Oilers Goalie Trade Target Off The Market
Karel Vejmelka (Sergei Belski-Imagn Images)EDMONTON – You win some, and you lose some.
The Edmonton Oilers need to get more wins under their belts quickly. Since returning from the 4 Nations Face-off break, the team has flopped onto the ice.
To add insult to injury, Mattias Ekholm has been sick for a while now and will miss Thursday night’s contest against the visiting Montreal Canadiens.
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The Oilers have a 1-5 record since returning from the break. To say that this is less than ideal is an understatement. And other teams aren’t doing them any favors.
One perceived goaltender trade target has been removed from the market. The Utah Hockey Club has handed out a flurry of extensions, one of which was to goalie Karel Vejmelka.
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Vejmelka and Utah agreed to a five-year $4.75-million contract extension. The new deal carries a modified no-trade clause. In the deal, he has a 10-team no-trade list.
Vejmelka has been an excellent goalie this season. In 35 starts, he has a 16-16-4 record, a 2.45 goals against average (GAA), a .910 save percentage (SV%), and one shut out.
Additionally, the 6-foot-4, 221 lb goaltender has saved 14.3 goals above expected (GSAx). According to MoneyPuck, Vejmelka ranks ninth in the NHL in that metric.
While signing an extension doesn’t mean that a trade is impossible, it’s extremely unlikely that something will happen now. Utah is doing what it can to keep the players who got them to the position they find themselves in.
The Oilers will need to look elsewhere for help.
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