NCDC 2024-25 Awards: P.A.L.’s Vejmelka Named Atlantic Division Goaltender Of The Year 

USPHL • News • NCDC 2024-25 Awards: P.A.L.’s Vejmelka Named Atlantic Division Goaltender Of The Year 

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By Joshua Boyd / NCDCHockey.com 

 

The National Collegiate Development Conference congratulates P.A.L. Jr. Islanders goaltender Lukas Vejmelka on being named the 2024-25 Atlantic Division Goaltender Of The Year. 

“I didn’t expect it, but I’m very happy about it. It’s more proof for me that hard work pays off and more motivation to keep going. I’m very grateful for that,” said Vejmelka. “I definitely couldn’t have done it without the support of my family, that was the main reason why I did it.”

Vejmelka, a 2004-born native of Trebic, Czechia, went 23-4-3-0 and finished with a 2.06 goals against average. That was third among goaltenders with at least 18 games played this season. His .940 save percentage was also good for third, league-wide, and his 23 wins also ranked third in the NCDC.

“I wanted the players to know that they could rely on me in every situation and trust me, so I tried to perform well all the time,” said Vejmelka. “The goaltender is one of the main parts of the team and the team needs to be able to rely on him and that’s what I tried to do.”

While he wanted to do everything he could for his teammates, he knew they also did a great job of helping him bring the team success. The Jr. Islanders finished just three points back of the eventual Founders Cup Regular Season Champion South Shore Kings. 

“The boys tried to help me as much as they could, they tried to block every shot and didn’t let anyone rebound,” added Vejmelka. “The coaches believed in me and worked with me in such a way that it was a pleasure to play for this team.”

This was not only Vejmelka’s first NCDC season, but also his first North American season overall. He was glad he made the choice to bring his game to the NCDC and the Jr. Islanders. 

“For me, it’s an amazing league. I had a season I’ll never forget,” added Vejmelka. “ I met great people, gained a lot of new experiences and really enjoyed every moment. I got a lot of offers from different universities, so I can only recommend it.”