Karel Vejmelka - NHL News & Rumors

Utah Mammoth ready to take next big step after franchise's first playoff run

The foundation for the Mammoth's first playoff appearance was set before the team moved to Utah from the desert

MAY 6 • Associated Press

Can't shake skid in time Vejmelka allowed four goals on 25 shots in Friday's 5-1 loss to the Golden Knights in Game 6. The fifth goal was an empty-netter.

Impact Vejmelka helped the Mammoth to a 2-1 series lead after Game 3, but he followed it up by allowing 14 goals over the last three contests of the series. In all, the 29-year-old netminder went 2-4 with a 3.13 GAA and an .883 save percentage over six playoff outings in his first taste of postseason action. He's under contract for four more years, so expect Vejmelka to handle a starter's workload in 2026-27, though perhaps not at the same level as 2025-26, when he led the league with 64 regular-season appearances.

MAY 2 • ROTOWIRE

Exits ice first Vejmelka was the first goalie to leave the ice ahead of Friday's Game 6 clash with Vegas, Cole Bagley of KSL Sports reports, indicating he'll patrol the crease.

Impact Vejmelka is coming off back-to-back losses in which he gave up a combined 10 goals on 72 shots (.861 save percentage). If the Mammoth are going to force a Game 7 on Sunday, the 29-year-old backstop will need to get back to the player he was in the opening three games when he recorded a 2.36 GAA.

MAY 1 • ROTOWIRE

Scuffles again in Game 5 Vejmelka stopped 31 of 36 shots in Wednesday's 5-4 double-overtime loss to the Golden Knights in Game 5.

Impact Vejmelka allowed just seven goals over the first three games of the series, but he's given up to 10 goals on 72 shots in a pair of defeats past regulation in Games 4 and 5. The 29-year-old's lack of playoff experience, along with a heavy regular-season workload, may be factors in his fade. The Mammoth can't afford another dud from Vejmelka if he starts in a must-win Game 6 at home on Friday.

APRIL 30 • ROTOWIRE

Howden's short-handed goal gives Golden Knights 5-4 double-OT win over Mammoth and 3-2 series lead

Brett Howden scored a short-handed goal at 5:28 of the second overtime to give Vegas a 5-4 victory over the Utah Mammoth and put the Golden Knights one victory from winning the fir...

APRIL 30 • Associated Press

Expected to start in Game 5 Vejmelka is expected to start on the road against Vegas in Game 5 on Wednesday, per Brogan Houston of the Deseret News.

Impact Vejmelka will attempt to rebound after allowing five goals on 36 shots in a 5-4 overtime loss to Vegas on Monday. He's 2-2 with a 2.80 GAA and an .899 save percentage in four playoff outings this year. Although Vegas has some elite forwards, the Golden Knights didn't dominate offensively during the regular season -- they finished 14th in goals per game with an average of 3.22.

APRIL 29 • ROTOWIRE

Beaten five times Monday Vejmelka stopped 31 of 36 shots in Monday's 5-4 overtime loss to the Golden Knights in Game 4 of their first-round series.

Impact Vejmelka was coming off back-to-back wins in which he had given up exactly two goals each time, but he wasn't able to do so again here. It was an unfortunate game for Vejmelka, as the Mammoth had a 4-1 lead entering the final period before allowing four unanswered goals -- including the decisive one with less than one minute to go in overtime. Through four playoff starts, Vejmelka has gone 2-2-0 with a 2.80 GAA and an .899 save percentage. The 29-year-old should remain the starter for Game 5 on the road Wednesday.

APRIL 28 • ROTOWIRE

NHL Tonight: Utah battles back but falls in overtime | NHL.com The guys on NHL Tonight reflect on whether the Mammoth took their foot of the gas pedal after taking the lead, Karel Vejmelka's uncharacteri...

APRIL 28 • NHL.COM

Tending twine in Game 4 Vejmelka will patrol the home crease in Monday's clash with the Golden Knights, per Steve Carp.

