The Boston Bruins made a quiet but smart move Tuesday, signing goalie Simon Zajicek to a one-year, two-way extension that runs through the 2026-27 season. The cap hit is $850,000, basically nothing. But the guy they’re getting back might be more than that.
Zajicek, 24, just finished his first season in North America with Providence in the AHL. He played 21 games and put up a 14-6-1 record with a 2.44 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage. That’s not flashy until you look closer. Among AHL goalies with at least 15 appearances, he ranked inside the top 30 in both GAA and save percentage as a rookie adapting to a new league and a new country.
He Hit the Ground Running
The kid from Frydlant, Czechia didn’t need a warm-up period. He started his AHL career 6-1-0 and allowed two goals or fewer in every one of those first seven starts. By December he was sitting fourth in the league with a .932 save percentage and fifth with a 2.02 GAA. That’s not a fluke. That’s a guy who can play.
Providence won the Atlantic Division and grabbed the top seed in the Eastern Conference, and Zajicek was a big part of that. He wasn’t the only reason — Michael DiPietro won AHL MVP that same season after leading the league in GAA and save percentage and eventually got called up to Boston — but Zajicek held his own splitting the net with an MVP.
His Track Record in Czechia Was Solid Too
Before crossing the Atlantic, Zajicek spent six seasons with HC Litvinov in the Czech Extraliga. That’s 90 games total, with a 36-48-0 record, a 2.68 GAA and a .912 save percentage. Not dominating numbers but context matters. He was playing behind a team that wasn’t always great. His best year was 2024-25, when he went 15-13-0 with a 2.12 GAA and a .930 save percentage in 29 games. He also played three playoff games that season and had a .927 save percentage.
Boston originally signed him as a free agent in May 2025 on a one-year entry-level deal. He took a shot on coming over and it’s paying off.
What This Means for the Bruins’ Goalie Room
Right now Boston has Jeremy Swayman as the NHL starter, then Joonas Korpisalo, DiPietro, and recently signed Max Lundgren all under contract. That’s five goalies. Something’s gotta give. But having depth at the position is never a bad thing, especially when you’re talking about a 24-year-old who already proved he can handle the AHL grind.
The extension keeps Zajicek in the organization through 2026-27, and if he keeps developing he could push for NHL looks sooner rather than later. The Bruins have been active this offseason — they’ve already handed out new deals to Lukas Reichel, Navrin Mutter and Attilio Biasca ahead of the 2026 draft and free agency opening July 1. This Zajicek move is the kind of quiet depth play that pays off when injuries hit or a trade opens up a spot.
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