The Utah Mammoth announced today that goaltender Karel Vejmelka has been selected by the Czech Ice Hockey Federation to represent Team Czechia at the 2026 Winter Olympics. The Games will be held in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, from Feb. 6-22, 2026.
Vejmelka, 29, has posted a 18-11-2 record, 2.70 goals-against average (GAA), .896 save percentage (SV%) and one shutout over 32 appearances with the Mammoth this season. The 6-foot-4, 221-pound netminder ranks tied for third in games played and tied for first in wins among all NHL goaltenders. Last season, he was selected by his teammates as Utah’s first-ever team MVP, setting new career highs in games played (58), wins (26), GAA (2.58) and SV% (.904).
Vejmelka has appeared in 230 career NHL games with Utah and the Arizona Coyotes, posting a 88-108-21 record, 3.15 GAA, .899 SV% and seven shutouts. He was originally selected by the Nashville Predators in the fifth round (145th overall) of the 2015 NHL Draft.
A native of Trebic, Czechia, Vejmelka is set to represent his home country at the Olympics for the first time in his career. He has played at each of the last four IIHF World Championships (2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025) and helped Czechia to a gold medal in Prague in 2024. Vejmelka also won a silver medal at the 2014 IIHF Under-18 World Championship.
