Playing career
Pachal began in Junior A hockey with the Estevan Bruins of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL), before joining the Victoria Royals of the Western Hockey League (WHL) for the 2015–16 season. Pachal spent a season and a half with Victoria, before being traded to the Prince Albert Raiders during the 2016–17 season.[1] Pachal would then spend the next two seasons with Prince Albert, being named captain of the team ahead of the 2018–19 season;[2] the same year, Pachal would lead the Raiders to their second WHL Championship.
As an undrafted free agent, Pachal was signed to a three-year entry-level contract by the Vegas Golden Knights on September 20, 2019, joining Vegas' then-American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate Chicago Wolves shortly afterward.[3]
On January 20, 2022, in the midst of the 2021–22 season, Pachal was named captain of the Henderson Silver Knights, Vegas' new AHL affiliate.[4] Pachal made his NHL debut with Vegas on March 15, 2022.[5]
As a restricted free agent, Pachal signed a one-year contract extension with Vegas on July 28, 2022.[6] Pachal recorded his first NHL point on December 15, 2022, with a secondary assist on Reilly Smith's empty-net goal against the Chicago Blackhawks.[7] Pachal then made his NHL playoff debut on April 27, 2023, in the series-clinching Game 5 of the Golden Knights' first-round series against the Winnipeg Jets.[8][9] Vegas then went on to win the Stanley Cup Final; despite Pachal only playing ten regular-season games and one playoff game, the Golden Knights requested an exemption to have Pachal's name engraved on the Stanley Cup alongside the rest of the team.[10]
At the conclusion of his contract, and again as a restricted free agent, Pachal signed a further two-year extension with Vegas on June 28, 2023.[11] After making the Golden Knights' opening-night roster for the 2023–24 season,[12] Pachal scored his first NHL goal on October 12, 2023, against the San Jose Sharks.[13]
After 17 games with Vegas during the 2023–24 season, Pachal was placed on waivers on February 3, 2024, and claimed by the Calgary Flames the following day.[14] Establishing himself as a steady presence on the Flames' blueline early into the 2024–25 season, Pachal signed a 2-year, $2.375 million extension with Flames on December 17, 2024.[15]
