Sharks, Devils swap goaltenders

The San Jose Sharks and New Jersey Devils have completed a goalie swap, sending Kaapo Kahkonen to New Jersey and Vitek Vanecek to San Jose, per NHL insider Kevin Weekes. The Sharks will also be receiving a 2025 seventh-round pick.

While he’s seen his rights traded, Vanecek may need to wait to make his debut with the Sharks, with Devils team reporter James Nichols reporting that he could miss the remainder of the season with injury. The Devils placed Vanecek on injured reserve with a lower-body injury on Feb. 20, but his last appearance was on Feb. 10. He’s since missed New Jersey’s last 13 games.

This could place the Sharks in a unique situation, now without their de facto starter in Kahkonen and Mackenzie Blackwood, who has landed on injured reserve with a groin injury. That leaves the Sharks with Magnus Chrona — a 23-year-old in his first professional season — as their top option. Chrona has played in four NHL games already this season, allowing 17 goals on 100 shots and yet to record his first win. Chrona has moved to the pros after spending the last four years at the University of Denver. He’s accomplished the impressive feat of playing in the ECHL, AHL, and NHL all in one season, ultimately recording five wings and saving 821 of the 922 shots he’s faced, good for a .890 save percentage between the three leagues.

Chrona will likely be backed up by Devin Cooley, who the Sharks acquired from the Buffalo Sabres right at the trade deadline, sending a 2025 seventh-round pick the other way. Cooley, 26, carries more pro experience than Chrona, having played in the minor leagues since the 2020-21 season, but he has yet to makehis NHL debut. He’s spent the entirety of the 2023-24 season in the AHL, recording six win and a .891 save percentage in 14 games. Cooley is also an alum of the University of Denver, serving as Chrona’s backup in the 2019-20 season.

While San Jose’s situation is certainly more dire, the Devils will also be faced with a brand new goaltending duo, with Kahkonen likely slotting into the starting role ahead of fellow newcomer Jake Allen. New Jersey sent a third-round pick to the Montreal Canadiens for the veteran Allen. Kahkonen has faced a barrage of shots in San Jose, posting six wins and a .895 save percentage in 31 games, while facing an average of 32 shots. Allen’s stat-line has been similar this season, posting six wins of his own and a .891 save percentage in 21 games. He’s seeing a slight decline in his effectiveness, posting an .891 save percentage last season — the first time he’s posted a save percentage below .900 in his 12-year career. Together, Kahkonen and Allen will look to lift New Jersey back into a playoff spot, after ineffective goaltending and a bad case of injuries pushed the team down the standings.