Michelle Pasiechnyk on Community Support, Rediscovering Her Passion, and a Journey to the Pros
Michelle Pasiechnyk's story is a fascinating one because it highlights a reality and truth of being an athlete: not every journey is exactly the same. And that's totally okay.
Michelle Pasiechnyk was born in Ottawa, Ontario, and from a young age, whether it was ice hockey or mini sticks, there was no doubt that hockey would be the sport she’d pursue.
Our full conversation is available now on YouTube here.
“My parents threw me on skates, and I started practicing,” Michelle said. “And very early on, I think three or four, they introduced me to hockey and I just kind of immediately fell in love.” And from there, watching fellow goaltenders like Henrik Lundqvist only further inspired Michelle to continue pursuing not only hockey but goaltending in particular.
Michelle played her entire junior career in the nation’s capital, first with the Ottawa Lady 67’s, now the Junior 67’s, before playing two seasons with the Nepean Wildcats, and having the opportunity to develop and find her game while remaining close to home and her support system was something that Michelle never took for granted.
“It was great growing up, not having to move away and having my parents and friends and just their support,” she said. “And on the development side, too. My dad was my coach for a few years when I played for the 67’s, so that was special. It’s just really nice to have that support and love, and it developed me into the player and person I am today.”
That junior career, and in particular her final two with Nepean, was remarkable, and that’s putting it lightly. Michelle played 52 regular-season games for the Wildcats, winning 31 of those outings and finishing with a 1.39 goals against average and a .945 save percentage, along with 12 shutouts. This is some “not so subtle” foreshadowing of an equally successful collegiate career.
Michelle would go on to play four seasons at Clarkson University, where she would see immediate success, finishing her rookie season with a 1.71 goals-against average and a .942 save percentage. That early success can be attributed not only to being a remarkably talented player but also to finding a home in the program.
Over the next four years, Michelle would go on to put together a stat line that makes a person do a double-take. 111 games played, 1.58 goals against average, .935 save percentage, 21 shutouts, 2449 total saves, and named the NCAA Goaltender of the Year in 2023-24, beating out familiar names to PWHL fans: Raygan Kirk and Gwyneth Philips. And that recognition validated the journey and the hard work Michelle had put in throughout her life.
And this is where Michelle’s story takes an important, and unexpected, turn. One that ultimately helped her to rediscover why she fell in love with the game and started playing in the first place. Following that season, which culminated in being named Goaltender of the Year, Michelle stepped away from hockey.
“Stepping away wasn’t easy, but it was a decision that I had to make because I was just mentally and physically burnt out,” Michelle said. “I didn’t know what I wanted to do in life, so I think just taking that year gave me a lot of clarification.” And taking that year away from the game of hockey, something that had become such an important part of her life, provided a reminder of her passion for the sport.
“As hard as it was that year, it was really tough mentally, it was for the best,” she said. “Just figure out what I truly wanted, and to look at it from a different light, not as ‘I have to grind through today,’ but ‘I love it, and I get to go to practice and do all these things.”
Following that year away from the game, a rediscovered passion for it, and a new perspective on her career, Michelle joined the program at Boston University.
“A month before everyone is coming back to campus, I got a call from Boston that they needed a goalie,” Michelle said. “I immediately knew that I loved the city. It’s a great place, and I love their program. So I didn’t even hesitate when I told them yes.” And in that first year back, Michelle finished the season with a 2.52 GAA and a .919 SV% in 17 games. And while she’ll be the first to admit that it took some time to settle in, for Michelle, it proved that she still had what it takes to compete.
And now, with the PWHL Draft, the focus shifts to what could be next and a chapter in which Michelle admits that while there are nerves, there’s a lot of excitement.
“It’s about inspiring the next generation of young girls who are growing up playing hockey,” Michelle said. “It’s about showing them that there is a real pathway to play at the highest level. It’s nice to help grow the game and actually give this younger generation something to see and believe in.”
From mini sticks and outdoor rinks to Clarkson and Boston University, every step along the road for Michelle Pasiechnyk has shown her abilities on the ice, and the way that she’s navigated the bumps, twists and turns off the ice shows the maturity away from it. And while the next chapter remains unclear, you can rest assured that it’ll be one written with the quiet confidence that has defined who Michelle really is.
Our full conversation is available now on YouTube here.