Yes, Juuse Saros Does Have What It Takes to Win in the Postseason

It's no secret that Juuse Saros has been one of the Nashville Predators ' most valuable players since he took over as their number one goaltender in 2020. He is a three-time NHL All-Star and 2022 Vezina Trophy finalist with a .917 career save percentage – currently tied with Pekka Rinne for the best in franchise history – and a 2.63 goals-against average.

Saros has faced the second-most shots (10,583) and made the second-most saves (9,705) in franchise history, trailing only Rinne – who played in nearly double the amount of games in his career – in both categories. His 229 NHL starts since 2020-21 trail only Connor Hellebuyck's 235 during that span, during which the two are also tied for second in the NHL with 127 wins each.

The primary blemish on Saros' otherwise stellar career – and the most oft-invoked argument for his expendability as the Predators explore the trade market as an avenue to add more scoring power to their top-nine forward group –  is that he does not have a playoff series win on his resume.

Saros has appeared in six different postseasons with the Predators dating back to 2017, but there are some important caveats to note; namely, his first seven playoff appearances came in relief of Rinne, and he did not get his first start in a Stanley Cup Playoff game until 2020.

Saros' first true playoff series was undoubtedly his worst. He earned just one win in four starts against the Arizona Coyotes during the infamous "bubble" series in 2020, finishing with an .895 save percentage and a 3.22 goals-against average.

He had a chance at redemption the following year, however, when the NHL teams were realigned into new divisions due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the Predators drew the Carolina Hurricanes in the first round of the playoffs. He started all six games against the Hurricanes, earning two regulation wins, two regulation losses and two overtime losses. Saros finished the 2021 postseason with a vastly improved stat line over that of the previous year, posting a .921 save percentage and a 2.78 goals-against average.

Related: Razor-Thin Margins Were the Difference in Predators' First-Round Loss to Canucks

The 2021-22 season saw Saros finish as one of three finalists for the Vezina Trophy, awarded to the league's top goaltender. He did not appear in Nashville's first-round playoff series against the Colorado Avalanche, however, due to an injury sustained in the final week of the regular season, and the Avalanche went on to win the series in a four-game sweep.

The Predators missed the playoffs in the 2022-23 season – a season in which Saros was named an NHL All-Star and finished fourth in the Vezina Trophy voting – but Nashville's Wild Card finish in 2023-24 allowed Saros to return to the postseason for the first time in three years.

Related: Missed Opportunities Haunt Predators in Game 6 Loss to Canucks

While his final 2-4 record in the first round against the Vancouver Canucks may not appear all that impressive on the surface, Saros' performance during the 2023-24 postseason was spectacular. In fact, a May 8 report from MoneyPuck.com has him ranked as the fifth-best goalie in this year's playoffs in terms of goals saved above expected (3.5).

Saros posted a .900 save percentage and a 2.02 goals-against average against Vancouver, also ranking in the top-10 in save percentage above expected (0.011) and goals-against average better than expected (0.59).

Simply put, those numbers look extremely out of place attached to a losing goaltender in a playoff series. Saros gave his team every chance to win in the playoffs this year – and in 2021, for that matter – but the combination of missed scoring opportunities and a stifling Vancouver defense left the Predators unable to capitalize. At 5-on-5, the Predators offense had -2.79 goals for above expected during their postseason run – the fifth-worst among the 16 playoff teams.

Saros has one season remaining on the four-year, $20 million contract ($5 million AAV) he signed Aug. 16, 2021. After posting career worsts in GAA (2.86) and save percentage (.906) during the regular season, he was the subject of trade rumors prior to the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline. A subpar playoff performance by Saros might have increased his likelihood of being dealt before his trade value diminishes any further; but his stellar showing against Vancouver should have assuaged any concerns about Saros' ability to perform at an elite level in the postseason.

Saros is eligible to sign a contract extension with the Predators beginning July 1, and both he and general manager Barry Trotz have expressed mutual interest in getting a deal done.

“We’ll be in talks,” Trotz said. “I’m sure it’s not going to be definitely a July 1 announcement, probably. I think it’s going to be a process with his people, his representatives. But I do know this: [Saros] wants to be here, and he’s been a big part of it. I’d like him to be here, so we’re going to work hard at getting something done with him.”