Player Discussion: Andrei Vasilevskiy

[gn2007]

Still a young goalie got to get more confident and be smart when getting screened or initiate some goalie interference I think he had one call on him this year lol

 

[ccman68]

lol...

You know how Ben Bishop responds to shaky games? His team leads 4-0 after 1 right now. Vasy's mental game is awful.

Vasy's stats after a loss are crazy. He was good in the playoffs last year as well. Personally I'm not gonna form any opinions on a 4 game sample size.

 

[ccman68]

And to think people rate him higher than Khabibulin. Child please.

About to have more Vezinas than Khabibulin. By the time his career is over it's not even gonna be close.

 

[Stammertime91]

About to have more Vezinas than Khabibulin. By the time his career is over it's not even gonna be close.

Trophies that matter:

Khabi - 1
Vasy - 0

 

[Nautica54]

My comment wasnt so much and indictment on Vasy as he is young and could very well keep improving and providing us with a decade of great goaltending.

The basis of my comment was in regards to what else Bish brought to the team in terms of leadership, u could feel him take over a game and a calm come over the skaters. Not to mention his ability to handle the puck covered a lot of defensive flaws we had. He was like a 3rd defensemen back there.

 

[Bolt 45]

Bishop is one of a handful of goaltenders ever to have multiple Game 7 shutouts in a single postseason. That dude was flat out money in the playoffs for us.

Then he's fragile. He went down in back-to-back years. And I'll never like the way he went out against Pittsburgh. Something about it looked a little off to me.

 

[ccman68]

Trophies that matter:

Khabi - 1
Vasy - 0

Trophies that matter at age 24:

Khabi - 0
Vasy 0

 

[Bolt 45]

My comment wasnt so much and indictment on Vasy as he is young and could very well keep improving and providing us with a decade of great goaltending.

The basis of my comment was in regards to what else Bish brought to the team in terms of leadership, u could feel him take over a game and a calm come over the skaters. Not to mention his ability to handle the puck covered a lot of defensive flaws we had. He was like a 3rd defensemen back there.

I loved the way he handled the puck. Pittsburgh killed us with their forecheck a few years ago, and it wasn't nearly as big of an issue when Bishop was in net. We absolutely could have used his stick skills against Columbus this year. He'd have given us more opportunities to get past the trap with a quick pass too.

 

[Sky04]

Then he's fragile. He went down in back-to-back years. And I'll never like the way he went out against Pittsburgh. Something about it looked a little off to me.

You know what looks off to me?

.856% 3.82GAA

 

[Bolt 45]

You know what looks off to me?

.856% 3.82GAA

I'm assuming those are Vasy's numbers? He was awful. I'd never say otherwise. I just don't want to pin this all on him. Even so, going down by 2-3 goals early in most games isn't a recipe for success the playoffs.

 

[DFC]

I would rather have Bishop and Domingue than Vasy and Domingue. We might've not gotten 62 wins, but we probably wouldn't have spiraled downhill the last couple weeks of our season. Sure the sole blame isn't on Vasy, but Bishop did more with less.

Khabi, Bishop and then there's Vasy. People need to show some respek.

I love Bishop, but there's always the health concern with him. And if he goes down, you're pretty much ****ed.

Everybody was awful. Vasy's no exception.

 

[Nautica54]

 

[Hoek]

I love Khabi and he's still my fave all time but he also had headcase games in the playoffs. Let's not pretend he and Bishop were perfect. Vasi is still younger than they were at their peak here.

 

[DrMartinVanNostrand]

I love Khabi and he's still my fave all time but he also had headcase games in the playoffs. Let's not pretend he and Bishop were perfect. Vasi is still younger than they were at their peak here.

The numbers people will remember, though, is that neither of them lost a Game 7 in net. Khabibulin gave up 1 goal against the Flyers and Flames; Bishop shutout both the Red Wings and Rangers. Heck, Bishop only gave up two goals playing on a torn groin in the elimination loss to Chicago; he wasn't the reason the Lightning lost that game (or series, for that matter; one game out of five where he gave up more than two goals, and that one game was a Lightning win at that).

