This is really interesting and makes a lot of sense. Here is a quick thread with video on the mechanics of why Vasilevskiy has trouble with screens. #consciousgoaltending https://t.co/SYFAyzZ8Tv
— Rob Gherson (@goalie_school) April 25, 2023
I liked this guy’s video clip reviews explaining specific parts of Vasilevskiy’s play. I don’t think our recent troubles are Vasi’s fault, but still interesting to see the breakdown of where goal tending could improve.
Text pasted below from Twitter, for reference:
> Vasilevskiy uses a high stance on pucks above the tops of the circles. It’s used to see over screens and some goalies use it to show less net from the perimeter. Here he’s using it in a shootout. The key is getting into his stance before the player is going to shoot.
> He gets in trouble when he can’t get into his stance before the shot is taken. This leads to rushing his movement and downward momentum to get into the stance messing with his eyes and his ability to react directly to shots and a move I just coined called ‘panic flopping’
> It also makes it just plain harder to react to screens and deflections, when he picks the puck up late in its flight. On this Auston Matthews goal, he doesn’t get into his stance until the puck is already past him.
> Finally, the way he holds his neck when looking over screens hurts him too. He looks up, forcing him to use his peripheral vision to see Also leads to snapping his head forward when he does see the puck…
> Both using peripherals and moving your head make it harder to see fine details like releases off of sticks, and even just pucks travelling at high rates of speed.
by ikonet
7 Comments
I mean all interesting points, but this is all coming from a guy who barely made it into the nhl and hasn’t played professionally in almost 15 years.
Vasy has some of the world’s best training, analysis, and practice. I’m not saying this guy is wrong, I’m not a professional, but this feels almost like the equivalent of someone sitting at home yelling about what cooper needs to be doing better…
Would be interested in hearing a professionals comments about the possibility of fatigue. My thought is that the dude has played so much hockey the passed four seasons that he could be dealing with fatigue. He has had no off-season, plays as much as any starter in the league, and has 20+ playoff games each year for the passed three years. At what point does that catch up with you?
Also don’t think Vasy has been the same since he was out with COVID, just nowhere near his shutdown self.
Our screen protection is not as good as it has been this season. You think about how many times our guys have pushed people out of the way or gotten in front of screens in the past, and that hasn’t been happening the same way this season. Makes sense that the team would know and plan for it.
The losses are not Vasi’s fault per se, but we do need him to go beast mode more often than he has. I think the big cat is tired after 3 SCFs. That being said, I’m hoping he still has a little more in the tank, elimination game Vasi incoming!
I didn’t hear the exact quote or who said it but yesterday on the power lunch they mentioned how Vasy was one of the weakest goalies on shots from the point and that the Lightning had to adjust their alignment to help counter it. It sounded like it was from am ex player or coach and that it’s been something they’ve done for a while, not just this year.
Would also like to point out that Derek Lalonde who kinda started this whole thing (former assistant coach for us btw) admitted on live TV that TB changed its entire dzone strategy purely to protect Vasy from point shots, screens and deflections. I’m talking full alteration to get in pass lanes, and more block shots than normal for Vasy.
Check Vasy’s stats from 18-22 then check this year, playoff and regular season.
Jeff Blashill comes in this year and teams are tearing Vas apart by utilizing point shots. It becomes very clear that the strategy has changed and its not helping.
The team MUST either change its dzone strategy or find a new assistant coach. We knew this was a weak point of Vasy and STILL CHOSE TO NOT PROTECT HIM.