Pavel Novak's time with in the Minnesota Wild's organization has come to an end.

On Friday, Oct. 25, the Wild placed the former Kelowna Rocket on unconditional waivers for the purposes of contract termination.

Most of the time, this usually happens when both the team and player have come to a mutual agreement to go their own ways. It's also a way for European players, like Novak, to be able to go back and continue their career at home or overseas.

Novak had played just two games this season for Minnesota's ECHL affiliate, the Iowa Heartlanders. Last season, he collected 27 points in 44 games with Iowa and three points in 13 games with the Iowa Wild, Minnesota's AHL team. 

In two seasons with Kelowna, from 2019-22, Novak scored 54 goals and added 76 assists (130 points) in 117 games. Minnesota selected him in the fifth round (146th overall) in the 2020 NHL Draft.

In June 2022, Novak and the Rockets announced he has been diagnosed with cancer. On Oct. 5 of that year, he announced on Instagram that he was cancer-free and on the road to recovery.