PuckSleuth
41Not on an NHL roster · Goalie · Catches L
Vitek Vanecek
Age 30 · 6'2" · 188 lb · Born in Havlickuv Brod, CZE
Cap hit
$1M
1.0% of $104M cap
Term
1 yr
Through 2026-27, then UFA
Clause
None
Surplus value
+$1.387M
vs. $2.387M market estimate
Contract details from our records; public announcement not yet matched
2025-26 regular season
GP
22
19 starts
Record
5-13-3
SV%
.883
GAA
2.93
Shots against
506
GSAx
-5.3
goals saved above expected
Game Score
-0.24
per game
Game log
Last 5 games · NHL API
| Game | Dec | SA | SV | GA | SV% | TOI | xGA | GSAx | HD saves | GS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 16vs STL · L 5-3 | L | 10 | 9 | 1 | .900 | 18:31 | 0.64 | -0.36 | 1/1 | -0.36 |
| Apr 12@ CGY · L 4-1 | L | 23 | 19 | 4 | .826 | 59:46 | 3.00 | -1.00 | 6/7 | -1.00 |
| Mar 26vs WSH · L 7-4 | L | 23 | 17 | 6 | .739 | 49:54 | 2.11 | -3.89 | 2/2 | -3.89 |
| Mar 24vs EDM · L 5-2 | Relief | 10 | 10 | 0 | 1.000 | 17:28 | 0.62 | +0.62 | 2/2 | +0.62 |
| Mar 20vs ANA · L 4-1 | L | 22 | 20 | 2 | .909 | 59:06 | 2.38 | +0.38 | 1/2 | +0.38 |
Dec = decision (W, L, OTL; ND = started, no decision). HD saves = high-danger shots on goal stopped. GS = our Game Score.
Advanced metrics
2025-26 · 22 GP · 1,206 min · percentile vs. NHL goalies
23rd percentile
27th percentile
19th percentile
37th percentile
49th percentile
24th percentile
11th percentile
27th percentile
6th percentile
21st percentile
Expected goals come from our own model and rate every unblocked shot he faced by its chance of going in. High-danger shots are those worth 0.15 expected goals or more. Percentiles compare him with goalies who played 600 minutes that season. xGA/60 shows how hard his workload was, so its bar is grey.
Play styleStruggling part-timer
Trait percentiles vs. NHL goalies · 2025-26
The numbers show a goalie who has had a rough season, with very weak rebound control, routine saves and 5-on-5 results. His one bright spot is penalty kill save percentage, and his high-danger saves sit right around average.
- High-danger saves
- 47
- Routine saves
- 20
- Rebound control
- 1
- 5-on-5 saves
- 10
- PK saves
- 66
- Consistency
- 27
- Workload
- 10
Strengths
- PK save percentage ranks in the 66th percentile among NHL goalies.
- High-danger saves are average at the 47th percentile, holding steady on big chances.
Watch-outs
- Rebound control is at the 1st percentile, giving up many quick follow-up shots.
- Routine saves rank in the 20th percentile, and the season total is -5.3 goals saved above expected.
- 5-on-5 saves sit at the 10th percentile, and quality starts are low at the 27th percentile.
Similar style: Yaroslav Askarov (SJS), Joonas Korpisalo (NYR)
Built from play-by-play and our expected goals model, compared with goalies who have 600+ minutes in the season.
Where his Game Score comes from
2025-26 · 22 GP
Season total -5.3, or -0.24 per game.
- Goaltending
- -5.3
Game Score gives credit for everything a player does in a game. Goals (1.0) and assists (0.7 primary, 0.5 secondary) count most; shots, blocks, hits, takeaways, penalties drawn, faceoff wins, killing penalties, and holding down the other team's chances add to it. Only mistakes subtract: goals against at 5-on-5, giveaways, penalties taken, faceoff losses, and allowing more chances than an average player would. A player who is there to defend or kill penalties is not marked down for not scoring. Goalies are measured by goals saved above expected.
