Twenty-one-year-old forward Ondrej Becher is excited to build upon his first AHL campaign with the Griffins.

Photo by Nicolas Carrillo 

Now that his first American Hockey League season is officially in the rearview mirror, Ondrej Becher is confident he knows what it will take for him to keep driving forward in his development as a member of the Grand Rapids Griffins in the 2025-26 campaign.  

“I’m really excited about this upcoming year,” Becher said. “Last year was my first full year in Grand Rapids, so I know everything about the team, the city, the coaching staff and the league. I’m ready to be better than last year.”

Last season, Becher recorded 20 points on 10 goals and 10 assists in 59 regular-season games before appearing in a pair of Calder Cup Playoff contests. 

“We had a really good group last year,” Becher said about the Griffins, who qualified for the playoffs for the second straight season after compiling a 37-29-4-2 (80 points) record and finishing third in the Central Division. “It made things a lot easier to go through. We talked a lot as a group.”

For the 21-year-old forward, missing the first nine games of last season was a difficult way to learn what life in the AHL was really like. However, a combination of self-reflection and support from his Griffins teammates helped Becher push through his brief time being sidelined. 

“The start of last season was pretty hard for me because I was injured,” Becher said. “I think I got back into it as the season went on, but I had really good teammates last year. They helped me a lot. I got mentally tougher after my injury, and that made it easier for me after it all happened.”

Indeed, Becher settled into a natural groove after making his AHL debut against the Cleveland Monsters at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on Nov. 3. At the conclusion of the regular season, Becher was tied for second among first-year Grand Rapids skaters in goals, ranked fourth in both points and assists, tied for first in power-play goals, and had the third-most power-play assists. 

Trying to do the best he can to learn from every experience and opportunity that has come his way since being taken by the Detroit Red Wings in the third round (80th overall) of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, Becher admitted there was an initial adjustment to the AHL game that he realized quickly. 

“I played in Canada for two years before last year, so the size of the rink I was already used to skating on,” Becher said. “The game here is faster, for sure. The guys are stronger and more skilled. Playing against 25-year-old men and everyone else was harder than what I had been used to.”

Becher spent the entire 2023-24 campaign with the Western Hockey League’s Prince George Cougars, ranking among the club’s leaders with 32 goals, 64 assists and 96 points in 58 regular-season games. The skilled forward also notched 19 points (five goals, 14 assists) in 15 postseason contests, helping the Cougars reach the Western Conference Final. 

“He got a great opportunity and took advantage of it and was really comfortable in it,” said Kris Draper, Red Wings assistant general manager and director of amateur scouting. “He certainly put up great numbers. His skating is something that, when you watch him play, he has that extra gear. Just another guy that you’re sitting there and you watch him and he’s able to bring that speed and skill set. 

“One of those late-bloomers. He’s just starting to come into his own and starting to feel comfortable about the type of player that he could possibly be.”

From 2022-24, Becher compiled 134 points on 48 goals and 86 assists in 121 WHL games with Prince George. And before his time with the Cougars, Becher played the majority of the 2021-22 season with AZ Havířov’s under-20 squad in Czechia’s top junior league, recording 36 points (22 goals, 14 assists) in 45 games in addition to appearing in four contests with AZ Havířov in Czechia’s second division.

“I got to see Bechs play the past few World Juniors,” said Dan Cleary, assistant director of player development for the Red Wings. “He’s a little bit older, a late-bloomer I guess, but a fun guy. Obviously, he’s got skills.”

Moving to North America with his NHL dream in hand was also a big lifestyle change away from the rink for Becher, a native of Ostrava, Czechia. 

“I left home when I was 18 years old,” Becher said. “I moved to a whole different country with people who speak a different language. The people here also live a different lifestyle, which I have had to adjust to. This experience has helped me a lot.”

Looking at his time in West Michigan exclusively, Becher said he loves every minute of living and experiencing everything Grand Rapids has to offer. 

“Grand Rapids is such a nice city,” he said. “When I first came there, I didn’t know what to expect from the city, but it’s very nice. Jakub Rychlovsky and I spent most of our time together. We would go out to dinner and spend time together in the afternoons after practices, even things like just going for a walk.”

Becher’s approach to learning and adapting in a new culture behind the scenes exemplifies just how determined he is to succeed. That includes his goal of improving his English.

“When I’m in the locker room, I hear other players speaking English and I try to pick up what they’re saying,” Becher said. “I’m also watching films and TV shows in English, that really helps a lot.”

All of that off-the-ice comfortability, Becher pointed out, positively impacts his play on the ice. He was pleased with his all-around performance last season but wants to grow in situations when the puck isn’t on his stick. 

By doing so, Becher feels he can evolve into a more well-rounded and responsible player. 

“I’m a centerman, so I definitely want to get better at the defensive side of the game,” Becher said. “Of course, I want to be productive this year and play better on offense as well. I need to get better in everything, and I want to get better in everything.”

The young forward revealed that he’s also been going to the tape to try to grow his game.  

“I’m watching other NHL games and players that are really good on the defensive side,” Becher said. “I’m just trying to learn from the best players, whatever I can.”

Becher spent this past offseason training hard with the mindset of coming back better than ever this fall. He said the muscle he added to his frame had him feeling much “bigger and stronger” at the 2025 NHL Prospect Games in Frisco, Texas, and the Red Wings’ training camp in Traverse City. 

“I felt like I was kind of weak last year, so that’s what I worked on,” he said. “I think I did that.”

How did he add weight?

“I was in the gym,” Becher said. “A lot.”

Grand Rapids head coach Dan Watson said he believes Becher’s increased strength will pay big dividends for the young skater in 2025-26.

“He put on some muscle over the offseason, which is certainly going to help,” Watson said. “Whether it’s in the faceoff dot or some battles low, especially being a center, he’s got to really be able to play down low in the defensive zone. In areas where maybe he lacked last year, I think the strength and muscle gain will help.”

This year’s training camp also was an opportunity for Becher to learn from more experienced NHL forwards like Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond. 

“They’re unbelievable players,” Becher said. “It’s really hard to play against those guys, but it’s really cool to train with them. I like watching all the veterans and I’m trying to learn something from each of them.”

A growth mindset is one of the most important traits a young hockey player can develop, and Becher certainly brings that to the rink each day. That will prove to be invaluable with the Griffins, who Becher said he is confident can take that next step forward in the franchise’s 30th anniversary season. 

“We will have a really good team again this year,” Becher said. “I believe we will have a longer playoff run than last year. I think it’ll be a better season for us all around, so I’m really excited for it. We will see how it goes, but everyone is feeling good about it.”

Jonathan Mills has served as the Detroit Red Wings’ team reporter since the 2021-22 season. He’s covered a broad array of sports and events, including roles at U.S. Figure Skating and the University of Wisconsin athletics department. He earned his master’s degree in sports media from Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications after receiving his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the UW-Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communication.