In our third edition of theScore's 2021-22 Vezina Trophy Power Rankings, we add one new netminder who's been playing at the top of his game.
Due to COVID-19 outbreaks and postponements across the league over the past month, it was difficult to evaluate performances due to sporadic schedules. With that being said, here's a look at the top five candidates for the award:
5. Thatcher Demko, Vancouver Canucks
| RECORD | GAA | XGA/60 | SV% | HDSV% | GSAA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15-11-1 | 2.55 | 2.71 | .920 | .844 | 8.80 |
The Canucks have looked like a brand new team since Bruce Boudreau took over as head coach, and Demko's been one of the biggest beneficiaries. The young netminder has rattled off seven straight victories since Dec. 6 and has officially entered his name into the Vezina race. He showed flashes of brilliance at times prior to Boudreau's arrival but lacked the consistency he now seems to have found. Only John Gibson has played more minutes this season than Demko, and the team will continue to ride him as long as he stays hot.
4. Frederik Andersen, Carolina Hurricanes
| RECORD | GAA | XGA/60 | SV% | HDSV% | GSAA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17-5-0 | 1.92 | 2.63 | .929 | .829 | 11.31 |
Andersen continues to show that his hot start to the season wasn't just a fluke. The Hurricanes play a strong two-way, defensive game, and are in first place in the NHL when you look at points percentage. Although the club also ranks first in the league with a 55.97 Corsi For rating, Andersen is still among the league's elite this year.
3. Tristan Jarry, Pittsburgh Penguins
| RECORD | GAA | XGA/60 | SV% | HDSV% | GSAA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15-5-4 | 1.93 | 2.34 | .932 | .845 | 15.48 |
The Penguins are basically back at full strength after battling injuries throughout the season, and Jarry has done everything in his power to keep the team afloat. He's won five straight games and has allowed two goals or less in 19 of his 24 contests this year. With the Penguins playing with a fully healthy lineup now, Jarry's strong play should continue and keep him in the Vezina conversation for the remainder of the season.
2. Igor Shesterkin, New York Rangers
| RECORD | GAA | XGA/60 | SV% | HDSV% | GSAA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15-4-2 | 2.09 | 2.98 | .936 | .859 | 16.97 |
The Rangers just keep on winning and Shesterkin just keeps on doing his thing. The team currently sits right near the top of the NHL's standings, and Shesterkin is playing a large part in his team's success. The club allows the eighth-most high-danger scoring chances against (407), but Shesterkin is tied for the second-highest high-danger save percentage (.859) in the NHL. If he keeps playing at this level, it'll be hard to deny him the trophy at season's end.
1. Jack Campbell, Toronto Maple Leafs
| RECORD | GAA | XGA/60 | SV% | HDSV% | GSAA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16-5-2 | 1.86 | 2.52 | .939 | .854 | 20.38 |
Campbell has only appeared in six games since the beginning of December, but his high-quality stats still put him ahead of pretty much every netminder in the NHL. Campbell's workload was a cause for concern among many after starting the majority of the Maple Leafs' games to begin the season, but perhaps the time off over the last month could work in his favor.
Honorable mentions: Jacob Markstrom, Andrei Vasilevskiy, Juuse Saros
(Analytics source: Natural Stat Trick)
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