Vitek Vanecek

Capitals players say they will ‘miss Sammy and Vitek’ as the two young goaltenders move on with other teams

The National Hockey League can be a harsh business. Playing a kid’s game as an adult can net a king’s ransom, but it also means being treated like a commodity and having to leave your friendships at the door.

Capitals players are experiencing the latter as they transition into a new year. Over the offseason, general manager Brian MacLellan hit the eject button and jettisoned the young goalie battery of Ilya Samsonov and Vitek Vanecek after two full seasons together. Samsonov signed with the Leafs after not being tendered a qualifying offer by Mac while Vanecek was dealt to division rival New Jersey. Both players grew up in the Capitals’ developmental system and were a duo with the AHL’s Hershey Bears as well.

The Capitals retooled their netminding by signing the top free agent goaltender on the free-agent market, 2022 Stanley Cup champion Darcy Kuemper, and inking backup Charlie Lindgren to a three-year deal. While there’s excitement on what those two tendies can bring, several Caps players were noticeably tore up about Sammy and Vitek being gone at the start of Training Camp.

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By Ian Oland 2 days ago

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Jakub Vrana and Vitek Vanecek reunite at Czech exhibition game

Former Capitals players Jakub Vrana and Vitek Vanecek grew to be close friends during their time together in Washington. The bond started at the 2014 rookie camp where Vrana helped translate the entirety of Vanecek’s first ever media availability with the team.

The two Czech 2014 Caps draftees spent nearly seven years together, but eventually parted ways when Vrana was dealt to Detroit Red Wings at the 2021 Trade deadline. On Saturday, they reunited in their native Czechia to celebrate HC Letci Letnany’s 20th anniversary.

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By Chris Cerullo 1 month ago

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New Jersey Devils give Vitek Vanecek substantial raise in three-year deal

Former Capitals goaltender Vitek Vanecek is getting a big payday from the New Jersey Devils.

Vanecek, a restricted free agent, inked a three-year deal with the Devils worth $3.4 million per season. The 26-year-old was coming off a three-year deal with Washington where he made $717k a year.

Vanecek posted a 20-12-6 record, posting a 2.67 GAA, .908 save percentage, and four shutouts last season.

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By Ian Oland 2 months ago

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Ilya Samsonov, Vitek Vanecek, and asset management

The Washington Capitals have finally slayed their two-headed goalie monster by metaphorically lopping off both their heads. (Okay, that’s gross, I’ll definitely delete that before I publish this.)

On Monday afternoon the team announced that they had not offered a qualifying offer to Ilya Samsonov. The team may still negotiate with Samsonov over the next two days (if they want), but if not, come Wednesday — poof! — the Russian netminder can sign with any team as an unrestricted free agent. After dealing Vitek Vanecek on the second day of the Draft, the Capitals quickly went from having two goalies in the organization to none.

Because of how it all went down, the team got hardly anything in return, and that’s where I want to focus for a moment, especially if the Caps are unable to sign Samsonov to a more team-friendly deal before noon on Wednesday.

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By Ian Oland 3 months ago

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Vitek Vanecek thanks Capitals fans for support in social media post: ‘One big life chapter has ended’

The Washington Capitals made its first major splash of the offseason on Friday, trading Vitek Vanecek a day before his wedding to the New Jersey Devils for draft picks. The move paves the way for the Capitals to add a veteran goaltender either via trade or free agency.

Vanecek didn’t have time to react to the trade in real-time due to his pending huge event, but he jumped onto social media on Sunday to share his feelings.

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By Ian Oland 3 months ago

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It turns out the Capitals traded Vitek Vanecek the day before his wedding

Vitek Vanecek had two absolutely life-changing events happen in approximately 24 hours.

Yesterday, Vanecek was traded by the Washington Capitals to the New Jersey Devils after spending the first eight years of his career with the DC hockey team (and this time, there will be no take-backsies).

Today, Vanecek got married to his longtime love, Kristýna, in his native Czechia.

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By Ian Oland 3 months ago

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Brian MacLellan says trade of Vitek Vanecek the ‘first step in the process to make a change’

Washington Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan spoke from the floor of Bell Center after the 2022 NHL Draft ended.

The biggest news from the Capitals’ two days north of the border was that they dealt Vitek Vanecek to division rival New Jersey for two draft picks. According to Mac, the Capitals had two goals with the trade: 1) get assets for a good young player so it could move on from its inconsistent young goaltending duo and 2) Move up in the second round of the Draft.

With the 37th overall pick that they acquired in the trade, the Capitals selected defenseman Ryan Chesley from the US National Team Development Program.

“Yeah we targeted him,” MacLellan said. “We thought we had to move up to get him because he wouldn’t be around. We incorporated that into the Vanecek trade.”

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By Ian Oland 3 months ago

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Capitals trade Vitek Vanecek to New Jersey Devils for draft picks

The Washington Capitals’ young goalie tandem is no more.

The Capitals traded Vitek Vanecek and the 46th overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft to Metropolitan Division foe, the New Jersey Devils, for the 37th overall pick and a third-round pick (70th overall). The deal came together shortly before the start of Day Two of the NHL Draft.

The Capitals were rumored to have interest acquiring Montreal Canadiens backup Jake Allen as of last night. It’s unclear if that’s their next move or something else.

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By Ian Oland 3 months ago

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Capitals plan to give qualifying offers to Ilya Samsonov and Vitek Vanecek, but still want to acquire a veteran goaltender

Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan said on Breakdown Day in May that the first offseason decision he wanted to make was in regard to the team’s goaltending situation. Both Ilya Samsonov and Vitek Vanecek are restricted free agents and will need qualifying offers from the team by July 11.

MacLellan stated on Wednesday that the two young netminders will get those offers but that the Caps still plan to explore both the trade and free agency market for a veteran alternative.

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By Chris Cerullo 3 months ago

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Report: Capitals tried to extend Conor Sheary earlier in the offseason

The Washington Capitals are entering an important time period that could reshape the franchise during the final years of the Alex Ovechkin Era in DC. The NHL Draft, where the team could make a trade, is on July 7 and 8, and free agency opens on July 13.

The Capitals, who have not won a playoff series since lifting the Stanley Cup in 2018, will have approximately $25 million to play with after second-line center Nicklas Backstrom had a second hip surgery last month that few athletes have returned from.

Now, Elliotte Friedman is reporting one of the Capitals’ first major moves of the offseason.

Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan tried to re-up 30-year-old, third-line winger, Conor Sheary, who will be an unrestricted free agent next year.

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By Ian Oland 3 months ago

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