Vanecek was put on injured reserve Friday, per Curtis Pashelka of The San Jose Mercury News.

EDGE Analysis

Vanecek hasn't played since Dec. 14 and can be activated whenever he's healthy. He has a 3-8-1 record, 3.84 GAA and .885 save percentage in 14 appearances in 2024-25. Klim Kostin was taken off injured reserve in a corresponding move.

Vanecek is expected to be sidelined for 2-3 weeks due to an upper-body injury, Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now reports Wednesday.

EDGE Analysis

The exact nature of Vanecek's injury wasn't specified by head coach Ryan Warsofsky, but it certainly appears to be serious after the netminder was hit in the head by a puck while on the bench Tuesday. Since the 28-year-old will be out longer term, Yaroslav Askarov will get the opportunity to compete for starts alongside Alexandar Georgiev. While not on injured reserve yet, fantasy managers can likely expect Vanecek to be designated as such in the coming days given his recovery timeline.

Vanecek was hit in the head by an errant puck while sitting on the bench during Tuesday's tilt versus the Jets and won't be available for the remainder of the game, Curtis Pashelka of The San Jose Mercury News reports.

EDGE Analysis

Vanecek was sitting in the backup goalie's spot on the bench when he was struck. For now, the 28-year-old netminder can be considered day-to-day, though if he's forced to miss time, Yaroslav Askarov would likely be recalled from AHL San Jose to split time with Alexandar Georgiev. More information on Vanecek's status should be available prior to Thursday's game against the Avalanche.

Vanecek stopped 36 of 40 shots in Saturday's 4-3 loss to Utah.

EDGE Analysis

Vanecek took his third straight loss, allowing 12 goals in that span. He also gave up five goals in his last win Nov. 29 versus the Kraken. Vanecek nearly got this one to overtime, but a Clayton Keller power-play tally in the final minute of the third period decided the result. The 28-year-old Vanecek is now 3-8-1 with a 3.84 GAA and an .885 save percentage through 14 appearances this season. He'll likely compete with Alexandar Georgiev for playing time moving forward. The Sharks' next five games are all against teams currently occupying playoff spots in the Western Conference, so it may be better for fantasy managers to steer away from Vanecek for a while.

Vanecek will be between the home pipes versus Utah on Saturday, according to Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now.

EDGE Analysis

Vanecek is skating on thin ice as he has lost his last two starts, allowing eight goals on 40 shots. He improved in Carolina on Tuesday, giving up three goals on 28 shots, but the 28-year-old has floundered all season, going 3-7-1 with a 3.83 GAA and an .883 save percentage. Utah is averaging 3.00 goals per game in 2024-25.

Vanecek made 25 saves in Tuesday's 3-2 loss to the Hurricanes.

EDGE Analysis

The Sharks took a 2-1 lead into the third period as Vanecek made some big stops early, but after Brent Burns tied it up on a tic-tac-toe passing play early in the third, the netminder couldn't find a knuckling shot that Jalen Chatfield fired through traffic with less than three minutes to go. It's not yet clear how San Jose will divvy up the workload in the crease between Vanecek and Alexandar Georgiev, but neither veteran should get too comfortable since Yaroslav Askarov is still waiting in the wings in the AHL. On the season, Vanevek carries a 3-7-1 record in 13 appearances with a 3.83 GAA and .883 save percentage.

Vanecek will defend the road net against Carolina on Tuesday, Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now reports.

EDGE Analysis

Vanecek has surrendered 10 goals on 43 shots in his last two outings en route to a 1-1-0 record. He has posted a mark of 3-6-1 with a 3.89 GAA and an .883 save percentage in 12 appearances this season. Carolina sits fourth in the league with 3.74 goals per game in 2024-25. After being acquired from Colorado on Monday, Alexandar Georgiev will be the backup netminder and could get his first San Jose start in Thursday's road game versus St. Louis.

Vanecek surrendered five goals on 12 shots in the first period of Thursday's game against Tampa Bay and was replaced by Mackenzie Blackwood to start the second period.

EDGE Analysis

The Lightning struck five times in the first, including three in a span of 1:26. It was a mercy pull for Vanecek. His team was awful, and he struggled mightily, too. Vanecek came into the game with just three wins, 3.52 GAA and .894 save percentage. He could start to see a decline in starts given Blackwood's superior numbers.

Vanecek was the first goaltender off the ice during morning skate and is slated to patrol the visiting crease in Tampa Bay on Thursday, Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now reports.

EDGE Analysis

Vanecek has not been effective between the pipes this season, as he is 3-5-1 with a 3.52 GAA and an .894 save percentage. He is currently the backup to Mackenzie Blackwood on the Sharks depth chart, and Vanecek's job could be in peril, as the Sharks' goaltender of the future, Yaroslav Askarov, is making a case for a spot on the NHL roster given his 7-3-1 record with a 1.91 GAA and a .940 save percentage at AHL San Jose. Vanecek will take on the Lightning, who are second in NHL scoring, averaging 3.74 goals per game.

Vanecek made 26 saves in an 8-5 win over Kraken on Friday.

EDGE Analysis

Vanecek has a 3-5-1 record with a 3.52 GAA and an .894 save percentage through 11 appearances, making him an unreliable fantasy option. Still, he has won three of his last six starts.