It's often said around the NHL that it's impossible to stay competitive beyond a few years. The salary cap makes it near impossible for general managers to keep everyone they want to keep.
But somehow that truth doesn't apply to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
They reached three consecutive Stanley Cup from 2020 to 2022, and won two of them. Since then they have posted two seasons with 98 points. They didn't perform well in the playoffs, but no one could say they didn't have a team caliber of winning. Again this year, pundts were expecting a dip in the franchise's competitiveness, especially when they said goodbye to Steven Stamkos.
But January is three days away, and the Lightning are performing like a contender. They are first in goal scoring (4.00 per game) and seventh in goals-against (2.76 per game). Tampa Bay's goal-differential (+41) ranks second in the league.
Of, it is many factors spurring the Lightning success, including a dangerous offense, veteran players who know how to win and a general manager (Jclulien BriseBois) who is decisive and clever in managing his salary.
But if there is one person who holds this team together competitively it's goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy. At 30, he's enjoying one of his best seasons and he has had a several good ones.
It's said the Lightning can outscore their problems, but they don't often need to with Vasilevskiy in net. Consistency is his hallmark: In 27 appearances, he has held the opposition to two or fewer goals 15 times (56%) and three goals seven times (26%). That means in almost 82% of Tampa Bay's games this season, they scored three goals they were going to earn a point.
With his team playing quality hockey, Vasilsevskiy is 6-2 in his last eight decisions with a GAA just under 2.00. In a season when the league's save percentage is .900, Vasilevskiy is at .914. That's up from last season.
There's no shortage of indespensible players on this team. But no one is more valuable than Vasilevskiy.