NEW YORK, July 12, 2022 – New York Rangers President and General Manager Chris Drury announced today that the team has agreed to terms with defenseman Libor Hajek on a one-year contract extension.
Hajek, 24, skated in 17 games for the Rangers last season, recording one assist and averaging 13:08 of time on ice. He also skated in five games for the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League (AHL) in 2021-22, notching two assists.
In 94 career NHL games across four seasons (2018-19 – 2021-22), all with the Blueshirts, the Smrcek, Czech Republic native has compiled three goals and eight assists for 11 points. During the 2020-21 season, he registered four points (2G-2A) and a plus-two rating in 44 games with the Rangers and ranked fifth on the club with 48 blocked shots.
The 6-3, 206 pound defenseman was acquired by the Rangers in a trade with Tampa Bay on February 26, 2018 after being originally selected by the Lightning in the second round, 37th overall, of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.