Depth at every position is crucial in the NHL, and as the Bruins have demonstrated over time, developing a strong pipeline of goaltenders can pay big dividends.
On Monday, Boston took another step in that direction by signing 23-year-old goalie prospect Simon Zajicek to a one-year, entry-level contract with a cap hit of \$872,500.
Hailing from the Czech Republic, Zajicek has spent his entire professional career playing for HC Litvinov in the Czech Extraliga. Standing 6-foot-2 and weighing 187 pounds, he appeared in 29 games last season, posting an impressive .930 save percentage and a 2.12 goals-against average.
The highlights of his play, available on YouTube, show some promising skills.
The Bruins have a strong history of spotting and developing goaltending talent. Franchise goalie Jeremy Swayman was a fourth-round pick, and before him, they transformed Tuukka Rask—acquired from Toronto—into a cornerstone.
Boston also brought in Linus Ullmark, a Vezina Trophy winner, and won a Stanley Cup with Tim Thomas, a former ninth-round pick who debuted almost ten years after being drafted.
This doesn’t mean Zajicek is expected to immediately join this elite group. The Bruins are likely to keep both Swayman and backup Joonas Korpisalo, which means Zajicek will probably spend time developing with the Providence Bruins in the minors. Depth in the farm system is critical, especially with Michael DiPietro and Brandon Bussi set to become free agents this summer.
However, if Zajicek impresses right away, he could earn a look with the NHL club. GM Don Sweeney emphasized the importance of internal competition among goalies, primarily referring to Swayman and Korpisalo, but Zajicek will aim to add his name to that mix during training camp.
