Šimon Zajíček
| Šimon Zajíček | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Born |
25 June 2001 Frýdlant, Czech Republic | ||
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) | ||
| Weight | 187 lb (85 kg; 13 st 5 lb) | ||
| Position | Goaltender | ||
| Catches | Left | ||
| NHL team Former teams |
Boston Bruins HC Litvínov | ||
| NHL draft | Undrafted | ||
| Playing career | 2019–present | ||
Šimon Zajíček (born 25 June 2001) is a Czech professional ice hockey goaltender who is currently under contract with the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League (NHL). He has previously played professionally in the Czech Republic, most notably with HC Litvínov of the Czech Extraliga (ELH).
Playing career
Czech Republic
Zajíček started his professional career in 2019, appearing in one game for HC Litvínov in relief of Jaroslav Janus, earning the victory.[1] Over the next four seasons, Zajíček would bounce between different levels of the Czech leagues, always on loan from Litvínov. Throughout this period, he found himself playing for HC Stadion Litoměřice, SK Trhači Kadaň, HC Slovan Ústí nad Labem, HC Baník Sokolov, and HC Slavia Praha of the 1st Czech Republic Hockey League, as well as SK Draci Bílina and Mostečtí Lvi of the 2nd Czech Republic Hockey League.
In the 2024–25 season, Zajíček was finally able to play a season with Litvínov without having to go on loan. This proved to be a great success for him. In 29 games, Zajíček recorded career highs in both save percentage (SV%) and goals against average (GAA), with .930 and 2.12 respectively. His save percentage was a league best, and his GAA was good for fourth-best in the Extraliga. He also tied for second in the league with five shutouts.[2] He would help Litvínov into the playoffs, where he would start the first three games of Litvínov's first round series against HC Oceláři Třinec. However, after going down 2–1 in the series, Zajíček was not chosen to start Game 4.[3] Třinec would win Game 4, putting an early end to the season for Zajíček and Litvínov.
Boston Bruins
On 19 May 2025, it was announced that Zajíček would make the jump to North America, as he signed a one-year, entry-level contract worth $872,000 with the Boston Bruins.[4][5]
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | W | L | T/OT | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | SV% | GP | W | L | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | SV% | ||
| 2018–19 | HC Litvínov U19 | CZE U19 | 23 | 10 | 13 | 0 | 1,348 | 85 | 0 | 3.80 | .911 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 359 | 18 | 0 | 3.01 | — | ||
| 2018–19 | SK Draci Bílina | Czech3 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 508 | 45 | 0 | 5.32 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2019–20 | Mostečtí Lvi | Czech3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 60 | 6 | 0 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2019–20 | HC Stadion Litoměřice | Czech2 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 106 | 6 | 0 | 3.40 | .861 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2019–20 | HC Litvínov | ELH | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 1.000 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2020–21 | HC Litvínov U20 | CZE U20 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 423 | 17 | 0 | 2.41 | .940 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2020–21 | SK Trhači Kadaň | Czech2 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 240 | 20 | 0 | 5.00 | .885 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2020–21 | HC Litvínov | ELH | 8 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 393 | 16 | 0 | 2.44 | .899 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 40 | 2 | 0 | 3.00 | .846 | ||
| 2021–22 | HC Slovan Ústí nad Labem | Czech2 | 13 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 796 | 46 | 0 | 3.47 | .898 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2021–22 | SK Trhači Kadaň | Czech2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 60 | 3 | 0 | 3.00 | .906 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2021–22 | HC Litvínov | ELH | 6 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 298 | 27 | 0 | 5.44 | .845 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2022–23 | HC Baník Sokolov | Czech2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 174 | 8 | 0 | 2.76 | .895 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2022–23 | HC Litvínov | ELH | 26 | 11 | 13 | 0 | 1,411 | 62 | 1 | 2.64 | .913 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 58 | 3 | 0 | 3.10 | .870 | ||
| 2023-24 | HC Slavia Praha | Czech2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 123 | 6 | 0 | 2.93 | 0.916 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2023–24 | HC Litvínov | ELH | 20 | 7 | 13 | 0 | 1,120 | 55 | 0 | 2.95 | .909 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 62 | 3 | 0 | 2.90 | .893 | ||
| 2024–25 | HC Litvínov | ELH | 29 | 15 | 13 | 0 | 1,668 | 59 | 5 | 2.12 | .930 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 160 | 7 | 0 | 2.63 | .927 | ||
| ELH totals | 90 | 36 | 48 | 0 | 4,910 | 219 | 6 | 2.68 | .912 | 7 | 1 | 5 | 320 | 15 | 0 | 2.81 | .906 | ||||
References
- ^ Mach, Ondřej (12 March 2019). "Neuvěřitelný obrat! Litvínov po skvělé třetí třetině porazil Boleslav 6:4". HC VERVA Litvínov (in Czech). Retrieved 21 May 2025.
- ^ "Active Czech Czech ExtraLiga Goalies ‑ 2024-2025 Stats". QuantHockey. Retrieved 21 May 2025.
- ^ Zatočil, Jan (11 March 2025). "Verva podruhé prohrála v Třinci a extraligová sezóna pro ni končí". HC VERVA Litvínov (in Czech). Retrieved 20 May 2025.
- ^ McGoey, Steven (19 May 2025). "Boston Bruins Sign Goaltender Simon Zajicek To One-Year Deal". The Hockey News. Retrieved 20 May 2025.
- ^ "Bruins sign Simon Zajicek to one-year entry-level contract". Boston Bruins. 19 May 2025. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
External links
- Biographical information and career statistics from Eliteprospects.com, or The Internet Hockey Database