Impact Vejmelka will look to stay hot Monday after recording back-to-back wins in Game 2 and Game 3, respectively. He has now been called upon to start in all four games of Utah's first-round matchup. Vejmelka has fared well in the series with a 2-1-0 record, a 2.36 GAA and a .916 save percentage. With his 40th win between the regular season and playoffs behind him, the 29-year-old netminder will aim to win his ninth game over his last 12 outings dating back to March 28.

APRIL 28 • ROTOWIRE

Czech Goalies Are Dominating the 2026 NHL Playoffs — And It's Not a Coincidence A quarter of all starting goaltenders in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs come from the Czech Republic. Daniel Vladař, Lukas Dostál, Jakub Dobe...

APRIL 25 • HOCKEYBUZZ.COM

Secures win in Game 3 Vejmelka stopped 30 of 32 shots in Friday's 4-2 win over the Golden Knights in Game 3.

Impact The Mammoth didn't generate a lot of chances at the other end, but they scored on four of their 12 shots on net. That gave Vejmelka enough support to work with even as the Golden Knights got a couple of goals back to make things close. Vejmelka has stopped 76 of 83 shots over the first three games of this series, which the Mammoth now lead 2-1. He's likely to get the nod again after two days of rest when the puck drops Monday for Game 4.

APRIL 25 • ROTOWIRE

Mammoth win the first NHL playoff game in Utah, beating Vegas 4-2 for 2-1 series lead

Lawson Crouse scored twice in a 5:42 span in the second period and the Utah Mammoth won the first NHL playoff game in the state, beating the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2 on Friday nigh...

APRIL 25 • Associated Press

Guarding cage in Game 3 Vejmelka will protect the home goal in Game 3 on Friday versus the Golden Knights, Jesse Granger of The Athletic reports.

Impact Vejmelka helped the Mammoth tie the series in Game 2, stopping 20 of 22 shots. He's given up five goals on 51 shots over the first two contests of the playoffs. As long as he can keep things close, Vejmelka is likely to get the vast majority of the starts in goal after leading the NHL in appearances in the regular season with 64.

APRIL 25 • ROTOWIRE

Picks up win in Game 2 Vejmelka allowed two goals on 22 shots in Tuesday's 3-2 win over the Golden Knights in Game 2.

Impact The Mammoth scored a goal in each period, and Vejmelka was able to shut the door on Vegas in the third to pick up his first career playoff win. This is the first time in five outings he's allowed fewer than three goalies. He's given up five goals on 52 shots over two games against the Golden Knights in the first round, and he'll likely be back in goal Friday for Game 3 in Utah.

APRIL 22 • ROTOWIRE

Logan Cooley scores late as the Mammoth beat the Golden Knights 3-2 to even playoffs series

Logan Cooley scored off a rebound with six minutes left to give the Mammoth a 3-2 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights, and they will head back to Utah with a split of the first t...

APRIL 22 • Associated Press

The BARBER SHOP is OPEN ✂️

APRIL 22 • YOUTUBE

Looking to even series Tuesday Vejmelka will defend the road cage in Game 2 against the Golden Knights on Tuesday, according to Brogan Houston of the Deseret News.

Impact Vejmelka allowed three goals on 30 shots in Sunday's 4-2 loss in Game 1. It marked the fourth straight game in which the Czech netminder has conceded exactly three goals. Furthermore, Vejmelka has been beaten for at least three goals in six of his last seven outings. There will be a change for the home team in Game 2, as Vegas is splitting up its top line -- Mitch Marner is shifting to the second-line center, while Ivan Barbashev will slot in with Jack Eichel and Mark Stone.

APRIL 21 • ROTOWIRE

Loses playoff debut Vejmelka stopped 27 of 30 shots in Sunday's 4-2 loss to the Golden Knights in Game 1. The fourth goal was an empty-netter.

