Andrei Vasilevskiy Eager to Get Back With Lightning After Offseason Reset

At the end of last season, Andrei Vasilevskiy didn’t hide his disappointment after the Lightning’s seven-game, first-round series loss to a young Montreal Canadiens team.

“Our big players should be our best players on the ice,” he said during his end-of-season media availability.

Tampa Bay controlled much of Game 7, outshooting Montreal 29-9 and holding them without a shot on goal for 26:57. Despite the effort, the Lightning’s top players couldn’t find the back of the net. A few weeks later, Vasilevskiy was presented with the Vezina Trophy as the NHL’s top goaltender. 

Now, with August here, his focus has shifted to the season ahead. While making an appearance at the Lightning’s youth goalie camp, Vasilevskiy said he’s ready to rejoin his teammates and begin preparing for another run.

“I went back home for a few weeks and saw family and friends,” he said. “I came back to Tampa about a month ago, and since then I’ve been skating and working out. Nothing too crazy this time.”

After just a few weeks away from the rink, Vasilevskiy said he started to miss hockey again and being around the team, something he believes most professional athletes can relate to.

He won’t have to wait much longer.

The countdown is on for the Lightning to open the regular season on Oct. 1 against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden. Before then, they’ll play a four-game preseason schedule beginning Sept. 20, with two games against the Nashville Predators and two against their in-state rival, the Florida Panthers.