There’s been something of a hullabaloo in Tampa Bay regarding the status – or lack of – surrounding star goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy. He’s not practicing today, marking a week since he was last on the ice with the club and four days since head coach Jon Cooper said he was being held out for “player management.”
Yesterday, Cooper told Eduardo A. Encina of the Tampa Bay Times that “there’s every expectation Vasilevskiy will have enough time and game action to be ready for the regular-season opener Oct. 9 against Ottawa,” although he’s not expected to practice with the team again until Monday. The team has still been silent on what kind of injury he’s dealing with, or if he’s even dealing with an injury-related issue at all.
Vasilevskiy has rarely missed significant time in his 11-year career. The 31-year-old only has three absences of 10 or more games on record: 12 games due to blood clots while he was breaking into the league back in 2015-16, 14 games due to a foot fracture early in the 2018-19 season, and the first 20 games of the 2023-24 season after it became apparent during training camp he needed back surgery.
Nonetheless, Cooper’s comments earlier this week indicated the Lightning are at least beginning to develop concern about Vasilevskiy shouldering his usual workload in 2025-26. He’s started 60-plus games in three of the last four years – an extreme rarity in today’s NHL. Since Vasilevskiy took over as Tampa’s starter in the 2016-17 season, only Connor Hellebuyck (532) has more starts than Vasilevskiy’s 496.
Performance isn’t a huge concern. Vasilevskiy is coming off one of the more quietly dominant seasons of his career – and an important one for his legacy after his numbers dipped following his return from surgery in 2023-24. He rightfully finished second in Vezina Trophy voting after racking up a .921 SV% and 2.18 GAA, both his best marks in four years, in 63 starts – one short of his career-high.
Depth is, though. If the Bolts are intent on bringing Vasilevskiy back to the 55-start range, that would mean close to 30 appearances for seldom-used backup Jonas Johansson. The 30-year-old Swede has been one of the more consistently below-average names in the league since first breaking onto an NHL roster with the Sabres in 2019-20, logging a career .890 SV% and 3.30 GAA. That works out to 31.6 goals allowed above average over the course of his 70-start, 80-game career. When required to step in for Vasilevskiy during his back surgery recovery two years ago, he managed a 12-7-5 record in his 26 appearances but only had a .890 SV% and 3.37 GAA, working out to -8.9 goals saved above expected, according to MoneyPuck.
Andrei Vasilevskiy will be fine and ready to go, Tampa has been player managing other players as well since the start of training camp. Vasilevskiy is in his prime as he’s only 31 years of age as it would be one thing if he was like 38 or something. I do feel Tampa will keep his games below 60 this year (probably around 58 to 55 games) to keep him fresher for going into the playoffs potentially. The Big Cat will be in net come the season opener.
Lot of hype around talking about his age and those of other Lightning Core. Bobrovsky just turned 37, won 2 cups and has played great hockey after 35. Vasi has lots of runway left. I do agree lightening the load a bit might be good. That is easy to say right now, but as season and playoff standings dictate, might not be as easy.
They have finally added forward depth and filled out the forward group, which will set them up much better for the playoffs. A healthy Paul will put Gourde as 4C with Holmberg, Chafee, Finley, Katchouk and/or Girgensons. Added more grit, size and speed over passed 2 years.
It’s the number of starts that’s a tad concerning. It’s kind of obvious they don’t trust the other Goalies they have to lighten his load. He and Hellybuck have played way more games in the regular season than they need to and maybe aren’t as sharp when the Playoffs roll around? IDK. As long as you make the Playoffs in Hockey you have a shot. I can think of no other sport where Home Field advantage means less. Now with 84 games I think you need to give him a rest once in awhile.
I like your point about burning him out during the regular season.
It’s funny how teams are holding some impact players out of preseason games, It does make sense, And yet, When it comes to meaningless money grab exhibitions, Like the Olympics, And the Four Nations circus, Star players are aloud to participate, And their were quite a few impactful players sidelined last season, After the greed fest nations except for Russia, And Czechoslovakia tournament.