What Andrei Vasilevskiy is doing as Lightning ride hot Jonas Johansson

BRANDON — The Lightning received devastating news before the start of the 2023-24 season. Their star goaltender, Andrei Vasilevskiy, who had led them to two Stanley Cup championships and three Cup Final appearances, would be out for eight to 10 weeks due to back surgery. This was a huge blow for the team.

Vasilevskiy underwent a microdiscectomy on Sept. 28 to address a lumbar disk herniation. Despite a month passing since the surgery, he is still in the process of recovery.

Head coach Jon Cooper expressed his admiration for Vasilevskiy, stating, “He’s been great… You have to pull him down because he wants to do more and more. He’s on schedule and looks great. His spirits are great. I can’t put a timetable on it, but what did we say? We’ve got a few more weeks. It was, like, right around that Thanksgiving time.”

Vasilevskiy’s rehabilitation mostly takes place privately, away from the team. Cooper mentioned that he has progressed to the point of putting on skates and participating in light skating sessions.

As Vasilevskiy gets closer to returning, Cooper assured that more information will be shared through him.

The target of Thanksgiving week for Vasilevskiy’s comeback is encouraging.

During the period leading up to Thanksgiving, the Lightning have 12 games scheduled. In the absence of Vasilevskiy, they have found a capable replacement in Jonas Johansson.

Tampa Bay signed Johansson, who has limited NHL experience, as a backup this season. It was a cost-saving move and a decision that indicated the team’s confidence in Vasilevskiy. Nonetheless, Johansson has performed exceptionally well.

In seven games, Johansson has a record of 4-1-2 with a 2.56 goals against average and a .925 save percentage. He recently achieved back-to-back shutouts against the Hurricanes and the Sharks.

The Lightning are extremely pleased with Johansson’s performance and the decision to have him as Vasilevskiy’s temporary replacement.

Cooper emphasized, “We signed him for a reason. And that was to do what he’s doing. We just expected we would start him 20 times a year, not 20 times in the first two months. But he’s proven himself to be much more than capable, and everything our scouts saw is coming to fruition. It’s good for him to see that he can handle the workload as well.”

However, the return of a healthy Vasilevskiy could be a game-changer for the Lightning. They have been working on their defensive system during the first month of the season and seem to be in need of their star goaltender.

Vasilevskiy, a recipient of the Vezina Trophy in 2019 and the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2020-21, has been a standout player for the Lightning. Since 2015-16, he leads the NHL in wins (256) and ranks third in shutouts (31). He played every minute in net during the Lightning’s back-to-back Stanley Cup victories in 2020 and 2021.

Notes

Forward Tyler Motte participated in part of Friday’s practice, wearing a red, no-contact jersey. This was his first practice since suffering an upper-body injury in the season opener. Coach Cooper mentioned that it indicated progress in terms of Motte’s fitness, but it did not change the timeline for his return. Cooper stated, “Best-case scenario, he plays on the road trip.” Forward Brandon Hagel was the only player missing from practice, but Cooper clarified that it was merely a rest day and Hagel would be back on the ice for Sunday’s practice.

• • •

Sign up for the Sports Today newsletter to receive daily updates on the Bucs, Rays, Lightning, and college football across Florida.

Never miss the latest news about your favorite Tampa Bay sports teams. Follow our coverage on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.