Career stats
From the NHL's player records
| Season | League | Team | GP | GS | W | L | OTL | SV% | GAA | SO | SA | GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009-10 | Czech U16 | BK Havlickuv Brod U16 | 7 | — | — | — | — | .874 | 4.35 | — | — | — |
| 2010-11 | CzR-U18 | Havl. Brod U18 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 6.00 | 0 | — | 6 |
| 2011-12 | CzR-U18 | Havl. Brod U18 | 7 | — | — | — | — | — | 4.09 | 0 | — | 22 |
| 2012-13 | CzR-U18 | Havl. Brod U18 | 36 | — | — | — | — | — | 3.22 | 1 | — | 108 |
| 2012-13 | CzRep-Jr. | Havl. Brod Jr. | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | 2.00 | — | — | — |
| 2012-13 (playoffs) | Czech U18 | BK Havlickuv Brod U18 | 5 | — | — | — | — | .937 | 2.53 | — | — | — |
| 2013-14 | CzRep-Jr. | Liberec Jr. | 38 | — | — | — | — | — | 2.64 | 2 | — | 95 |
| 2013-14 | WJ18-A | Czechia | 7 | — | 4 | 2 | — | — | 2.74 | 0 | 194 | 20 |
| 2013-14 (playoffs) | CzRep-Jr. | Liberec Jr. | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | 4.23 | 0 | — | 15 |
| 2014-15 | CzRep-Jr. | Liberec Jr. | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | 3.60 | 1 | — | 12 |
| 2014-15 | CzRep | Liberec | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | 2.67 | 0 | — | 16 |
| 2014-15 | WJC-A | Czechia | 3 | — | 1 | 2 | — | .829 | 4.31 | 0 | 76 | 13 |
| 2014-15 | CzRep-2 | Benatky | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | 2.24 | 0 | — | 44 |
| 2014-15 | Czech | Bili Tygri Liberec | 2 | — | — | — | — | .943 | 1.50 | 0 | 53 | 3 |
| 2014-15 | WJC-20 | Czechia U20 | 3 | — | — | — | — | .829 | 4.31 | — | — | — |
| 2014-15 | Czech2 | HC Benatky nad Jizerou | 20 | — | — | — | — | .925 | 2.24 | 0 | 588 | 44 |
| 2014-15 | Czech U20 | Bili Tygri Liberec U20 | 4 | — | — | — | — | .919 | 3.60 | — | — | — |
| 2014-15 (playoffs) | CzRep-2 | Benatky | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | 2.77 | 0 | — | 13 |
| 2014-15 (playoffs) | Czech | Bili Tygri Liberec | 4 | — | — | — | — | .870 | 3.26 | — | — | — |
| 2014-15 (playoffs) | Czech2 | HC Benatky nad Jizerou | 5 | — | — | — | — | .902 | 2.77 | — | — | — |
| 2015-16 | WJC-A | Czechia | 5 | — | 2 | 3 | — | .881 | 2.73 | 1 | 101 | 12 |
| 2015-16 | AHL | Hershey Bears | 1 | — | — | — | — | .962 | 0.92 | — | — | — |
| 2015-16 | ECHL | South Carolina Stingrays | 32 | — | — | — | — | .917 | 2.03 | — | — | — |
| 2015-16 | WJC-20 | Czechia U20 | 5 | — | — | — | — | .881 | 2.73 | — | — | — |
| 2015-16 (playoffs) | ECHL | South Carolina | 11 | — | 6 | 4 | — | .914 | 2.31 | 1 | 278 | 24 |
| 2015-16 (playoffs) | ECHL | South Carolina Stingrays | 11 | — | — | — | — | .914 | 2.31 | — | — | — |
| 2016-17 | AHL | Hershey Bears | 39 | — | — | — | — | .909 | 2.54 | — | — | — |
| 2016-17 (playoffs) | AHL | Hershey Bears | 4 | — | — | — | — | .910 | 2.75 | — | — | — |
