When the 2025 Stanley Cup Final began, six players from the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers had previously played for the New Jersey Devils. Five of those players have made an impact on the ice for their respective clubs. However, goaltender Vitek Vanecek has yet to see game action in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but that does not mean he isn’t having the same impact as the other players.
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He is doing more than those guys on the ice. Vanecek is one of those glue guys in the room for the Florida Panthers. You could see how much his teammates love him inside the room and what he brings to the team during practice and off the ice. Vanecek was given the Game 5 puck after their victory in Game 5, and you could see how much it meant to him.
Loved catching up with Vanecek during the Stanley Cup Final. He is enjoying the journey and taking every minute in. #timetohunt #njdevils https://t.co/ifUAjNheQ7
— Jim Biringer (@JimBiringer) June 15, 2025
He is one of the hardest workers in the room and was rewarded for it by his teammates as he continues to reflect on this journey with the Panthers.
“Yeah, for sure. I mean, through all the process you know, and then get traded from San Jose to here, and then I’m enjoying it at the rink outside the rink. It’s really nice here, so I just love it. And now is the time to enjoy it,” Vanecek said.
As Vitek Vanecek mentioned, it has been a long journey for him. He started his career with the Washington Capitals, but was not qualified and did not receive a contract during the 2022 offseason. After that happened, he was signed by the Devils as GM Tom Fitzgerald gave him a three-year contract.
Vanecek helped guide the New Jersey Devils back to the playoffs during the 2022-23 season for the first time since 2018. In the 2022-2023 season with the Devils, Vanecek started 48 games, posting a 33-11-4 record, with a 2.45 goals against average and a .911 save percentage. However, he was replaced by Akira Schmid in the playoffs after not performing well in Games 1 and 2 against the Rangers.
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Then the injuries started to plague him, causing him to miss most of the 2023-24 season before the Devils dealt him to the San Jose Sharks. This year, with San Jose, he showed signs of his former self, but not being a championship-contending team can take its toll on a player. He has found new life in Florida, where he has a chance to win.
“I mean, in San Jose was a tough time, I’m not gonna lie, but when I get here, I for sure knew we can go far as possible,” Vanecek said. “Like they’ve been in the playoffs for two years, and then this is the third one, and then now here we are. So yeah, I expect that we can do it for sure. It’s a really special group here.”
There is a reason his teammates love him so much. He is one of the hardest-working guys on the ice. He makes the practices fun and lighthearted for the players. As the backup, the top players are trying new moves and plays on him.
“Yeah, for sure. Like he’s great and funny guy, and then all the time he’s trying breakaways on me so he can use that in the game. So it’s fun, for sure,” Vanecek continued.
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You can see it is paying off for guys like Sam Bennett and Brad Marchand, both of whom are in the running to win the Conn Smythe Trophy if the Panthers are to win the Stanley Cup. However, the entire Panthers group is having fun, as every member of the team contributes to the team’s success. Plus, who wouldn’t want to learn from one of the best goalies in the league? It provides Vanecek with a mentor, something that has been lacking in his career.
“Yeah, I mean, he’s an older guy, so I never had that before, and then I’m really happy I can be here,” Vanecek said. “You can see him, how he’s working, how he’s working on the ice, what he’s doing and then that’s a lot of experience for me to catch it and then start working on it.”
Again, he is always ready to step onto the ice when the team needs him to play. However, the most crucial thing Vitek Vanecek is doing is taking in the ride because he is not sure when he will get another chance at winning a Stanley Cup.
