After Monday’s practice, goalie Vitek Vanecek and coach Peter Laviolette spent a moment together on the ice. The 25-year-old, who’s made 142 AHL appearances, entered training camp battling to become the Capitals’ backup netminder.
And when Laviolette told Vanecek his work paid off with a roster spot in Washington, the Czech Republic native realized his NHL debut is just around the corner.
“The dream coming closer and closer,” Vanecek said. “I need to do the second step now and be good in the goal.”
The Capitals finalized their roster Tuesday, and Laviolette is trusting two young netminders to begin the season — Vanecek and 23-year-old Ilya Samsonov.