| Jakub Zboril | |
|---|---|
| Name | Jakub Zboril |
| Birth date | 8 February 1997 |
| Birth place | Brno, Czech Republic |
| Weight lb | 200 |
| Position | Defence |
| Shoots | Left |
| League | NHL |
| Team | Boston Bruins |
| Former teams | Providence Bruins, Omaha Lancers, Sarnia Sting |
| Draft | 13th overall, 2015 NHL Entry Draft |
| Draft team | Boston Bruins |
| Career start | 2016 |
Jakub Zboril is a Czech professional ice hockey defenceman who was selected 13th overall in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft by the Boston Bruins. He developed in the Czech and Canadian junior systems before making his North American professional debut with the Providence Bruins of the American Hockey League. Zboril has represented the Czech Republic at multiple IIHF World U18 Championship and IIHF World Junior Championship tournaments.
Born in Brno in the Czech Republic, Zboril came through local youth programs and played for HC Kometa Brno before moving to North America to join the Sarnia Sting of the Ontario Hockey League. While with Sarnia he skated alongside prospects such as Max Jones and faced opponents including Matthew Tkachuk, Auston Matthews, and Connor McDavid during OHL matchups. His performances in CHL competition and at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament and IIHF World U18 Championship raised his profile ahead of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, where scouts compared aspects of his play to established blueliners like Alex Pietrangelo, Duncan Keith, and Erik Karlsson in various scouting reports.
After being drafted by the Boston Bruins, Zboril signed an entry-level contract and split time between the Providence Bruins of the American Hockey League and the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League. He made his NHL debut during the 2017–18 NHL season and recorded his first NHL point in contests against teams like the Buffalo Sabres and New Jersey Devils. In the AHL, he teamed with teammates such as Jakub Lauko, Charlie McAvoy (in organizational context), and faced opposition from players who later joined clubs including the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, and New York Rangers. Injuries and roster competition influenced his development trajectory during seasons affected by the 2019–20 NHL season pause and the 2020–21 NHL season scheduling adjustments. Contract renewals and waiver transactions tied him to the Bruins organization while he continued to log minutes in the AHL Calder Cup playoffs and preseason matchups against clubs like the Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings.
Zboril has represented the Czech Republic men's national ice hockey team at under-18 and under-20 levels, appearing in U18 and U20 tournaments where he played against national programs such as Canada men's national junior ice hockey team, United States men's national junior ice hockey team, and Sweden men's national junior ice hockey team. Teammates at international events included prospects who became NHL players for franchises like the Edmonton Oilers, Chicago Blackhawks, and Pittsburgh Penguins. His international resume ties into the Czech Republic's broader development pipeline alongside alumni from HC Sparta Praha and HC Slavia Praha.
Zboril is a left-shot defenceman noted for a two-way game that blends physical play with transitional passing, drawing stylistic comparisons in scouting literature to professionals such as Roman Hamrlík and Zdeno Chára in terms of reach and positional use. Analysts have cited his gap control, board play, and breakout passing while noting areas for growth in point shooting and offensive assertiveness similar to development paths of players like Brent Burns and Duncan Keith. He has been deployed on penalty kill units and late-game defensive situations for the Providence Bruins and has skated with power-play groups in junior competition, often matched against forwards from clubs including the Winnipeg Jets and New Jersey Devils at the international and minor-pro levels.
Raised in Brno, Czech Republic, Zboril has family ties to Czech ice hockey culture and has been involved in community initiatives tied to the Boston Bruins organization, including youth hockey clinics and charity appearances with partners like Ronald McDonald House Charities and local Children's Hospital programs connected to Bruins outreach. Off the ice he has pursued language studies to adapt to life in North America, maintained connections with Czech teammates who play for clubs such as HC Kometa Brno and taken part in alumni events with figures from Czech hockey history, including former national team members who competed in IIHF World Championships and the Winter Olympics.
Category:Czech ice hockey defencemen Category:Boston Bruins draft picks