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Vanacek was acquired in a trade with New Jersey last March, but he hasn't played a game yet for San Jose due to injury. Before getting hurt, Vanacek posted a 17-9-3 record while struggling with a 3.18 GAA and an .890 save percentage in 32 appearances. He was excellent in 2022-23, earning a mark of 33-11-4 with a 2.45 GAA and a .911 save percentage. Even if he's healthy, Vanacek's fantasy value will be slim after the team traded for Yaroslav Askarov in August.
Doubts about Vanecek's ability to be an NHL starter were at least partially quelled in 2022-23, as he posted a 33-11-4 record with a 2.45 GAA and a .911 save percentage in 52 games in his first year with the Devils. The 27-year-old netminder has a chance to grow with a team that could take another significant leap forward propeled by top-end forward talent, though the loss of Ryan Graves and Damon Severson could put the defense in an uncomfortable spot. Vancek is now firmly a top-20 goalie in fantasy, and playing on a strong team will push him closer to the top 10, especially in formats that put a greater significance on wins.
The Capitals completely remade their goaltending room this offseason, dealing Vanecek to New Jersey and not qualifying Ilya Samsonov. Those two split time almost evenly in 2021-22, with Vanecek playing 42 games and finishing with a 20-12-6 record, a 2.67 GAA and a .908 save percentage. Those are virtually identical to the numbers he posted two seasons ago and a rough baseline of what to expect moving forward should the 26-year-old netminder be able to wrestle the Devils' No. 1 job away from the underwhelming Mackenzie Blackwood in 2022-23. New Jersey would likely prefer that Vanecek wins the competition considering the team handed him a fresh three-year, $10.2 million contract in July.
Vanecek saw action in 37 of Washington's 56 regular season games last year, which is amazing considering he was originally expected to be the club's No. 3 goaltender behind Ilya Samsonov and Henrik Lundqvist. Lundqvist ended up missing the season with a heart issue and Samosnov missed a ton of time due to COVID-19 protocols. Vanecek's numbers were solid (21-10-4, 2.69 GAA, .908 save percentage), if unspectacular. Following the year, the 25-year-old was exposed to Seattle and selected in the expansion draft before being dealt back to the Capitals for a draft pick just days later. Vanecek has exceeded expectations, but he's clearly behind Samsonov on the depth chart, who carried the load for Washington in the playoffs.
Vanecek took a big step forward with AHL Hershey last year, posting a 19-10-1 record with a 2.26 GAA and a .917 save percentage in 31 appearances. That's still not enough to trust him with a starting NHL job -- Vanecek will compete with Craig Anderson and Pheonix Copley for the right to be Ilya Samsonov's primary backup for the 2020-21 season. The 24-year-old Vanecek will likely ascend to the NHL on a more permanent basis in the next two years or so, but Samsonov will be the main man in Washington for the foreseeable future.
