By: Jack Studley | Follow me on Twitter/X @jackstudley13
After the Bruins let him go without a qualifying offer, Jakub Lauko has signed a three-year deal with HC Dynamo Pardubice in the Czech Extraliga. Over parts of three seasons with the Bruins, Lauko played in 101 games, scoring 22 points and accumulating 63 penalty minutes. Lauko joins another former Bruin, Vladmir Sobotka, as the new signings for HC Dynamo Pardubice this summer.
The fourth-liner filled a role throughout his two tenures in Boston. He brought grit and energy to the Bruins’ bottom-six group, always making his presence known on the ice. He was not afraid to fire up the crowd and would sacrifice five minutes in the penalty box if it meant the TD Garden would be loud. He got into the dirty areas too, risking his body (and modeling career) if it meant that the puck would end up on a Bruin stick.
Lauko’s return home to the Czech Republic will be his first time playing there since he played for Karlovy Vary in 2020. He was born in Prague and grew up in Chomutov, a city in northwest Czechia. He played youth hockey for Pirati Chomutov. In HC Dynamo Pardubice’s press release, Lauko spoke about his familiarity with the players and the coaching staff. Pairing that with a three-year deal, Lauko found himself a new home with some stability.
Lauko was a third-round draft pick by the Bruins in 2018. After being selected, he moved to the QMJHL, putting up a 20-goal season with the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies. He then joined the Providence Bruins roster for the 2019-20 season. He debuted with Boston on October 12, 2022, and played in 83 games before getting traded to the Minnesota Wild at the 2024 draft for Vinni Lettieri and a fourth-round pick swap. He was traded back to Boston at the 2025 trade deadline when the Wild traded for Justin Brazeau and scored twice in 18 games wearing the spoked B.
It is a shame that no NHL team was willing to take a chance on Lauko. On July 1, the Bruins added a lot of help and competition to the bottom-six group, and keeping Lauko on the roster would further complicate that. He was an entertaining player to watch. He was not the flashiest or out there making highlight-reel plays, but he always seemed to embody what it meant to be a Boston Bruin, and he was proud to wear the jersey.
I always liked Lauko, hope he does well over there