| 2017-18 | AHL | Hershey Bears | 32 | — | — | — | — | .888 | 3.04 | — | — | — |
| 2017-18 | ECHL | South Carolina Stingrays | 2 | — | — | — | — | .935 | 2.01 | — | — | — |
| 2018-19 | AHL | Hershey Bears | 38 | — | 21 | 10 | 9 | .907 | 2.62 | 2 | 1042 | 97 |
| 2018-19 (playoffs) | AHL | Hershey Bears | 4 | — | 1 | 3 | 9 | .935 | 2.25 | 1 | 139 | 9 |
| 2019-20 | AHL | Hershey Bears | 31 | — | 19 | 10 | 1 | .917 | 2.26 | 2 | 827 | 69 |
| 2020-21 | NHL | Washington Capitals | 37 | 36 | 21 | 10 | 4 | .908 | 2.69 | 2 | 1031 | 95 |
| 2020-21 (playoffs) | NHL | Washington Capitals | 1 | 1 | — | — | 0 | .750 | 4.56 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| 2021-22 | NHL | Washington Capitals | 42 | 39 | 20 | 12 | 6 | .908 | 2.67 | 4 | 1117 | 103 |
| 2021-22 | AHL | Hershey Bears | 1 | — | 0 | 1 | 0 | .913 | 2.03 | 0 | 23 | 2 |
| 2021-22 (playoffs) | NHL | Washington Capitals | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .863 | 4.21 | 0 | 51 | 7 |
| 2022-23 | NHL | New Jersey Devils | 52 | 48 | 33 | 11 | 4 | .911 | 2.45 | 3 | 1333 | 119 |
| 2022-23 (playoffs) | NHL | New Jersey Devils | 7 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | .825 | 4.64 | 0 | 120 | 21 |
| 2023-24 | NHL | New Jersey Devils | 32 | 29 | 17 | 9 | 3 | .890 | 3.18 | 0 | 862 | 95 |
| 2024-25 | NHL | San Jose Sharks | 18 | 17 | 3 | 10 | 3 | .882 | 3.88 | 0 | 533 | 63 |
| 2024-25 | NHL | Florida Panthers | 7 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 1 | .890 | 3.00 | 1 | 191 | 21 |
| 2024-25 | AHL | San Jose Barracuda | 1 | — | 1 | 0 | 0 | .917 | 2.00 | 0 | 24 | 2 |
| 2025-26 | NHL | Utah Mammoth | 22 | 19 | 5 | 13 | 3 | .883 | 2.93 | 1 | 506 | 59 |
| 2026-27 | AHL | Hamilton Hammers | 1 | — | 1 | 0 | 0 | .926 | 2.00 | 0 | 27 | 2 |
Every league he has played in, from the NHL's records, regular season and playoffs.
Latest news
Headlines from news outlets and team blogs
- NY Islanders could take huge risk putting free agent signing on waivers
eyesonisles.com · Sep 21
Sentiment & chatter
Fans
—
Beat writers
—
Media
—
Fan, beat writer, and media scores, the 14-day trade chatter chart, and the latest mentions appear once sentiment scoring is switched on. Mentions are already being collected.
Recent Game Scores
Last 10 games · goals above average
Average -0.18 per game over these 10.
Age curve
NHL goalies · production index
At 30, goalies typically produce 100% of their peak (age 26).
From 24 seasons of NHL results, adjusted for league scoring and save percentage in each era. Shaded bars are the seasons left on his contract.
Contract by season
1 season left
| Season | Team | Cap hit | % of cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | NYI | $1M | 1.0% |
UFA after 2026-27. $1M in cap hits left. % of cap uses each season's ceiling where the league has set one ($104M this season, $113.5M in 2027-28).