Vítek Vaněček signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract with the Mammoth in July.

(Jose Juarez | AP) Florida Panthers goaltender Vitek Vanecek watches during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Detroit Red Wings, Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Detroit.

When Vítek Vaněček signed with the Utah Mammoth during this summer’s free agency, the goaltender knew who to reach out to.

The Czechia native texted countryman and Mammoth netminder Karel Vejmelka.

“I asked him about Utah, where to live, where he is flying to — all that kind of stuff. I know him really well. He is a really good guy and a really good goalie. I am excited to be with him,” Vaněček said. “You can talk to him in Czech. I’ve never had, in America, two Czech goalies on one team — it is something new for me. I don’t see any problem with that.”

Vaněček and Vejmelka have played together on the Czech national team, and will now wear the same jersey once again.

The Mammoth gave Vaněček a one-year, $1.5 million contract in July to add some depth and assurance in net. At the time, Connor Ingram was still in the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program to focus on his mental health. Ingram was cleared to return to the NHL on Aug. 20, which will add another level of competition to the Mammoth’s training camp that opens in mid-September.

(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Hockey Club goaltender Karel Vejmelka (70) as Utah Hockey Club hosts the Anaheim Ducks, NHL hockey in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, March 12, 2025.

With Vejmelka as the presumable starter (though camp could change that), Vaněček and Ingram will contest for the backup role, responsible for about 30 regular-season games. Jaxson Stauber and Matt Villalta, who both played for the Mammoth last year, will also be at camp. ​

Teams need good goaltending to win in the NHL, so the crowd at the position is a positive for Utah, which had to rely solely on Vejmelka for the majority of last season.

Vaněček is not intimidated by the internal opponents.

“I’m really excited for it. It is a really good challenge. I am going to be in camp, working hard, having good games in the preseason. I am always saying, the NHL is really hard, but it always depends on who is winning the most games — that guy is going to play. I am going to battle for that,” Vaněček said. “Focus on every shot, every situation and try to make the save to help the team.”

The 29-year-old has seen what it takes to win at the highest level. Vaněček finished last season with the Florida Panthers — and won a Stanley Cup — as one of their extra goalies after getting traded from the San Jose Sharks in March. He posted a 3.62 goals against average and .884 save percentage through 25 games between the two teams.

“It was a lot of experience for me. What I saw in the locker room — it was really fun, everybody talked to each other,” Vaněček said. “When we came on the ice, it was just one team, no one guy or two. That is what I learned. You have to battle every single game. There are no easy games in the NHL, so always prepare and take care of your body.”

Vaněček brought the Stanley Cup to his hometown of Havlíčkův Brod, Czechia, in August and shared the moment with family and friends.

“It was really nice,” Vaněček said. “And now it is behind me, and this is a new chapter before me.”

Mammoth goaltending coach Corey Schwab has started preparing Vaněček to enter the Utah system. When the team signed Vaněček, general manager Bill Armstrong said he felt Schwab could help Vaněček bring his game “back to life,” and mirror the numbers he had for the New Jersey Devils in 2022-23 (2.45 GAA and .911 SV%).

Schwab called Vaněček after the contract was signed in July and has kept in contact during the offseason.

“Now over the summer, I am sending [Schwab] some videos on how I am working on the ice and that kind of stuff,” Vaněček said. “Soon we are going to fly to Utah, and I am really happy to meet him there and see how we’re going to start working on the ice.”​

(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Hockey Club goaltender Connor Ingram (39) during an NHL hockey game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024.

Vaněček is determined to earn the backup spot and will have a fair chance to prove himself. While the Mammoth organization and fans alike are thrilled to have Ingram back and feeling good, the goalie has not had NHL game or practice action since late February. Like any player coming back from time away or an injury — mentally or physically — there is a gradual process of returning to full strength.

It will, ultimately, be up to the goaltenders and their respective performances to determine the depth chart for this season.

Vaněček chose Utah as a free agent because he believes it is somewhere he can have an impact, on a team he believes can win.

“Utah has a really good team. They have a really young, good core. And over the summer, they brought some more guys, some older guys, some young guys. I know we can make the playoffs for sure and make a really good run. That’s why I decided on Utah,” Vaněček said. “I know Utah is a really good rink and really good fans. I am really excited to hear them when we play the games. I am excited to meet them, too.”