Vitek Vanecek, the Capitals starting goaltender last season, was tragically snatched up by the Seattle Kraken in the Expansion Draft on Wednesday. Vitek will form a battery in net with Chris Driedger (FLA) and Joey Daccord (OTT).
During the night, tributes poured in from Vitek’s former (sigh) Capitals’ teammates.
Here’s what the players had to say.
Tom Wilson: “Great guy, great goalie. Going to miss ya @vitacz15”
Ilya Samsonov: “My partner!!! 🤘💋 You are a very good person and goalkeeper!! Everything will be fine 🙏🙏🙏💋kim”
Michal Kempny: “Good luck buddy. Will miss you @vitacz15”
Daniel Sprong: “Goodluck @vitacz15 gonna miss you brother ❤️”
Martin Fehervary: “Good luck brother 😢❤️ @vitacz15”
Vitek responded to several of the messages on his Instagram Story. To Sprong, Vanecek replied, “I will miss you too. Thank you brother ❤️.” To Fehervary, he said, “Good luck I will miss you to brother. Good luck. ❤️😢”
After Wilson said he’d miss Vanecek being around, the goalie said, “Me too 😢”
Vanecek also received tributes from the Capitals and Hershey Bears team accounts.
Headline photo: @vitacz15
