SUNRISE, Fla.– Florida Panthers President of Hockey Operations & General Manager Bill Zitoannounced today that the club has acquired goaltender Vitek Vanecek from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for forward Patrick Giles.
Vanecek, 29, has appeared in 18 games with the Sharks in 2024-25, producing a 3-10-3 record, .882 save percentage and 3.88 goals against average. He also played in one game with San Jose’s American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the San Jose Barracuda.
The 6-foot-2, 184-pound native of Havlickuv Brod, Czechia has appeared in 181 career NHL games between San Jose (2024-25), the New Jersey Devils (2021-22 to 2023-24) and Washington Capitals (2020-21 to 2021-22), compiling a 94-52-20 record, .903 save percentage, 2.82 goals against average and nine shutouts. He has also played in 10 career Stanley Cup playoff games between New Jersey (2022-23) and Washington (2020-21 to 2021-22).
Vanecek earned a career-high 33 wins with New Jersey in 2022-23, tied for the seventh-most victories among league goaltenders that season, becoming the second netminder in Devils history to post at least 30 wins in a season. His campaign included a 10-game win streak from Dec. 30, 2022 – Feb. 6, 2023. In his rookie season in 2020-21 with Washington, Vanecek compiled a 21-10-4 record which led all rookie goaltenders.
He has also played in 143 career AHL games between San Jose (2024-25) and the Hershey Bears (2015-16 to 2019-20, 2021-22), amassing a 72-44-16-11 record, .906 save percentage, 2.58 goals against average and 11 shutouts. He represented Hershey at the 2019 AHL All-Star Game.
On the international stage, Vanecek earned a silver medal representing Czechia at the 2014 IIHF U18 World Junior Championship, posting a 4-2-0 record.
Vanecek was originally selected by Washington in the second round (39th overall) of the 2014 NHL Draft.
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