Vanecek is the second player to bring the Stanley Cup to Havlíčkův Brod. Former Carolina Hurricanes forward Josef Vasicek brought it to the city in 2006. Vasicek died in the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl plane crash in 2011.
“It means a lot to me,” Vanecek said. “I know Josef Vasicek was the first guy to ever bring the Cup to this town and we still have the photo with the Cup and me as a kid in the basement. Unfortunately, that [the plane crash] happened. But I am glad that I was able to bring the Cup to my hometown as well.”
Earlier in the day, the veteran goalie and the trophy visited the city’s local team, BK Havlíčkův Brod, at Kotlina Arena.
After, Vanecek met the city’s mayor, Zbyněk Stejskal, and presented him with a signed Panthers jersey.
In July, Vanecek signed a one-year contract with the Utah Mammoth. Despite moving on to a new team, the goalie will always be thankful for his short time in Florida.
“Stanley Cup is the one and only, and the NHL is the best league in the world,” Vanecek said. “In Florida, I had a great opportunity to see what it takes to win it — One mistake and it can be all gone. Many great players never won the Cup. And I was so lucky to be on the winning team.”
— NHL.com/cs senior independent correspondent Michael Langr contributed to this report.