Libor Hájek

Libor Hájek (born 4 February 1998) is a Czech professional ice hockey player who is a defenceman for the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League (NHL). 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. 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.

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. 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. 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.

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

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

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. 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.

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.

He signed a one-year, two-way contract in a return to the NHL with the San Jose Sharks for the season on 8 July 2026.

International play

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

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 2024–25 HC Dynamo Pardubice ELH 47 3 7 10 41 16 3 5 8 14 2025–26 HC Dynamo Pardubice ELH 44 6 7 13 41 17 0 3 3 6 NHL totals 110 4 8 12 40 — — — — — ELH totals 138 13 22 35 76 56 3 11 14 30

International Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM 2014 Czech Republic U17 7th 5 0 1 1 4 2014 Czech Republic IH18 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 10 1 1 2 6 2025 Czechia WC 6th 8 0 1 1 2 2026 Czechia WC 5th 8 0 0 0 0 Junior totals 31 2 12 14 28 Senior totals 34 2 4 6 10