Libor Hájek

Libor Hájek
Hájek in 2024
Born (1998-02-04) 4 February 1998 (age 26)
Smrček, Czech Republic
Height 6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight 196 lb (89 kg; 14 st 0 lb)
Position Defence
Shoots Left
ELH team
Former teams		 HC Dynamo Pardubice
HC Kometa Brno
New York Rangers
National team  Czech Republic
NHL draft 37th overall, 2016
Tampa Bay Lightning
Playing career 2015–present

Libor Hájek (born 4 February 1998) is a Czech professional ice hockey defenceman who is currently playing for HC Dynamo Pardubice in the Czech Extraliga (ELH). He was selected by the Tampa Bay Lightning, in the second round, 37th overall, in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.

Playing career

Hájek made his Czech Extraliga (ELH) debut playing 17 games with HC Kometa Brno during the 2014–15 Czech Extraliga season.[1] In opting to continue his development in the CHL, Hájek was selected second overall in the 2015 CHL Import Draft by the Saskatoon Blades of the WHL.[2]

At the completion of his second season with the Blades, Hájek was signed to a three-year, entry-level contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning on 21 March 2017.[3] He immediately joined the primary affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch of the AHL on an amateur try-out to play out the remainder of the 2016–17 season.

On 26 February 2018, Hájek was traded to the New York Rangers, along with Vladislav Namestnikov, Brett Howden, and two draft picks, for Ryan McDonagh and J. T. Miller.[4] Hájek recorded his first career NHL assist off a goal by Mika Zibanejad during the 2019–20 season opener against the Winnipeg Jets on 3 October.[5]

On 13 November 2020, Hájek was loaned to HC Kometa Brno of the Czech Extraliga (ELH).[6]

On 7 September 2021, the Rangers re-signed Hájek to a one-year contract.[7] On 12 July 2022, he was signed to a one-year contract extension.[8] He spent most of the 2022–23 season with the Rangers but was assigned to Hartford on 10 February 2023.[9]

Hájek left the Rangers organization after five seasons and was later signed as a free agent to a professional tryout deal with the Pittsburgh Penguins on 30 August 2023.[10] After attending training camp, he was re-assigned to continue his trial with AHL affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. He was later signed to a one-year AHL contract with Wilkes-Barre to open the 2023–24 season on 17 October 2023.[11]

Hájek was scoreless through 11 regular season appearances with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton before he was mutually released from his contract in order to return to his native Czech Republic and sign a long term five-year contract with HC Dynamo Pardubice of the ELH on 15 December 2023.[12]

International play

Medal record
Representing  Czech Republic
Ice hockey
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2024 Czech Republic

Hájek represented Czechia at the 2024 IIHF World Championship and won a gold medal.[13]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2012–13 HC Kometa Brno CZE U18 43 1 3 4 57 3 0 1 1 0
2013–14 HC Kometa Brno CZE U18 32 4 14 18 24 10 0 7 7 8
2013–14 HC Kometa Brno CZE U20 13 0 1 1 10 — — — — —
2014–15 HC Kometa Brno CZE U18 2 1 2 3 4 — — — — —
2014–15 HC Kometa Brno CZE U20 44 1 9 10 62 1 0 0 0 0
2014–15 HC Kometa Brno ELH 17 0 1 1 2 7 0 0 0 0
2015–16 Saskatoon Blades WHL 69 3 23 26 76 — — — — —
2016–17 Saskatoon Blades WHL 65 4 22 26 81 — — — — —
2016–17 Syracuse Crunch AHL 8 1 0 1 4 — — — — —
2017–18 Saskatoon Blades WHL 33 8 17 25 26 — — — — —
2017–18 Regina Pats WHL 25 4 10 14 4 4 1 0 1 12
2018–19 Hartford Wolf Pack AHL 58 0 5 5 36 — — — — —
2018–19 New York Rangers NHL 5 1 0 1 6 — — — — —
2019–20 New York Rangers NHL 28 0 5 5 12 — — — — —
2019–20 Hartford Wolf Pack AHL 23 1 2 3 14 — — — — —
2020–21 HC Kometa Brno ELH 10 0 2 2 4 — — — — —
2020–21 New York Rangers NHL 44 2 2 4 10 — — — — —
2021–22 Hartford Wolf Pack AHL 5 0 2 2 6 — — — — —
2021–22 New York Rangers NHL 17 0 1 1 8 — — — — —
2022–23 Hartford Wolf Pack AHL 24 2 4 6 31 5 0 1 1 6
2022–23 New York Rangers NHL 16 1 0 1 4 — — — — —
2023–24 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins AHL 11 0 0 0 14 — — — — —
2023–24 HC Dynamo Pardubice ELH 20 4 5 9 12 16 0 3 3 10
NHL totals 110 4 8 12 40 — — — — —
ELH totals 47 4 8 12 18 23 0 3 3 10

International

Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM
2014 Czech Republic U17 7th 5 0 1 1 4
2014 Czech Republic IH18 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 5 0 1 1 4
2015 Czech Republic U18 6th 5 1 0 1 4
2015 Czech Republic IH18 6th 4 0 1 1 4
2016 Czech Republic U18 7th 5 0 2 2 6
2018 Czech Republic WJC 4th 7 1 7 8 6
2021 Czech Republic WC 7th 8 1 2 3 2
2024 Czechia WC 1st place, gold medalist(s) 10 1 1 2 6
Junior totals 31 2 12 14 28
Senior totals 18 2 3 5 8

References

  1. ^ "HC Kometa Brno 2014–15 statistics". eliteprospects.com. 1 April 2015. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  2. ^ "2015 CHL import draft". Canadian Hockey League. 5 July 2015. Archived from the original on 5 July 2015. Retrieved 5 July 2015.
  3. ^ "Lightning sign Libor Hajek to entry-level contract". Tampa Bay Lightning. 21 March 2017. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
  4. ^ "Rangers Acquire Namestnikov, Hajek, Howden, 2018 1st Rd. Pick & 2019 Pick". NHL.com. 26 February 2018. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
  5. ^ @NYRStatsInfo (3 October 2019). "Libor Hajek recorded his first career NHL assist by tallying an assist on Zibanejad's goal. #NYR" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  6. ^ Zajíček, Roman (13 November 2020). "Libor Hájek se vrací do extraligy. Obránce z NHL pomůže domovské Kometě". hc-kometa.cz. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
  7. ^ "Rangers Agree to Terms with Libor Hajek". NHL.com. 7 September 2021. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
  8. ^ "Rangers Agree to Terms with Libor Hajek". NHL.com. 12 July 2022. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
  9. ^ "Rangers Assign Libor Hajek to Wolf Pack". Hartford Wolf Pack. 10 February 2023. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  10. ^ "Penguins sign two defenseman to PTO's". The Hockey News. 30 August 2023. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  11. ^ "Penguins sign defenseman Libor Hajek". Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. 17 October 2023. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
  12. ^ "Dynamo secure defenseman Libor Hajek" (in Czech). HC Dynamo Pardubice. 15 December 2023. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
  13. ^ "Czechs strike gold on home ice". IIHF.com. 26 May 2024. Retrieved 26 May 2024.