Impact Vejmelka worked hard to get the Mammoth to the playoffs, but there will be no easy matchups the rest of the way. This was the 29-year-old's first taste of postseason action. He went 38-20-3 with a 2.75 GAA and an .896 save percentage over 64 regular-season outings. He was also on Czechia's Olympic roster, though he didn't get to play a game during that tournament. Barring a truly awful performance, Vejmelka should be expected to see the vast majority of the starts during Utah's first playoff run as a franchise.

APRIL 20 • ROTOWIRE

Golden Knights rally past Mammoth 4-2 in Game 1 as Nic Dowd nets the winner

Nic Dowd redirected Noah Hanifin’s shot from the point to put Vegas ahead at 7:20 of the third period and the Golden Knights beat the Utah Mammoth 4-2 on Sunday night in Game 1 of...

APRIL 20 • Associated Press

First off ahead of Game 1 Vejmelka was the first goalie off the ice at the morning skate, Cole Bagley of KSL Sports reports, indicating he will defend the road net in Game 1 against Vegas on Sunday.

Impact Vejmelka went 2-1-0 versus the Golden Knights during the regular season, allowing only five goals on 95 shots. He had a 38-20-3 record with two shutouts, a 2.75 GAA and an .896 save percentage across 64 appearances in the 2025-26 regular season.

APRIL 19 • ROTOWIRE

Gets hook Thursday Vejmelka gave up three goals on 18 shots before being replaced by Vitek Vanecek to begin the third period of Thursday's 5-3 loss to the Blues.

Impact The switch didn't seem to be prompted by the score or by Vejmelka's play -- the score was tied 3-3 after 40 minutes -- but with the Mammoth locked into a wild-card spot, coach Andre Tourigny elected to give his No. 1 netminder a little bit of extra rest ahead of the playoffs. Vejmelka finishes the regular season with a career-high 38 wins, one short of NHL leader Andrei Vasilevskiy, along with a 2.75 GAA, an .896 save percentage and a league-leading 64 outings and 3,692:45 in ice time.

APRIL 17 • ROTOWIRE

Mailloux nets late winner, Thomas has a hat trick as the Blues edge the Mammoth 5-3 in finale

Logan Mailloux scored the go-ahead goal with 2:57 left to play and Robert Thomas had a hat trick as the St. Louis Blues beat the Utah Mammoth 5-3 in the regular-season finale for b...

APRIL 17 • Associated Press

Getting another start Thursday Vejmelka will start Thursday's home game versus the Blues, per the NHL media site.

Impact The Mammoth are not leaning into the rest concept heading into the postseason, as Vejmelka will make his 11th appearance in 12 contests. That's even with Utah locked into the first wild-card spot and a first-round series versus the Golden Knights. Vejmelka is on a roll, going 7-2-0 with a 3.08 GAA and an .888 save percentage over his last 10 games.

APRIL 16 • ROTOWIRE

Picks up win over Jets Vejmelka stopped 21 of 24 shots in Tuesday's 5-3 win over the Jets.

Impact Vejmelka was rested versus the Flames on Sunday after appearing in nine straight games to help the Mammoth get into the playoffs. The 29-year-old's win Tuesday locked the team into the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference, guaranteeing they'll face the Pacific Division winner in the first round. Vejmelka has won six of his last seven outings and is up to 38-20-3 with a 2.73 GAA and an .897 save percentage over a league-high 63 games this season. With nothing left to play for, it would be surprising if Vejmelka started Thursday versus the Blues.

APRIL 15 • ROTOWIRE

Schmaltz scores 2 goals as Mammoth defeat Jets 5-3

Nick Schmaltz scored twice as the Utah Mammoth beat the Winnipeg Jets 5-3 on Tuesday night and secured the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference

APRIL 15 • Associated Press

KAREL VEJMELKA NEWS

NEWS

BIO

STATS

VIDEOS

GAME LOG

INJURIES