Now that the midway point of the Utah Hockey Club’s inaugural season has come and gone, let’s take a look at how everyone is doing, relative to their expectations going into the season.
Note that while these grades take statistics into account, they’re still the opinions of the writer. Feel free to voice your own opinions in the comment section of the article.
This is the final article in a three-part series grading each player’s performance thus far. Let’s take a look at how the goalies are doing.
Karel Vejmelka
Grade: A
It would be hard to ask any more of Karel Vejmelka than that which he has already done. He took control of the crease while Connor Ingram was out and dominated like he never has before.
His season is highlighted by a 49-save win over the Carolina Hurricanes in November and his first shutout as a Utah Hockey Clubber against the Minnesota Wild on Thursday.
Since Ingram’s return, Vejmelka has taken a half-step back — not to the level of a backup goalie, but down from the level of a Vezina Trophy competitor. That’s the only reason he doesn’t have a plus sign on his letter grade.
Connor Ingram
Grade: B+
It’s so hard to place a grade on Ingram at this point.
He struggled early on in the season before taking a two-month leave of absence, but when he revealed that it was the poor health and subsequent death of his mother that caused him to miss time, it became clear that everything before that point should have an asterisk beside it. Anyone would have a hard time at work if they had to go through something so challenging.
For that reason, Ingram’s grade is weighted almost exclusively on what he has done since his return. He has been solid in the four games he’s played — enough to earn a “B+” grade.
Jaxson Stauber
Grade: A
In his first NHL game in nearly two years, Jaxson Stauber held the powerhouse Vegas Golden Knights off the score sheet in their own barn, earning the first shutout in Utah HC history.
Stauber hung around the team until Ingram returned, relieving Vejmelka in back-to-back situations. He earned a record of 2-1-1 and he never looked out of place.
He had to return to the Tucson Roadrunners when Ingram came back, but he proved himself as a reliable option if future situations come up. It was his second NHL stint and he played well in both.
Is it time for him to hunt for a job as an NHL backup goalie?
