Vitek Vanecek Still Deserves To Start In The Playoffs

Roughly two months ago, it was a forgone conclusion that Vitek Vanecek would lead the Washington Capitals into the playoffs. Now, with the playoffs set to begin on Tuesday night in Sunrise, Florida, that debate has been reopened.

The Capitals have lost four straight heading into the most important part of the season and the goaltending has been a serious problem. Vanecek, at a time he should have a stranglehold on the starter’s net, has given Ilya Samsonov every opportunity to regain the starter’s net. In true Samsonov fashion, the talented young netminder has squandered each opportunity to win the job in the same way he has since his excellent 2019-2020 campaign backing up Braden Holtby.

Let’s not mince words, Samsonov has been a massive disappointment. On the year, he is 23-12-5 despite a save percentage of a measly .896 and a goals against average of 3.02. He’s been downright terrible all season long. In his last five appearances, he’s been even worse. Samsonov is 1-3-1 with a .873 save percentage. He’s saved -12.5 goals above expected on the year and has made a quality start in only 33 percent of his games. His time in Washington is coming to end and it could not come soon enough.

Vitek Vanecek has also been playing his worst hockey recently, in his last five appearances, he has a save percentage of only .875 even though he is 2-1-1 in four decisions. With that said, his body of work is much more impressive. Vanecek gives the team a chance to win, night in and night out. Something his counterpart has failed to do all season long. Vanecek is 20-12-6 with a .908 save percentage and a goals against average of 2.67. The young Czech netminder has saved 0.9 goals above expected and has given the team a quality start 46 percent of the time.

Head coach Peter Laviolette spoke about the team’s goaltending situation on The Sports Junkies podcast.

I’d like to get to a point where one guy [Vanecek or Samsonov] clearly rises above the other and we have this situation where ‘this is our number one goalie. This is the guy who’s starting.’ It would be obvious to you because you would see them in there night after night after night. That’s not the way it’s been since I’ve been here. It hasn’t gone that way yet we’ve found success by using both young goaltenders. There may be a chance that’s the way it goes in the playoffs. It could very well be that situation. We’ll end up starting a goalie. If we end up winning the first two games and that goaltender will probably start the third game. If it doesn’t go that way, the third game you might change. That’s the way it’s been for a year and a half or two years.

What does Peter Laviolette see that I’m not seeing? Vitek Vanecek has struggled recently but he’s put together a far more impressive body of work. Vanecek is far from an elite netminder, but he gives the Capitals the best chance to win night in and night out. Samsonov is an adventure from shot to shot, period to period, and certainly from game to game. That hasn’t cut it in the regular season and it certainly won’t cut it in the playoffs.

Last season was more of the same, Samsonov struggled with consistency. He went 18-13-4 with a disappointing .902 save percentage and a 2.69 goals against average. He made quality starts only 38 percent of the time. His counterpart, Vanecek, was 21-10-4 with a .908 save percentage and a goals against average of 2.69. He made quality starts exactly 50 percent of the time.

Going up against the Presidents’ Trophy winning Florida Panthers will be no easy task, the Capitals will deservedly be significant underdogs. They’re going to need Alex Ovechkin healthy and playing at an elite-level but even more important than Ovechkin and his play, the Caps need good goaltending from either Vitek Vanecek or Ilya Samsonov or this will be a four-game series that fans will want to forget.

Call me crazy, but I’m handing the crease to the guy who has consistently been the better of the two goaltenders over the past two seasons. Like it or not, the chance for another Stanley Cup lies in Vitek Vanecek’s hands.