Jakub Lauko Bio
Jakub Lauko is a Czech professional ice hockey forward who plays for HC Dynamo Pardubice of the Czech Extraliga (ELH). Standing 6 feet 1 inch tall and weighing 193 pounds, Lauko shoots left and has built his game on speed, work ethic, and two-way responsibility. After several seasons split between North American and Czech leagues, he returned home in 2025 on a three-year deal with Pardubice, his first long-term contract in the Czech top flight.
Born and raised in Prague, Lauko entered professional hockey at age 16 and climbed the development ladder through the Czech Extraliga, the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, and the American Hockey League. He made his National Hockey League debut with the Boston Bruins in October 2022 and has since added stints with the Minnesota Wild and a return to Boston. Lauko is also a Czech national team player, representing his country on the international stage.
Early Life and Background
Jakub Lauko was born on 28 March 2000 in Prague, Czech Republic. He grew up in a country with a deep ice hockey tradition, and the sport was a natural part of his childhood. As a young player in the Czech capital, he developed his skills on local rinks before joining the youth system of Piráti Chomutov.
Lauko comes from a family with Eastern European roots. He is of partial Ukrainian descent through his grandmother, who was from Lviv. That family heritage has given him ties to a wider regional hockey culture and added context to his sense of identity as a Czech player with international background.
Path to Hockey
Lauko began his professional career in 2016 with Piráti Chomutov of the Czech Extraliga. He spent two seasons in the senior top flight of Czech hockey, gaining valuable experience against grown men while still a teenager. His development in Chomutov helped him earn attention from North American scouts ahead of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft.
The Boston Bruins selected Lauko in the third round, 77th overall, of the 2018 draft. On 28 September 2018, the Bruins signed him to a three-year, entry-level contract. Rather than sending him straight to the AHL, the organization chose to continue his development in major junior hockey, and Lauko joined the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League for the 2018-19 season.
Jakub Lauko Career
Early Career (2016-2019)
Lauko opened his professional career with Piráti Chomutov from 2016 to 2018, playing in the Czech Extraliga during his late teens. After being drafted by Boston, he transitioned to North America with the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies of the QMJHL for the 2018-19 season. He produced 41 points in 44 regular-season games and added 13 points in 19 playoff games as the Huskies defeated the Halifax Mooseheads in four games to win the President’s Cup. Rouyn-Noranda then captured the Memorial Cup, and Lauko led the tournament in scoring with eight points in five games, a signature early achievement that signaled his offensive upside.
AHL Development (2019-2022)
Lauko moved to the Providence Bruins of the American Hockey League for the 2019-20 season. On 7 December 2019, he was stretchered off the ice in a game against the Utica Comets after colliding with forward Justin Bailey, but he was able to give a thumbs-up as he exited and recovered from the scary moment. He finished that shortened season with nine points in 22 games. In August 2020, the Bruins loaned him to HC Energie Karlovy Vary of the Czech Extraliga until the delayed North American season resumed. He returned to Providence and totaled 19 points in 23 games during the 2020-21 AHL campaign, continuing to round out his two-way game.
Boston Bruins NHL Debut (2022-2024)
In the 2022-23 season, Lauko earned his first extended opportunity at the NHL roster. He made his NHL debut on 12 October 2022 against the Washington Capitals and registered his first NHL point with an assist on a goal by veteran Nick Foligno, a teammate Lauko affectionately refers to as Uncle Nick. A would-be first NHL goal against the Arizona Coyotes on 15 October 2022 was waved off for goalie interference, but he finally lit the lamp on 1 November 2022 against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Splitting time between Boston and Providence, he finished his rookie NHL season with 4 goals and 3 assists in 23 games.
On 5 July 2023, the Bruins signed Lauko to a two-year contract worth 787,500 dollars per season, with the first year structured as a two-way deal. He continued to shuttle between Providence and Boston, refining his role as a reliable bottom-six forward with speed and penalty-killing value.
Minnesota Wild and Return to Boston (2024-2025)
On 29 June 2024, the Bruins traded Lauko, along with a fourth-round pick, to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for Vinni Lettieri and another fourth-round selection. His time in Minnesota was brief, and on 6 March 2025 he was traded back to the Bruins alongside Marat Khusnutdinov and a 2026 sixth-round draft pick for Justin Brazeau. Lauko played the remainder of the 2024-25 season in Boston, posting two goals and five points in 18 appearances as the Bruins missed the playoffs for the first time in nine years.
HC Dynamo Pardubice (2025-Present)
After Boston did not tender him a qualifying offer, Lauko became a free agent and chose to return to the Czech Republic. On 1 August 2025, he signed a three-year contract with HC Dynamo Pardubice of the Czech Extraliga. The deal marks his first long-term commitment in the Czech top flight and signals a new chapter in his career.
Driving Style and Strengths
Lauko plays a fast, responsible two-way game built on skating, forechecking pressure, and dependable penalty killing. His coaches have used him as a reliable bottom-six winger who can chip in offensively when given room, and he has shown a willingness to play through physical play.
Notable Events and Milestones
Key career milestones include his Memorial Cup-leading eight points in five games during the 2019 tournament, his first NHL goal on 1 November 2022 against Pittsburgh, and his Presidents’ Cup and Memorial Cup championships with Rouyn-Noranda. His 2025 trade back to Boston and his subsequent signing with Pardubice marked a full-circle return to Czech hockey.
Jakub Lauko Career Wins
Lauko’s most celebrated team wins came during the 2018-19 season with the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, including the President’s Cup and the Memorial Cup. He also contributed to playoff efforts with Providence and split regular-season and playoff success across the AHL, NHL, and Czech Extraliga throughout his career.
QMJHL Highlights
In 2018-19, Lauko won the President’s Cup with Rouyn-Noranda and followed it with a Memorial Cup title, leading the tournament in scoring with eight points in five games. Those championships remain his most significant team trophies to date.
Jakub Lauko Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Lauko is of partial Ukrainian descent through his grandmother, who was from Lviv. That family heritage connects him to a broader Eastern European background alongside his Czech upbringing.
Personal Life
Lauko maintains an active presence on social media and keeps his personal life largely private. He has spoken warmly about his relationship with Bruins teammate Nick Foligno, whom he calls Uncle Nick, reflecting the close bonds he has built inside NHL locker rooms.
2025 Season Performance
Lauko’s 2024-25 season was defined by movement. After starting the year in Minnesota, he was traded back to the Boston Bruins on 6 March 2025 and contributed two goals and five points in 18 games as Boston missed the playoffs for the first time in nine years. Once the season ended without a qualifying offer from the Bruins, Lauko became a free agent.
On 1 August 2025, he signed a three-year contract with HC Dynamo Pardubice of the Czech Extraliga, giving him stability and a leading role in one of the Czech Republic’s top clubs. The move is expected to provide him with more ice time than he typically received in the NHL and a chance to refine his offensive game.
Looking ahead through the 2025-26 campaign, Lauko is positioned as a top-nine forward for Pardubice and a candidate to feature prominently for the Czech national team. His combination of NHL experience, championship pedigree from junior hockey, and renewed comfort at home make him one of the more intriguing Czech league storylines of the year.