McKenna’s Matchup of the Day: Apr. 3 – Cam Talbot vs. Vitek Vanecek
Former NHL netminder Mike McKenna provides his Daily Faceoff Starting Goalie Matchup of the Day for Sun. Apr 3, 2022:
Why I like this matchup:
Cam Talbot and the Minnesota Wild are red hot. The Washington Capitals have been better lately, but Vitek Vanecek has hit a rough patch. Both teams are headed to the Stanley Cup playoffs, but neither goalie in today’s game is guaranteed to be his team’s starter when the postseason begins on May 2.
What to watch for:
Talbot’s strong positional play has provided the base for a great season. He manned the crease in this year’s NHL All-Star game and hasn’t lost in regulation since March 1, a nine-game span. Talbot owns a sparkling 27-12-2 record in 41 games played. Yet at the trade deadline, Wild GM Bill Guerin decided to add reigning Vezina Trophy winner Marc-Andre Fleury in a trade with the Chicago Blackhawks.
It’s an interesting dynamic. Fleury, then a member of the Vegas Golden Knights, defeated Talbot and the Wild in Game 7 of the first round of Stanley Cup playoff action last season. Since coming to Minnesota, Fleury has only allowed four goals in three games and won them all. Yet Talbot has also been lights out since the trade. I think the Wild have the best goalie tandem in the NHL. Will Talbot be the starting goaltender for Minnesota head coach Dean Evason in this year’s Stanley Cup playoffs? It’s something worth keeping an eye on.
Through the middle part of the season, I thought Vanecek had done a nice job of stabilizing the crease in America’s capital. But recently things have gone sideways – he’s gone 1-3-0 and given up 15 goals over those four starts. In seven of his last 10 games, Vanecek has allowed three or more goals.
I’ve always believed that Vanecek was a serviceable NHL goaltender – probably more suited to a backup role. He’s had strong stretches of play but hasn’t found the consistency necessary to carry the mail. Just like with the Wild, there are question marks in the Capitals crease, but the situation is very different. Vanecek and his goalie partner Ilya Samsonov have at times been a vulnerability for Washington. The team was shopping around at the NHL trade deadline for help but wasn’t able to land a top-flight starting goaltender. The pressure is on for Vanecek to take the next step.
What fantasy owners should do:
Starting Talbot makes sense if your team needs a win. Save totals have been hard to predict this season with the Wild, but I still think Talbot is a good bet in this game. Washington has been really similar to the Wild in terms of shots against: all over the map. But Vanecek has struggled lately. I would be hesitant to start him if you have a better option.
Bottom line for Cam Talbot:
Focus on the task at hand – which he’s done all season, even when Fleury arrived. That can’t change. The Wild have a chance to win the Stanley Cup and Talbot has already played a big role in the team’s success.
Bottom line for Vitek Vanecek:
He needs to find an added layer of intensity if he wants the crease in Washington. Make every movement three percent faster and more precise.