Karel Vejmelka posts 15-save shutout in Utah's 6-0 rout of Chicago

Fantasy hockey: Vejmelka's perfect night came against light work. He remains the starter for three more games this week, but below-average save quality limits his ceiling.

By Fantasy Roundup Staff · October 2, 2026 · Updated October 2, 2026

Karel Vejmelka stopped all 15 shots he faced Thursday, October 1 as Utah blanked Chicago 6-0. He played the full 60:00 and earned the win in a game his team controlled from the opening faceoff.

The shutout is encouraging, but the low shot volume limits how much fantasy value you can extract. Vejmelka grades 35 out of 100 among goalies in save quality, and his recent averages show a 2.90 goals-against average and .898 save percentage across 148 games. He starts 91% of the time and has three more appearances coming on Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday.

Fantasy impact

Player by player

Karel Vejmelka

Vejmelka was perfect Thursday, but he was rarely tested. Fifteen shots in a 6-0 rout is a night where the team in front of him did most of the work. The shutout is real, yet the low difficulty means it does little to shift his outlook. His save quality grades 35 out of 100, well below the league median, and his recent .898 save percentage and 2.90 goals-against average reflect a backend option rather than a weekly starter in most formats.

He owns the crease in Utah, drawing 91% of starts, and three more games this week (Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday) give him volume. That frequency makes him rosterable in deeper leagues where starts matter, but the quality metrics suggest streaming him only in plus matchups. Thursday's clean sheet is a normal night for a goalie who plays this much, not a sign of突破 or a new level.

What to do

• Hold Vejmelka in leagues that reward volume, as he starts 91% of the time and has three appearances left this week.

• Stream him only in favourable matchups, given his 35th-percentile save quality and .898 save percentage.

• Do not treat Thursday's shutout as evidence of a shift: 15 shots is a light workload in a game Utah dominated.

Schedule this week