Utah signs G Vejmelka to five-year deal; also extend Kerfoot, Cole

Utah Hockey Club signed goaltender Karel Vejmelka to a five-year, $23.75 million contract extension, according to TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun.

Vejmelka has appeared in 38 games this season for Utah and has a 16-16-4 record with a 2.45 goals-against average.

The 28-year-old is in his fourth NHL season, all spent with the Arizona Coyotes/Utah Hockey Club franchise. 

In 178 career games, the Trebic, Czechia native has a 60-91-15 record with a 3.25 GAA.

He was selected by the Nashville Predators 145th overall in the fifth round of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft.

Utah also re-signs Kerfoot, Cole

Utah Hockey Club signed forward Alex Kerfoot and defenceman Ian Cole to one-year contract extensions, the team announced on Wednesday. TSN Hockey Insider Chris Johnston reports that both extensions are worth $3 million.

​Cole's extension is a $2.8M base salary with games played bonuses worth another $200,000, according to Johnston.

Kerfoot has appeared in 61 games this season for Utah and posted seven goals with nine assists.

The 30-year-old is in his second year with the Arizona Coyotes/Utah Hockey Club franchise. He skated in all 82 regular season games last year and provided 13 goals and 32 assists.

The Vancouver native has also played for the Toronto Maple Leafs and Colorado Avalanche over the course of his 585 game NHL career which has yielded 94 goals and 280 points.

He was selected by the Avalanche with the 150th pick in the fifth round of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.

Cole, 35, has a goal and 13 points in 61 games with Utah while averaging 20:55 of ice time.  The 6-foot-1 left-shot defenceman joined Utah on a one-year, $3.1 million contract in the off-season. 

Drafted 18th overall by the St. Louis Blues in 2007, Cole has 35 goals and 206 points in 887 career games split between the Blues, Pittsburgh Penguins, Columbus Blue Jackets, Colorado Avalanche, Minnesota Wild, Carolina Hurricanes, Tampa Bay Lightning, Vancouver Canucks, and Utah. 

Cole is a two-time Stanley Cup champion after helping the Penguins win in back-to-back seasons in 2016 and 2017.