Bruins sign goaltender to 1-year entry-level contract
The Bruins are adding young goaltending depth to the organization with Czech netminder Simon Zajicek.
Feb 14, 2023; Dallas, Texas, USA; A view of the Boston Bruins logo during the game between the Dallas Stars and the Boston Bruins at American Airlines Center.
Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY SportsThe Boston Bruins are adding another young goaltender to the organizational pipeline.
As the team officially announced Monday morning, they're signing 23-year-old goalie Simon Zajicek to a one-year entry-level contract. Zajicek will carry an NHL cap hit of $872,500. He stands at 6-foot-2 and 187 pounds, a similar build to the two netminders topping the Boston depth chart, Jeremy Swayman and Joonas Korpisalo.
Zajicek played for HC Litvinov of Czech Extraliga in the 2024-25 season, posting a 2.12 goals against average, .930 save percentage, and five shutouts in 29 games, to go with a 15-13 record. His save percentage led the league, while his shutout total tied for second.
A native of Frydlant, Czechia, Zajicek has played his entire career in Czech Extraliga and went undrafted. Czech Extraliga is the highest level of hockey competition in Czechia and has produced several goaltenders who went on to play in the NHL, most notably Hall of Famer Dominik Hasek, and more recently the Utah Mammoth's Karel Vejmelka and the Anaheim Ducks' Lukas Dostal.
If he makes it to the NHL, Zajicek would become Boston's first Czech-born goaltender since Daniel Vladar. Other notable active NHL netminders from Czechia include the Detroit Red Wings' Petr Mrazek and the Los Angeles Kings' David Rittich, the latter of which is also an undrafted alum of Czech Extraliga.
Zajicek shores up the Bruins' organizational depth, as minor-league goaltenders Michael DiPietro and Brandon Bussi are both set to become unrestricted free agents. Meanwhile, the Bruins have until Aug. 15, 2026 to sign 2021 fourth-round pick Philip Svedebäck.
