From The Archive: One Busy Bolt

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One Busy Bolt - Oct. 14, 2022 - By Ryan Kennedy 

IN AN ERA WHERE “load management” has permeated major sports such as baseball, basketball and hockey, the idea of a goaltender playing as much as Tampa Bay’s Andrei Vasilevskiy is rather beguiling. While the Lightning haven’t necessarily overused the netminder in the regular season, you have to keep in mind his three straight runs to the Stanley Cup final and compressed schedules due to the pandemic.

So all in, Vasilevskiy has played an NHL-leading 176 games – and won 118 – since Aug. 1, 2020, when the league began its 2020 playoffs. Could the ‘Big Cat’ use a few more nights off this season? “With me, I don’t think I’d like that,” Vasilevskiy said. “It’s a big stress on your body, but if you’re smart about it and keep your body healthy throughout the season, you can play as many games as you want.”

And it’s not like he’s slowing down. Vasilevskiy has either led the NHL in wins or tied for first the past five seasons, an incredible stretch in which the next-closest competitors have been a revolving door of names from Connor Hellebuyck to Sergei Bobrovsky. Vasilevskiy finished top-three in Vezina voting those first four years (winning in 2019) before somewhat surprisingly coming in fifth last year. Perhaps the NHL GMs who vote on the award simply got fatigued by his overall greatness.

Throw out Game 2 of the 2022 Cup final against Colorado – when he was uncharacteristically strafed for seven goals, the most ever in his playoff career – and Vasilevskiy was a legitimate Conn Smythe candidate. His body of work in the post-season was once again sublime – something he has made a habit of in recent years.

IT’S A LITTLE HARDER. YOU DON’T HAVE THAT MUCH TIME TO REST. BUT I CAN’T COMPLAIN. YOU WANT YOUR SUMMER TO BE SHORT EVERY YEAR, RIGHT?– Andrei Vasilevskiy

Because, let’s not forget, losing to the Avalanche aside (and they were a juggernaut), Vasilevskiy is a back-to-back Cup champion and the 2021 Conn Smythe winner. He was still the intimidating force who stared down Toronto in Game 7 of the opening round, then limited the potent Florida Panthers to just three goals total in a cross-state sweep. In Round 3, he showed 2022 Vezina Trophy winner Igor Shesterkin that the title of “Best Goalie In The NHL Who Happens To Be Russian” is still very much a debatable point. And perhaps it goes without saying, but ‘Vasy’ has still only lost one playoff series in the past three seasons.

“He’s just so big and so agile,” said Colorado defenseman Cale Makar, the actual Conn Smythe winner in 2022. “His mobility, especially on cross-seam plays, that’s why he’s the best.”

Even other goaltenders marvel at Vasilevskiy’s athleticism and ability to manipulate his 6-foot-3, 225-pound frame. “Vasilevskiy’s flexibility is next-world,” said Darcy Kuemper, Vasilevskiy’s foil with Colorado in the final and now Washington’s starter. “He can get into the splits, and for a big guy, a lot of goalies would get stuck in that position, but he can still move around.”

That flexibility wasn’t a natural gift for Vasilevskiy. Instead, it was something he picked up as a teenager when he got the opportunity to practise with the local KHL team, Salavat Yulaev Ufa. “It started when I was 14 years old,” Vasilevskiy said. “I was fortunate enough to skate with the first team in Ufa, and I saw how some of the guys prepared before practice. They were saying they were staying an extra hour more than other guys after practice, so that was a big influence on me, and I started to do the same.”

HIS MOBILITY, ESPECIALLY ON CROSS-SEAM PLAYS, THAT’S WHY HE’S THE BEST– Cale Makar

Stretching is a crucial weapon in Vasilevskiy’s arsenal and something he emphasizes both before and after games during the season. In the summer, when he has more time to dedicate to recovery and conditioning, he does yoga.

Not that he ever has much downtime, what with all the long playoff runs. But because he is smart with his preparation and puts so much effort into staying limber, Vasilevskiy has been the most consistent and elite netminder in the NHL for years. So, if a short off-season means more playoff glory, bring it on. “I’m kind of used to it now,” Vasilevskiy said. “It’s a little harder, of course. You don’t have that much time to rest. But I can’t complain. You want your summer to be short every year, right?”

Once again, Tampa Bay will have a loaded lineup with top-end weapons at every position, so beware the Bolts in the playoffs. With Vasilevskiy between the pipes, the Lightning have the ultimate last line of defense – and he doesn’t mind the workload.