Tampa Bay Lightning coach Jon Cooper weighs in on ex-assistant coach's comments on Andrei Vasilevskiy

Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper has shot down comments made by his former assistant, Derek Lalonde, about goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy's weaknesses.

Lalonde, who now serves as the head coach for the Detroit Red Wings, said during a broadcast for Sportsnet that the Lightning coaching staff restructured their defensive coverage to compensate for Vasilevskiy's supposed weaknesses. The goaltender is believed to be weak in tracking shots from long range.

However, Cooper has dismissed these claims, stating that Lalonde had to "make something up" in order to offer insight and analysis during the playoffs.

"Sportsnet is paying him well to go give an opinion, so he's got to make something up about that kind of stuff," he said.

"He's just got to make sure it's accurate what he's saying."

Cooper went on to emphasize the importance of accuracy when giving out information about players and strategies.

"Well, it's got to be accurate before you say it, that's my only criticism,"

Lalonde's comments are explained in these tweets:

Vasilevskiy has been a part of the Lightning's success, having helped the team win back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 2020 and 2021 and reach another final in 2022.

The 28-year-old goaltender, however, has struggled in the current playoffs, allowing a league-high 19 goals with a .856 save percentage. It is the lowest among all netminders who've played at least three games.

As the Lightning trail 3-1 against the Toronto Maple Leafs, the team faces a critical decision on whether to stick with Andrei Vasilevskiy or make a bold move and turn to someone else. Vasilevskiy's past success suggests that he may be able to bounce back. However, his current form raises questions about his ability to perform under pressure.

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Looking at 'Big Cat' Andrei Vasilevskiy's NHL achievements

Andrei Vasilevskiy, also known as 'Big Cat' and 'Vasy', is a highly decorated goaltender. He won the Vezina Trophy as the NHL's top goaltender in the 2018-19 season and has led the league in wins for five consecutive seasons from 2017-18 to 2021-22.

But Vasilevskiy's most impressive accomplishments have been in the playoffs. He has proven to be one of the best goaltenders of his generation by leading the Tampa Bay Lightning to back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 2020 and 2021. In 2021, he was named the most valuable player in the playoffs and holds the NHL record for most wins in a single postseason with 18 in 2020.