Karel Vejmelka won’t be leaving Salt Lake City any time soon.
The Utah Hockey Club has signed the goaltender to a five-year contract extension with an average annual value of $4.75 million, per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman on Thursday.
Vejmelka, 28, was in the third and final year of his current deal and set to become an unrestricted free agent following the 2024-25 season. Instead, he’s now locked in through the 2029-30 campaign.
Over 38 games played this season, Vejmelka holds a 16-16 record. He’s posted a 2.45 GAA and a .910 save percentage with one shutout.
He was originally drafted in the fifth round (145th overall) of the 2015 NHL draft by the Nashville Predators. His first NHL action didn’t come until 2021, however, after he signed with the Arizona Coyotes as a free agent.
In 178 career games across four seasons, Vejmelka holds a 3.26 GAA and a .900 save percentage. He’s posted six shutouts in that span with a 60-91 record.
The netminder is the latest to choose to stick around Utah, as the team also agreed to extensions with forward Alexander Kerfoot and defenceman Ian Cole on Thursday.
Utah returns to action on Thursday when they visit the Detroit Red Wings.
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