Meanwhile, Vasilevskiy gave up a goal 62 seconds into Game 7 on a shot from 50 feet out last year. I know it was an Ovechkin shot; you have to be better than that, under the circumstances.

So, yeah, Bishop and Khabibulin had their own poor playoff games on record (both had some howlers in ECF games, in particular), but they were big-time when the Lightning needed them to be. Those games are the ones that write the narratives. Vasilevskiy may improve in time, but by the time that happens, who knows where we'll be at, anyway? These opportunities won't exist forever.

 

[TampaJay]

I loved the way he handled the puck. Pittsburgh killed us with their forecheck a few years ago, and it wasn't nearly as big of an issue when Bishop was in net. We absolutely could have used his stick skills against Columbus this year. He'd have given us more opportunities to get past the trap with a quick pass too.

Yes, one of the best ways to beat that damn 1-2-2 neutral zone clog is to get the puck started out before it has a chance to get fully set up. Bishop could do that, Vasi can't.

 

[ccman68]

Even if you think Bishop>Vasy..

Cernak+Vasy>>>Bishop

Imagine our defense this series without Cernak. That trade was something that needed to happen.

 

[Bolt 45]

Yes, one of the best ways to beat that damn 1-2-2 neutral zone clog is to get the puck started out before it has a chance to get fully set up. Bishop could do that, Vasi can't.

He was honestly the perfect goalie for the style that we like to play. I will say Vasy's gotten a lot better, but I don't think he likes leaving the crease, so I think there's a limit to how good he'll get with his stick. It's a trade off I suppose, because Vasy can still make saves that Bishop can't. He's unreal when he's dialed in. Maybe next year.

 

[Bolt 45]

Even if you think Bishop>Vasy..

Cernak+Vasy>>>Bishop

Imagine our defense this series without Cernak. That trade was something that needed to happen.

Good point. I agree.

 

[Stammertime91]

Trophies that matter at age 24:

Khabi - 0
Vasy 0

At 24, Khabi had better numbers in the playoffs than Vasy has had in any of his runs. His numbers when he won the cup were phenomenal. Like I originally said, Vasy has a long way to go. He's weak mentally. He either gets fatigued or the pressure gets to him.

The fact he can go play for Russia with a lower body injury but shit the bed on a lot of easy routine saves he would normally make, leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

And I also said, it's not solely on him but he was putrid. He was the sole reason imo we went 7 against Washington last year but this year he was absolute dog shit.

 

[LightningStrikes]

He's mentally weak and can't perform under pressure. On top I wonder, if he didn't miss 10+ games due to injury would we be talking about fatigue issues at this point again?

I'm all for acquiring a solid tandem partner for him and for installing a 1A/1B system. It has worked for lots of teams this season. Lehner will be UFA for example. He is also crazy, might give the locker room some life at last.

 

[Vasilevskiy]

He is the last player I'm worried about. Hr will learn from this and get better

 

[Hoek]

He's mentally weak and can't perform under pressure. On top I wonder, if he didn't miss 10+ games due to injury would we be talking about fatigue issues at this point again?

I'm all for acquiring a solid tandem partner for him and for installing a 1A/1B system. It has worked for lots of teams this season. Lehner will be UFA for example. He is also crazy, might give the locker room some life at last.

No way Lehner ditches where he finally found success, to be a 1B.

 

[Hockey4Life91]

About to have more Vezinas than Khabibulin. By the time his career is over it's not even gonna be close.

But only one of those goalies has shown an ability to put it together in the playoffs and lock it down. Who cares about Vezinas. If Vasy replicates this year again and again, I will not hold him in high regard. He will be a playoff choker. You play to win the Stanley Cup.

 

[DrMartinVanNostrand]

No way Lehner ditches where he finally found success, to be a 1B.

That and, to re-affirm it, Lehner is certifiably nuts. Maybe he's in an environment where he can handle that. Good for him if he is. I would want no part of him, though.

 

[LightningStrikes]

That and, to re-affirm it, Lehner is certifiably nuts. Maybe he's in an environment where he can handle that. Good for him if he is. I would want no part of him, though.

His neck tattoo screams integrity and calmness!