Mammoth’s Karel Vejmelka activated from injured reserve

The Utah Mammoth announced Thursday that goaltender Karel Vejmelka has been activated from injured reserve and is expected to play in the team’s afternoon game against the New York Islanders.

The news comes after the Mammoth netminder was placed on IR last week, retroactive to Dec. 23 when he was unable to play in Utah’s game against the Colorado Avalanche.

In 29 games through 2025-26, Vajmelka is 16-10-2 with a .896 save percentage (SV%) and 2.70 goals against average (GAA). A native of Trebec, Czechia, he’s also posted a goals saved above expected (GSAx) of 6.2.

Vejmelka, a 2015 fifth-round pick for the Nashville Predators, is 86-107-21 with an .899 SV% and 3.13 GAA in 227 career NHL regular-season games.

Before heading to North America, Vejmelka spent parts of eight seasons in Czechia’s top domestic league, where he posted a 77-84-0 record with a .913 SV% and 2.56 GAA in 163 career appearances with Pardubice HC, Brno Kometa and Dukla Jihlava.

Anaheim Ducks’ goaltender Lukas Dostal was one of the original six named to Czechia’s 2026 Winter Olympic roster, there’s a good chance Vejmelka will make it. Both Daily Faceoff managing editor Matt Larkin and associate editor Steven Ellis believe the Utah netminder will represent his country this February.

Going into Thursday’s game, the Mammoth are 18-19-3 with 39 points, fifth in the Central Division and two points back of a wild-card spot in the Western Conference.

Clayton Keller and Nick Schmaltz are tied for the team lead in points with 33, while Dylan Guenther has the most goals with 17. Mikhail Sergachev leads all offensive categories for team defenders with five goals, 21 assists for 26 points.