If Vejmelka gets moved, where could he land?
With the Utah Hockey Club still in the thick of the Wild Card race in the Western Conference, they will still need to keep the door open to selling if they come back from the 4-Nations break and have a slow start.
One of their most sought-after players will be goaltender Karel Vejmelka. He is a pending UFA who can be a strong rental backup for a contending team in the playoffs.
Let's look at a few teams that could be good fits for him if he were to be moved.
1. Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames find themselves in the same Wild Card battle that Utah is in. However, Calgary is better positioned to jump into the final spot in the West. The only issue they are facing is that Dustin Wolf is experiencing some fatigue from playing so much, and Dan Vladar is having a terrible season.
They have the cap space to make it work, and there could be a scenario where they swap Vladar for Vejmelka, with the Flames adding a second-round pick as a sweetener. Vladar is also a pending UFA, so he could play out the rest of the season with Utah and then hit the open market.
2. Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are the new version of the Toronto Maple Leafs—they are in on just about every player on the market. However, acquiring Vejmelka makes a ton of sense. Right now, they have Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard as their goalie tandem, and it’s a bit shaky. If they were to bring in Vejmelka, it would still be more of a starter-and-backup tandem, but he could help alleviate some pressure from Skinner and play more down the stretch, allowing Skinner to rest for the playoffs.
It would likely cost them a prospect and a second-round draft pick, but if the Oilers want to win the Stanley Cup, they will pay the price.
3. Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators find themselves in unfamiliar territory this season. They are in the first Wild Card spot in the East and could make the playoffs for the first time in the Brady Tkachuk era. After acquiring Linus Ullmark from the Boston Bruins this offseason, their goalie situation looked to be figured out. Unfortunately, Ullmark struggled with injuries, and they have been relying on Anton Forsberg and minor league depth.
If they were able to upgrade their backup goalie and add Vejmelka, it would deepen their roster and give them a better chance of making the playoffs. If this trade were to happen, it could be similar to Calgary’s. Ottawa may need to put Forsberg in the deal and send him to Utah. He is a pending UFA but could be a good backup for Connor Ingram next season if he were to re-sign. Depending on the asking price and their roster, the Senators may also be able to keep Forsberg in case Ullmark’s injury flares up. Regardless, a Vejmelka-Ullmark tandem would be a solid option for Ottawa as they head down the stretch.
Which trade partner do you like the most? Let us know in the comments below.