Vitek Vanecek
G UTA
Mon 2/24/25 1:17 PM

Vanecek will defend the road crease against the Jets on Monday, Curtis Pashelka of The San Jose Mercury News reports.
EDGE Analysis
Vanecek returned to action just before the 4 Nations Face-Off break, but he wasn't particularly effective over two starts, going 0-1-1 with a 5.01 GAA and .828 save percentage. He'll face a tough test Monday, as the Jets rank second in the NHL with 3.60 goals per game.

Vitek Vanecek
G UTA
Sun 2/9/25 3:25 AM

Vanecek allowed eight goals on 34 shots in Saturday's 8-3 loss to the Stars.
EDGE Analysis
Vanecek isn't fully to blame for this game -- when the score is that lopsided, it's a full-team failure. The 29-year-old looked pretty good in his return from a fractured cheekbone when he took an overtime loss to the Canucks on Thursday, but the Stars humbled him with seven straight goals after the Sharks established a 2-0 lead. The netminder is now 3-9-2 with a 4.01 GAA and an .878 save percentage across 16 appearances. Vanecek and Alexandar Georgiev are likely to split the starts for the Sharks as long as they're the only two netminders at the NHL level, though the distribution of work could become trickier if Yaroslav Askarov receives another call-up.

Vitek Vanecek
G UTA
Sat 2/8/25 7:36 PM

Vanecek will protect the home net against Dallas on Saturday, Curtis Pashelka of The San Jose Mercury News reports.
EDGE Analysis
Vanecek is coming off a 22-save effort in Thursday's 2-1 overtime loss to Vancouver. He has a 3-8-2 record with a 3.70 GAA and an .887 save percentage across 15 NHL appearances this season. Dallas ranks 10th in the league with 3.19 goals per game in 2024-25.

Vitek Vanecek
G UTA
Fri 2/7/25 2:33 AM

Vanecek stopped 22 of 24 shots in Thursday's 2-1 overtime loss to the Canucks.
EDGE Analysis
Vanecek kept the Canucks' off the board for over two periods. Macklin Celebrini's two mistakes in the contest -- a delay-of-game minor in the third period and a hooking call that led to a penalty shot in overtime -- led to both of Vancouver's goals. Vanecek hadn't played since Dec. 14 or suited up since Dec. 17, when he suffered a fractured cheekbone on the bench during a game against the Jets. Now that he's healthy, he'll push Alexandar Georgiev for playing time, though if both goalies struggle, Yaroslav Askarov could get another look at the NHL level. Vanecek is 3-8-2 with a 3.70 GAA and an .887 save percentage over 15 appearances this season.

Vitek Vanecek
G UTA
Thu 2/6/25 2:06 PM

Vanecek (face) was the first goaltender off the ice at morning skate and is slated to guard the home cage versus Vancouver on Thursday, Max Miller of NHL.com reports.
EDGE Analysis
Vanecek will make his first NHL appearance since he suffered a fractured cheekbone sitting on the bench as the backup goaltender against the Jets on Dec. 17. Vanecek is a mediocre 3-8-1 with a 3.84 GAA and an .885 save percentage in 14 games this season. The Canucks are generating 2.83 goals per game, 22nd in the NHL in 2024-25.

Vitek Vanecek
G UTA
Sun 2/2/25 1:20 PM

Vanecek (face) was summoned from his conditioning assignment with AHL San Jose on Sunday.
EDGE Analysis
The Sharks assigned Yaroslav Askarov to the minors in a corresponding move. Vanecek hasn't been in the lineup for the Sharks since Dec. 17 against Winnipeg, when he suffered a fractured cheekbone while sitting on the bench as the backup. Vanecek will compete for playing time with Alexandar Georgiev, but Askarov could return to the NHL before the conclusion of the regular season.

Vitek Vanecek
G UTA
Fri 1/31/25 1:41 PM

Vanecek (face), who is on a conditioning stint with AHL San Jose, has been removed from injured reserve, per the NHL media site Friday.
EDGE Analysis
Vanecek likely will make his return to the ice against AHL Henderson on Friday and could even pull a double, as the Barracuda also play the Silver Knights again Saturday. Once the 29-year-old backstop gets his legs back under him, he should be in contention for starts with the Sharks -- though he'll need to edge out Yaroslav Askarov to reclaim the starting job.

Vitek Vanecek
G UTA
Wed 1/29/25 12:08 PM

Vanecek (face) was sent to AHL San Jose on Wednesday for a conditioning stint.
EDGE Analysis
Vanecek hasn't played between the pipes since Dec. 14, so this will give him a chance to shake off the rust before playing for the Sharks. He has a 3-8-1 record, 3.84 GAA and .885 save percentage in 2024-25. Yaroslav Askarov has likely done well enough to warrant him staying in the NHL even after Vanecek is available, though that might create a situation where the Sharks are carrying three goaltenders, including Vanecek and Alexandar Georgiev. Perhaps Georgiev, who has a 3.65 GAA and an .876 save percentage in 30 outings in 2024-25, will be put on waivers once Vanecek is back with the Sharks.

Vitek Vanecek
G UTA
Wed 1/22/25 10:53 AM

Vanecek (face) could return to practice before the end of the week after head coach Ryan Warsofsky told reporters Tuesday, "Definitely progressing, taking shots. We probably envision him getting into practice here, possibly by the end of the week," Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now reports.
EDGE Analysis
Vanecek's timeline likely means his first chance to get back into the crease would be next Thursday's clash with Seattle -- though the team hasn't provided a more concrete return-to-play plan. Even once given the all-clear, Vanecek could struggle to reclaim the starting job since Yaroslav Askarov has been performing well.

Vitek Vanecek
G UTA
Sat 12/28/24 2:41 PM

Vanecek is week-to-week with a fractured cheekbone, Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now reports Saturday.
EDGE Analysis
Vanecek has a 3-8-1 record, 3.84 GAA and .885 save percentage in 14 outings this campaign. He was injured when struck by the puck while on the bench during Dec. 17's 4-3 loss to Winnipeg. Yaroslav Askarov is up from AHL San Jose and getting some work -- the 21-year-old is set to start Saturday against Calgary -- due to Vanecek's absence.