Saturday night in Buffalo, Utah’s Karel Vejmelka was assessed 10 minutes for throwing a Sabres’ player’s stick – but he didn’t miss a shift.

At 9:51 of the second period of the Mammoth’s 4-1 win over the Sabres, Vejmelka ended up with the stick of Sabres forward Peyton Krebs as the two teams battled behind the Utah net.  Rathan than drop it or return it, the goaltender sent it sailing over the glass – right in front of referee Morgan MacPhee.

Vejmelka was hit with a 10-minute misconduct. The infraction: throwing a stick into the netting above the glass after the whistle.

 

 

Rule 53

Rule 53 covers throwing equipment. Section 53.4 states that a misconduct penalty “shall be imposed on a player who unintentionally or accidentally throws his stick or any part thereof or any other object or piece of equipment outside the playing area.”

He got away with one there.  This clearly was no accident. 

Punishment for an intentional stick throw is more severe; under Rule 53.5, an intentional stick throw requires a game misconduct as well as a minor penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct. Vejmelka’s night would have been over. 

(Not) Serving Time

Goalies don’t do time in the box. Under Rule 27.3, a goaltender’s misconduct “shall be served by another member of his team who was on the ice when play is stopped.”  The player serving the penalty is determined by the coach and communicated by the captain. Defenseman Dmitri Simashev sat the 10 minutes while Vejmelka stayed in goal, finishing with 23 saves in the win.

(A game misconduct is a different story: the goalie is ejected and the backup comes in, per Rule 27.4).

The Rarity of Goalie Misconducts 

No NHL goaltender was assessed a misconduct – 10-minute, game, or otherwise – in the entire 2025-26 season, regular season and playoffs combined. Across the 40 goalies who took penalties last season, there were 78 minors, 5 fighting majors, and 2 penalty shots awarded against goalies who threw objects at the puck. Zero misconducts.

Vejmelka’s 10 penalty minutes are already the most by any goaltender this season.

Goalie Penalty Leaders – 2025-26

From 2025-26 penalty data, by penalty minutes:

  • Jacob Markstrom (FLA) — 13 PIM, 5 penalties
  • Andrei Vasilevskiy (TBL) — 11 PIM, 3 penalties
  • Igor Shesterkin (NYR) — 11 PIM, 4 penalties
  • Jeremy Swayman (BOS) — 11 PIM, 4 penalties
  • Jakub Dobes (MTL) — 10 PIM, 5 penalties

Six goaltenders dropped the gloves last season, all in three goalie-vs-goalie fights. Alex Nedeljkovic and Sergei Bobrovsky went at it Jan. 19 in Florida; Andrei Vasilevskiy and Jeremy Swayman fought Feb. 1 in Tampa; Jacob Markstrom and Igor Shesterkin threw down March 31 at Madison Square Garden.

The most common goalie penalties remain the occupational hazards: tripping, delay of game (puck over glass), and leaving the crease. Darcy Kuemper and Arturs Silovs each put the opposition on a penalty shot for throwing equipment at the puck (Rule 53.7).

The Utah Mammoth went on to defeat the Buffalo Sabres 4-1. Officials for the game were referees Michael Markovic and Morgan MacPhee, with linespersons Scott Cherrey and Tommy Hughes.