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Washington Capitals: Top 5 Goaltender Prospects

By Michael Marzzacco

HERSHEY, PA - FEBRUARY 09: Hershey Bears goalie Ilya Samsonov (35) hugs and congratulates fellow goalie Vitek Vanecek (30) after stopping all five shooters during the shoot out after the Charlotte Checkers vs. Hershey Bears AHL game February 9, 2019 at the Giant Center in Hershey, PA. (Photo by Randy Litzinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
HERSHEY, PA - FEBRUARY 09: Hershey Bears goalie Ilya Samsonov (35) hugs and congratulates fellow goalie Vitek Vanecek (30) after stopping all five shooters during the shoot out after the Charlotte Checkers vs. Hershey Bears AHL game February 9, 2019 at the Giant Center in Hershey, PA. (Photo by Randy Litzinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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Vitek Vanecek

HERSHEY, PA – FEBRUARY 09: Hershey Bears goalie Vitek Vanecek (30) stands for the national anthems before the Charlotte Checkers vs. Hershey Bears AHL game February 9, 2019 at the Giant Center in Hershey, PA. (Photo by Randy Litzinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
HERSHEY, PA – FEBRUARY 09: Hershey Bears goalie Vitek Vanecek (30) stands for the national anthems before the Charlotte Checkers vs. Hershey Bears AHL game February 9, 2019 at the Giant Center in Hershey, PA. (Photo by Randy Litzinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Vitek Vanecek was taken in the second round at 39th overall by the Capitals in 2014. A native of the Czech Republic, Vanecek remained overseas for a season and played for Bílí Tygři Liberec of the Czech Extraliga- the highest professional rank in his homeland. Vanecek won 10 of his 20 games with a 2.24 GAA and .943 save percentage.

In the 2015-16 season, Vanecek made the jump to the ECHL. In 32 games with the South Carolina Stingrays (Washington’s affiliate), he went 18-7-5-1 with a 2.03 GAA and .917 save percentage. He also helped backstop the Stingrays to the conference finals before faltering in a seven-game series to the Wheeling Nailers.

In 11 games that spring, Vanecek went 6-2-2 with a 2.31 GAA and a .914 save percentage. While he did play in one AHL game that season with the goaltending tandem set with Dan Ellis and Justin Peters, Vanecek moved up to the Hershey Bears the next season.

Vanecek played in 39 games in 2016-17 finished with an 18-10-7 record with a 2.54 GAA and .909 save percentage in his rookie season with the Bears. He struggled the next season in what was a tough situation with inexperienced defensemen trying to fill a void left with Christian Djoos and Madison Bowey making a jump to the NHL.

Vanecek finished that season with a 12-13-2 mark in 32 games with a 3.04 GAA and .888 save percentage. Vanecek also saw some action in South Carolina, winning at least one of the two games with a 2.01 GAA and .935 save percentage.

HERSHEY, PA – DECEMBER 21: Hershey Bears goalie Vitek Vanecek (30) watches the puck fly away from him after making a save during the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins at Hershey Bears on December 21, 2018 at the Giant Center in Hershey, PA. (Photo by Randy Litzinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
HERSHEY, PA – DECEMBER 21: Hershey Bears goalie Vitek Vanecek (30) watches the puck fly away from him after making a save during the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins at Hershey Bears on December 21, 2018 at the Giant Center in Hershey, PA. (Photo by Randy Litzinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

He responded with a much better season in Hershey in 2018-19, splitting the goaltending duties with Ilya Samsonov. Vanecek went 21-10-6 with a 2.62 GAA and .907 save percentage to help get the Bears back to the Calder Cup playoffs.

Although Vanecek is a restricted free agent currently, the Capitals did extend him a qualifying offer which means he’ll more likely than not be back next season. If so, he’ll spend the next season in Hershey and will look to get even better.

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