McKenna’s Matchup of the Day: Jan. 6 – Andrei Vasilevskiy vs. Connor Hellebuyck

Former NHL netminder Mike McKenna provides his Daily Faceoff Starting Goalie Matchup of the Day for Fri. Jan. 6, 2023:

Why I like this matchup:

Vasilevskiy is back after being sidelined briefly by an illness. And if the Vezina Trophy was awarded tomorrow, Hellebuyck would win it for the second time in his career.

What to watch for:

Two of hockey’s premier netminders going head to head. I like that Hellebuyck and Vasilevskiy are both very distinct in how they play. And young goalie can learn a lot from watching them. Hellebuyck is a master of positioning and game feel. He’s very cerebral and anticipates play as well as any NHL goaltender. Hellebuyck’s puck tracking has been incredible this season. He’s kept his hands and upper body active – which tells me he worked on it during the offseason. That’s exactly what you want to see from an NHL goaltender. Constant reflection and improvement.

Vasilevskiy was scheduled to start Wednesday for the Lightning against Minnesota, but was unable to play due to sickness. For me, Vasilevskiy is the master of controlled aggression. He can accelerate as well as anyone, but he does so in a manner that brings his entire body. Vasilevskiy can play long – using his legs to reach for pucks others can’t. But he’s rarely caught out of position because he’s so good at using his edges to stop lateral momentum. The Russian netminder is 8-2-0 with a .946 save percentage in his last 10 games.

What fantasy owners should do:

Hellebuyck and Vasilevskiy are both locks to start every game for fantasy owners. They’ve been two of the top performers in every category.

Bottom line for Andrei Vasilevskiy:

Sometimes coming off an illness simplifies the game. It’s important for Vasilevskiy to relax and not try to do too much.

Bottom line for Connor Hellebuyck:

Tampa is a dynamic team on the rush and on the powerplay. Hellebuyck will need quick feet to get set early.