Panthers acquire veteran goaltender Vitek Vanecek from San Jose
Nov 11, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; San Jose Sharks goaltender Vitek Vanecek (41) against the Philadelphia Flyers at Wells Fargo Center. (Eric Hartline-Imagn Images)The Florida Panthers are looking at the goalie market.
Last weekend, Florida traded goaltender Spencer Knight and a 1st Round Pick to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for defenseman Seth Jones.
With the NHL Trade Deadline coming up on Friday, the Panthers didn’t have much time to figure out what their insurance policy would be behind starting goalie Sergei Bobrovsky.
On Wednesday, we got our answer.
Florida has acquired goaltender Vitek Vanecek from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for forward Patrick Giles.
The deal was first reported by the Associated Press’ Tim Reynolds.
Vanecek, 29, is playing in his fifth season in the NHL and playing in the final year of a contract that holds an average annual value (AAV) of $3.4 million.
Through 18 games with the Sharks this season, Vanecek held a 3-10-3 record to go with an .882 save percentage and 3.88 goals against average.
Not exactly statistics to write home about, but neither were Mackenzie Blackwood’s with San Jose and we’ve seen how that story is playing out on a new, much more skilled Colorado team.
During the first three years of his career, on very solid Washington and New Jersey squads, Vanecek was consistently solid and had the numbers to back it up.
Joining a defensive squad like Florida that will protect the house and limit second chance opportunities could see Vanecek’s game take off once again.
He will get plenty of opportunities, as Florida's final 20 regular season game schedule includes five back-to-back sets.
Florida giving up Giles is nothing to sneeze at.
The 25-year-old forward played his first nine games in the NHL earlier this season and had been a source of solid two-way play and leadership during his time with the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers.
Now Giles will join a Sharks squad that could have room for him at the NHL level. The Sharks wrap up a long road trip on Thursday night in Colorado.
Florida will also be back in action on Thursday night when they host the Columbus Blue Jackets.
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