Oilers Trade Targets: Could Karel Vejmelka Be The Answer In Net?
Karel Vejmelka. (Chris Nicholl-Imagn Images)On Thursday, we examined Jordan Binnington as a possible fix to the Edmonton Oilers' goaltending woes.
While we concluded that Binnington isn't the right fit, the Oilers' issues in net only became more pronounced in their 4-3 loss to Florida on Thursday night. So today, we will take a look at another possible solution to the Oilers' crease conundrum: the Utah Hockey Club's Karel Vejmelka.
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The Player
Originally selected in the 5th round of the 2015 draft by the Nashville Predators, the 6'4" netminder signed with the Arizona Coyotes as a free agent out of his native Czechia in 2021, becoming their starter in his first NHL season.
Vejmelka is in his fourth NHL season, having spent the past three years in a timeshare with Connor Ingram in the Arizona/Utah crease. The 28-year-old is in the final season of a three-year contract worth $2.75 million annually, set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1st.
The Good
Vejmelka is in the middle of a breakout season, placing 8th in the league with 14.9 goals saved above expected. He's also in the middle of a hot streak, with a 4-0 record and .942 save percentage over his past four games.
The big Czech has had an up-and-down career, following up dismal seasons in 2021-22 and 2023-24 with dominance in 2022-23 and this season. Vejmelka really made a name for himself in his sophomore year, saving 11.1 goals above expected on a dismal Coyotes team and garnering trade interest from Los Angeles, among other teams.
Though it appeared he had lost the starter's job to Connor Ingram after being outplayed last season, Vejmelka has stepped up again this year in Ingram's absence with a .910 save percentage for a Utah team on the periphery of the playoffs.
Based on his body of work, Vejmelka profiles as a solid 1A/1B type goalie with the possibility of more, a perfect fit alongside Stuart Skinner.
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The Bad
Vejmelka might be doing his job a little too well. Though his name has been floated throughout the season as Utah's struggled to find its game, he's been a huge part of their recent push for a playoff spot. They're just two points behind Vancouver for the final wild card spot in the west, and they have the best goal differential (-7) of the four teams fighting for that spot.
To that point, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reports that "Utah is trying to make the playoffs". While he didn't mention Vejmelka specifically, the netminder would obviously be integral to that playoff push. If the Oilers are interested in Vejmelka, they might be late to the party.
That doesn't mean it's impossible -- a lot can happen in the week before the trade deadline -- but it would likely take a king's ransom to get Vejmelka out of Utah now. Even if it's possible, is it worth it?
Karel Vejmelka. (Matt Krohn-Imagn Images)The Verdict
In a vacuum, Vejmelka would be the perfect addition for Edmonton: affordable, talented, and capable of sharing the net with Stu Skinner. Were they shopping a month ago, Vejmelka might already be in Edmonton.
But for all his pros, there's one big con: availability. On the playoff bubble in their first year in a new market, Utah will want to hold onto their most valuable player. The Oilers should still be digging at the Czech netminder, but it's hard to see Utah GM Bill Armstrong caving. There are negatives to waiting out the market.
That being said, if Vejmelka makes it to free agency this summer, the Oilers should absolutely be in on him at the right price -- with care not to repeat the Jack Campbell debacle.
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