable interest from teams in both the NCAA and the NHL.

“I think I received offers from twenty schools, and I had to narrow that down to five choices for an official visit,” he said. “In the end, I decided to attend [Minnesota Duluth]. UMD has an amazing history, and [Head Coach] Scott Sandelin is the reason for that. I couldn’t turn down the opportunity to play for him. Also, having been away from home and moving a lot in the US, I thought it was great that I would still be close to my billet family from Chippewa Falls when I was in Duluth.”

With an international tournament under his belt and a college commitment in hand, the one last milestone Gajan hoped to achieve came true in the offseason. The Chicago Blackhawks selected him 35th overall in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.

The following season, Gajan chose to remain in Wisconsin, moving down State Highway 29 to play full-time for the Gamblers. Again, the change of scenery proved beneficial, as he was again named to the Slovak national U20 team.

Despite an injury in November of his freshman season, Gajan had little reason to believe that his meteoric ascent would peter out anytime soon, as he excelled in both the academic and athletic components of college hockey.

He took home Rookie of the Week honors on November 18, 2024, and Goaltender of the Week on March 3, 2025, for the NCHC, widely considered to be the best conference in the NCAA. Off the ice, he earned a spot on the NCHC Newcomer Academic All-Conference Team and a Distinguished Newcomer Scholar Athlete award.

Image Credit: UMD Athletics | Gajan in NCHC action at Amsoil Arena in Duluth, Minnesota against in-state rivals St. Cloud State.

Based on his freshman season, it appeared that the 2025-26 season would be his last in Duluth. Aside from leading the Bulldogs to the NCAA tournament after a three-year absence, Gajan hoped to join Team Slovakia in the Olympics in Milan, Italy, and the World Championships in Fribourg, Switzerland.

“I had a feeling that I could make the Olympic team,” he said. “Slovakia doesn’t have a lot of goaltenders ready for that level of competition, and since I had a great start to the season, I thought my dream was very attainable. Even though I didn’t play in a game, it was a great experience. I was an Olympian and nothing can change that.”

The Olympics, however, would not be Gajan’s first trip back to Europe during the season, as he was one of the 25 players selected for the inaugural US Collegiate Selects team in the 2025 Spengler Cup in Davos, Switzerland. The team, comprised of top NCAA players from each conference, quickly won over the crowd and reached the championship game, falling 6-3 to host HC Davos, despite having defeated them in the group stage.

“The Spengler Cup wasn’t one of my goals before the season, but I’m happy I got that experience,” he said. “It’s not well-known in the US, but everybody in Europe knows about it and a lot of people in Slovakia watch it every year. It was great to be part of that team; people were really excited to watch us. It was strange hearing people cheer ‘USA! USA!’ for me because I’m from Slovakia, but the whole experience was great, and I think my performance there helped me make the Olympic team.”

Once Gajan’s season with Duluth concluded, he signed his contract with the Blackhawks and played one game with the AHL’s Rockford Ice Hogs before returning to Switzerland for the World Championships.

“The game in Rockford was great,” he said. “My whole life, I wanted to play professional hockey, and I thought I played very well. I know I’m close to playing in the NHL, so I’m excited to play [a full season of] pro hockey next year.”

Unsurprisingly, Gajan has nothing but fond memories of NCAA hockey and recommends that route for anybody wishing to pursue a career in the sport.

“I made a decision based on my development and it was a great experience,” he said. “School may be challenging for the European players, but I don’t regret [pursuing the NCAA route] at all. I think if you’re not a top-three pick in the NHL Draft, NCAA hockey is a great way to develop and prepare yourself for pro hockey.”