San Jose Sharks
Sharks Trade Vanecek to Panthers, Recall Romanov
DENVER — The San Jose Sharks have traded goaltender Vitek Vanecek to the Florida Panthers.
Center-winger Patrick Giles is coming back to the Sharks.
The deal was first reported by the AP’s Tim Reynolds.
Panthers landed Vitek Vanecek for Patrick Giles, per source.
— Tim Reynolds (@ByTimReynolds) March 5, 2025
Giles, 25, was signed as a free agent out of Boston College by the Panthers before the 2022-23 season.
The 6-foot-5 forward has five goals and seven points in 39 games with the Charlotte Checkers this season. He had made his NHL debut this year, after a strong pre-season. In nine games with the Panthers, Giles had zero points and played 7:23 a night.
Giles is seen around the league as having solid NHL checking line potential. But he’ll report to the San Jose Barracuda first.
He signed for next year on a two-way contract. He’s an RFA after the 2025-26 season.
Vanecek, 29, is headed to Florida to back up Sergei Bobrovsky and provide insurance for the Panthers’ Stanley Cup defense.
Scheduled to start on Tuesday at the Buffalo Sabres, he was held out for trade reasons.
The San Jose Sharks acquired Vanecek last Trade Deadline, along with a 2025 seventh-round pick, from the New Jersey Devils for Kaapo Kahkonen.
Vanecek went 3-10-3 with an .882 Save % in teal this year.
He’ll add an experienced starter to Florida’s goaltending depth chart. In his NHL career, Vanecek has a 94-52-20 record with a .903 Save % for San Jose, New Jersey, and the Washington Capitals.
Vanecek and his wife Kristyna also just gave birth to their first child, Tobias.
To replace Vanecek on the roster, the San Jose Sharks have recalled prospect Georgi Romanov from the Barracuda.
Romanov, 25, signed out of the KHL in the summer of 2023, has had a solid season in the AHL, going 11-6-5 with a .905 Save %. He made his NHL debut last year, sporting a .967 Save % in two appearances without a decision.
So why Romanov instead of top prospect Yaroslav Askarov?
As SJHN reported yesterday, Askarov is still working his way back from a lower-body injury suffered on Feb. 19 against the Ontario Reign.
He’s back on the ice and is progressing, but he’s not quite ready to return to action.
