SAN JOSE — Antti Niemi had just made 41 saves, then stopped the puck three more times for good measure in a shootout win. So, it was appropriate for Sharks captain Joe Thornton to gush about his goaltender.

“You’ve been watching the same as us. He’s been great for a long time. Last night he was great, tonight he was great. Three games ago he was great,” Thornton said after the Sharks edged the Los Angeles Kings 3-2 on Tuesday night. “Every night he gives us a chance to win, and I think he’s the best goalie in the world.”

The thing is, others are starting to agree with Thornton.

Niemi is gaining traction as a legitimate contender for the Vezina Trophy given annually to the NHL’s — and presumably the world’s — best netminder. The league’s general managers vote over the next two weeks, and the three finalists should include Niemi, who will get his 22nd straight start Thursday night against the Minnesota Wild at HP Pavilion.

“For me, the Vezina buck stops with San Jose’s Antti Niemi,” wrote ESPN national columnist Scott Burnside. “Niemi has been the catalyst to a Sharks resurgence after a horrible stretch of play.”

The spotlight is nothing new for Niemi, who helped the Chicago Blackhawks eliminate the Sharks in the 2010 Western Conference finals en route to a Stanley Cup parade down Michigan Avenue.

Coach Todd McLellan won’t compare Niemi’s game then and now, but he does agree with those who say his play warrants Vezina consideration.

“Nemo deserves to be part of that conversation leaguewide when people begin to talk about potential candidates for those awards,” McLellan said. “His numbers speak for themselves.”

What do the numbers say?

Niemi is tied for the NHL lead with 22 wins, and his stats in two key areas are better than his cup-winning season. His current save percentage of .926 tops his .912 in 2009-10, and his 2.12 goals against average is an improvement over 2.25.

Those numbers are also better than the ones Niemi put up during his first two seasons in San Jose when, hampered by injuries, he didn’t seem as agile and his play wasn’t as consistent.

Niemi knew that and worked hard in the offseason. When the NHL lockout shut things down, Niemi went back to Finland and played 10 games before returning to San Jose with his personal goaltending coach. He rented ice time so they could continue to work together on both conditioning and technique.

Niemi wasn’t trying to alter his style.

“Just trying to get better,” he said, “not change things.”

What also boosts Niemi’s status as a Vezina candidate is the fact he’s played in 39 games — more than all but one NHL goalie. And McLellan has made it clear he intends to ride his goaltender to the finish line because the Sharks are still fighting for playoff positioning.

Niemi welcomes the workload, though he does acknowledge feeling more tired in some games.

“Maybe some nights, but it’s just about how you maintain yourself, how to stay fresh, balancing everything — workload and rest,” he said. “You rest a lot, don’t go crazy working out.”

Niemi said he’s not really paying any attention to the Vezina buzz, that wins are his top priority.

But he acknowledged that additional victories won’t hurt his chances when the general managers vote.

And he knows that, unlike an offensive player, he cannot boost his own stock at the expense of his team:

“You can’t be selfish,” Niemi said, “trying to stop the puck.”