Karel Vejmelka
| Karel Vejmelka | |||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Vejmelka with the Arizona Coyotes in 2022 | |||
| Born |
25 May 1996 Třebíč, Czech Republic | ||
| Height | 6 ft 4 in (193 cm) | ||
| Weight | 203 lb (92 kg; 14 st 7 lb) | ||
| Position | Goaltender | ||
| Catches | Right | ||
| NHL team Former teams |
Utah Mammoth HC Dynamo Pardubice HC Kometa Brno HC Dukla Jihlava Arizona Coyotes | ||
| National team |
 Czech Republic | ||
| NHL draft |
145th overall, 2015 Nashville Predators | ||
| Playing career | 2014–present | ||
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Karel Vejmelka (born 25 May 1996) is a Czech professional ice hockey player who is a goaltender for the Utah Mammoth of the National Hockey League (NHL). Vejmelka, who started his career in the Czech Extraliga, was selected by the Nashville Predators in the fifth round (145th overall) of the 2015 NHL entry draft.
Playing career
Vejmelka made his Czech Extraliga (ELH) debut playing with HC Pardubice (later Dynamo Pardubice) during the 2014–15 Czech Extraliga season.[1] He was selected by the Nashville Predators of the National Hockey League (NHL) in the fifth round, 145th overall, of the 2015 NHL entry draft.[2]
During the 2015–16 season, after making just a solitary appearance for Dynamo, Vejmelka transferred his contract to fellow ELH club, HC Kometa Brno, on 28 November 2015.[3]
With a shortened loan to HC Dukla Jihlava, Vejmelka, un-signed by the Predators, played the next five seasons with HC Kometa Brno before he was signed as a free agent to a one-year entry-level contract with the Arizona Coyotes of the NHL on 5 May 2021.[4]
In his debut North American season, Vejmelka earned a roster spot with the Coyotes to begin the 2021–22 season. He made his NHL debut with the Coyotes, stopping 32 of 33 shot attempts in a 2–1 shootout loss to the Buffalo Sabres on 17 October 2021.[5] With injury to initial starting goaltender Carter Hutton, Vejmelka assumed a larger role and established himself in the league. On 21 March 2022, the Coyotes signed Vejmelka to a three-year, $8.175 million contract extension that carries a $2.725 million cap hit.[6] Vejmelka holds the NHL record for the shortest time that a starting goaltender has spent on the ice before being pulled to the bench - 59 seconds against the Seattle Kraken on 6 November 2021.[7]
Shortly after the end of the 2023–24 regular season, the Coyotes' franchise was suspended and team assets were subsequently transferred to the expansion Utah Mammoth; as a result, Vejmelka became a member of the Utah team.[8]
Vejmelka established himself as the starting goaltender in his first season in Utah, leading him to earn a five-year, $23.75 million extension on 6 March 2025.[9]
During the 2025–26 Utah Mammoth season, Vejmelka was the first goalie to reach 30 wins and recorded more time on ice than any other player.[10] He also finished the season with the second most wins, shots against, and saves.[11]
International play
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Representing Czech Republic | ||
| Men's ice hockey | ||
| World Championships | ||
.svg.png){kind=icon} | 2024 Czech Republic | |
.svg.png){kind=icon} | 2022 Finland | |
Vejmelka represented Czechia at the 2024 IIHF World Championship and won a gold medal.[12]
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | W | L | OT | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | SV% | GP | W | L | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | SV% | ||
| 2013–14 | HC Dynamo Pardubice | Czech.20 | 36 | 16 | 20 | 0 | 2053 | 88 | 1 | 2.57 | .930 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2014–15 | HC Dynamo Pardubice | Czech.20 | 37 | 21 | 16 | 0 | 2222 | 94 | 2 | 2.54 | .928 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2014–15 | HC Dynamo Pardubice | ELH | 7 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 419 | 20 | 0 | 2.86 | .923 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 338 | 17 | 1 | 3.02 | .916 | ||
| 2014–15 | SK Horácká Slavia Třebíč | Czech.1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 176 | 4 | 0 | 1.36 | .953 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2015–16 | HC Dynamo Pardubice | ELH | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 44 | 1 | 0 | 1.36 | .933 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2015–16 | HC Kometa Brno | ELH | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 163 | 4 | 1 | 1.47 | .941 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2015–16 | SK Horácká Slavia Třebíč | Czech.1 | 42 | 21 | 21 | 0 | 2425 | 106 | 0 | 2.62 | .920 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2016–17 | HC Kometa Brno | ELH | 31 | 14 | 17 | 0 | 1729 | 72 | 3 | 2.50 | .905 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2016–17 | SK Horácká Slavia Třebíč | Czech.1 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 595 | 23 | 1 | 2.32 | .929 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2017–18 | HC Kometa Brno | ELH | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 364 | 11 | 2 | 1.81 | .937 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2017–18 | HC Dukla Jihlava | ELH | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 240 | 10 | 0 | 2.50 | .901 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2017–18 | SK Horácká Slavia Třebíč | Czech.1 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 803 | 31 | 2 | 2.32 | .908 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2018–19 | HC Kometa Brno | ELH | 31 | 17 | 14 | 0 | 1762 | 70 | 1 | 2.38 | .915 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2018–19 | SK Horácká Slavia Třebíč | Czech.1 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 616 | 21 | 1 | 2.05 | .925 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2019–20 | HC Kometa Brno | ELH | 43 | 22 | 19 | 0 | 2414 | 109 | 3 | 2.71 | .911 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2020–21 | HC Kometa Brno | ELH | 35 | 14 | 21 | 0 | 2020 | 94 | 3 | 2.79 | .911 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 451 | 18 | 0 | 2.39 | .910 | ||
| 2021–22 | Arizona Coyotes | NHL | 52 | 13 | 32 | 3 | 2773 | 170 | 1 | 3.68 | .898 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2022–23 | Arizona Coyotes | NHL | 50 | 18 | 24 | 6 | 2941 | 168 | 3 | 3.43 | .900 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2023–24 | Arizona Coyotes | NHL | 38 | 13 | 19 | 2 | 2040 | 112 | 1 | 3.29 | .897 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2024–25 | Utah Hockey Club | NHL | 58 | 26 | 22 | 8 | 3368 | 145 | 1 | 2.58 | .904 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2025–26 | Utah Mammoth | NHL | 64 | 38 | 20 | 3 | 3693 | 169 | 2 | 2.75 | .897 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 402 | 21 | 0 | 3.13 | .885 | ||
| ELH totals | 163 | 77 | 84 | 0 | 9,155 | 391 | 13 | 2.56 | .913 | 14 | 6 | 8 | 789 | 35 | 1 | 2.66 | .913 | ||||
| NHL totals | 262 | 108 | 117 | 22 | 14,815 | 764 | 8 | 3.10 | .899 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 402 | 21 | 0 | 3.13 | .885 | ||||
International
| Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | W | L | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | SV% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Czechia | WC |  |
8 | 5 | 3 | 413 | 17 | 1 | 2.46 | .896 | |
| 2023 | Czechia | WC | 8th | 4 | 2 | 2 | 236 | 7 | 1 | 1.78 | .944 | |
| 2025 | Czechia | WC | 6th | 5 | 3 | 2 | 262 | 13 | 0 | 2.98 | .902 | |
| Senior totals | 17 | 10 | 7 | 911 | 37 | 2 | 2.44 | .912 | ||||
References
- ↑ "Karel Vejmela signs senior contract with Pardubice" (in Czech). HC Dynamo Pardubice. 2 June 2014. Retrieved 2 June 2014.
- ↑ Mastey, Remy (5 September 2023). "Karel Vejmelka's Journey Into Professional Hockey". The Hockey News. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
- ↑ "Brno welcome Karel Vejmelka from Pardubice" (in Czech). HC Kometa Brno. 28 November 2015. Retrieved 28 November 2015.
- ↑ "Coyotes Karel Vejmelka signs one-year ELC". CBS Sports. 5 May 2021. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
- ↑ "Coyotes get first point of season in shootout loss to Sabres". arizonasports.com. 17 October 2021. Retrieved 17 October 2021.
- ↑ "Coyotes sign Vejmelka to three-year contract extension". Arizona Coyotes. 21 March 2022. Retrieved 22 March 2022.
- ↑ "Coyotes finally find first win by rallying over Kraken, 5-4". ESPN. Associated Press.
- ↑ Ortiz, Jenna (17 April 2024). "Coyotes give fans a win in final Arizona game, fans show plenty of love". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
- ↑ "Vejmelka signs five-year extension to remain with Utah HC". NHL.com. National Hockey League. 6 March 2025. Retrieved 7 March 2025.
- ↑ "Karel Vejmelka Stats And News". www.nhl.com. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
- ↑ "Karel Vejmelka Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Title". Hockey-Reference.com. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
- ↑ "Czechs strike gold on home ice". IIHF.com. 26 May 2024. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
External links
- Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or ESPN.com, or Eurohockey.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or The Internet Hockey Database
- Karel Vejmelka at Milano Cortina 2026
- Karel Vejmelka at Olympics.com
- Karel Vejmelka at Olympedia
- Karel Vejmelka at InterSportStats
- Karel Vejmelka at Olympijskytym.cz (in Czech)
- Karel Vejmelka merch
- 1996 births
- Living people
- Arizona Coyotes players
- Czech expatriate ice hockey players in the United States
- Czech ice hockey goaltenders
- HC Dukla Jihlava players
- HC Dynamo Pardubice players
- SK Horácká Slavia Třebíč players
- HC Kometa Brno players
- Nashville Predators draft picks
- Ice hockey people from Třebíč
- Utah Hockey Club players
- Utah Mammoth players
- 21st-century Czech sportsmen
- Ice hockey players at the 2026 Winter Olympics
- Olympic ice hockey players for the Czech Republic