McKenna’s Matchup of the Day: Jan. 4 – Andrei Vasilevskiy vs. Filip Gustavsson

Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Former NHL netminder Mike McKenna provides his Daily Faceoff Starting Goalie Matchup of the Day for Wed. Jan. 4, 2023:

Why I like this matchup:

In the past month, Vasilevskiy and Gustavsson have been two of the NHL’s hottest netminders.

What to watch for:

Controlled mechanics from Gustavsson. And explosiveness from Vasilevskiy. Even though both goalkeepers play a modern game, some nuances differentiate them. 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 Lightning goaltender is 8-2-0 with a .946 save percentage in his last ten games.

Gustavsson relies much more on positioning and rock solid mechanics to make saves. But the Swedish netminder has better hands than one might think at first glance. Gustavsson’s precise skating routes and predictability in the crease are major reasons for his breakthrough season in Minnesota. He’s gone 5-1-0 since Dec. 1 and has pushed goalie partner Marc-Andre Fleury to also be his best. It may have taken Gustavsson longer than expected to be a difference-maker at the NHL level, but I think his analytical approach to the position has him set up for long-term success.

What fantasy owners should do:

Start both goalies. Vasilevskiy is a lock. But I do have some concerns with Gustavsson going up against Tampa Bay. The Wild netminder has faced mostly weaker teams this season.

Bottom line for Andrei Vasilevskiy:

It’s a one-on-one showdown with Kirill Kaprizov. Keep the Wild forward off the scoreboard.

Bottom line for Filip Gustavsson:

While Marc-Andre Fleury is almost assured to start the Stanley Cup playoffs in the crease for Minnesota, Gustavsson has positioned himself for a nice contract extension during the offseason. He just needs to keep it up.