Utah Hockey Club Signs Goaltender Karel Vejmelka to Five-Year Contract Extension

SALT LAKE CITY (March 6, 2025) – Utah Hockey Club announced today the signing of goaltender Karel Vejmelka to a five-year contract extension.

“Karel’s confident demeanor helps set the tone for our team every day,” said Chris Armstrong, president of hockey operations for Utah Hockey Club. “It allows our group to play to its strengths, knowing he is back there to make the key saves. Vej has earned this commitment from our organization, and we are grateful to have him as an important piece in our future.”

“Karel has been integral to the success of our team this season,” said Bill Armstrong, general manager of Utah Hockey Club. “He is a talented goaltender that competes every night he takes the net and has solidified one of the most critical positions on our team. We are thrilled to have Karel signed for the next five years.”

The 28-year-old Vejmelka has earned a 16-16-4 record with a 2.45 goals against average (GAA), .910 save percentage (SV%) and one shutout in 38 games with Utah in 2024-25. He has established new single-season bests in goals-against average and save percentage, and his 16 wins are just two shy of matching his career high set with the Arizona Coyotes in 2022-23. Vejmelka has also posted a career-high nine wins on the road this season, including a franchise-record, five-game road win streak from Nov. 26 to Dec. 20.

Vejmelka has played 178 career NHL games over four seasons with Utah and Arizona, registering a 60-91-15 record, 3.26 GAA, .901 SV% and six shutouts. The 6-foot-4, 202-pound netminder ranks 10th all-time in games played and wins among Czech-born goaltenders.

A native of Trebic, Czechia, Vejmelka won back-to-back Czech Extraliga titles with HC Kometa Brno in 2017 and 2018. He posted a 77-84-0 record, 2.56 GAA, .913 SV% and 13 shutouts over nine Extraliga seasons with Brno, Dukia Jihlava and HC Pardubice.

Vejmelka has also represented Czechia at the 2014 IIHF Under-18 World Championship and each of the last three IIHF World Championships (2022-24), and he helped Czechia win the gold medal on home soil in 2024.

Vejmelka was originally drafted by the Nashville Predators in the fifth round (145th overall) in the 2015 NHL Draft.