Devils trade Vanecek to Sharks for Kahkonen
The New Jersey Devils are making another move in the crease.
The club traded goalie Vitek Vanecek and a 2025 seventh-round pick to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for fellow netminder Kaapo Kahkonen, the team announced.
The Devils acquired Jake Allen from the Montreal Canadiens earlier on Friday.
Goaltending has torpedoed New Jersey's season: Its team save percentage of .883 is the second-worst in the league.
Neither Vanecek nor Kahkonen had performed well this year. Here's a look at their stats (goals saved above expected courtesy of Evolving-Hockey):
| Goalie | GP | GAA | SV% | GSAx |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vanecek | 32 | 3.18 | .890 | -10.67 |
| Kahkonen | 31 | 3.81 | .895 | -2.98 |
Each goalie has performed well at times, though. Vanecek sported a .911 save percentage in 52 games as New Jersey's primary starter last season. Kahkonen owned a .912 save percentage in 36 games in 2021-22, splitting time between the Sharks and Minnesota Wild.
Vanecek, 28, carries a $3.4-million cap hit through next season, while Kahkonen, 27, is a pending UFA with a $2.75-million cap hit.