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“The best ability is availability.”
I’ve always thought this quote matters more in hockey than people realize, especially when it comes to goaltenders. The hard truth is that if a player isn’t in the lineup on a consistent basis, what good is he to the team?
Every year there are NHL franchises that make – in my mind – questionable decisions in obtaining players who are chronically injured. Inevitably when those players get hurt, I end up shaking my head in wonderment.
Then again, I understand the allure to general managers around the NHL. Not every player with a history of injuries will continue down that path. Sometimes it really is just bad luck, and if you can get a quality player at the right price, it makes sense to gamble that he will be able to remain healthy.
I also think there is a skill at protecting oneself. A player like Nicklas Lidstrom hardly ever missed time on the ice because he was so adept at surviving or avoiding dangerous situations. He simply knew where to be on the ice to take care of himself.
That same awareness extends to goalkeepers. I like to argue that durability is skill, not just a function of biomechanics, and I think Tampa Bay Lightning netminder Andrei Vasilevskiy is one of the best at protecting his body.
Take this example from Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final against New York, when Rangers forward Frank Vatrano went crashing into the Lightning net along with Tampa Bay defenseman Ryan McDonagh.
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