Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy has been honored with the 2025-26 Vezina Trophy, recognizing him as the NHL’s top goaltender. The award was presented in an unexpected setting as local law enforcement was conducting an investigation near his vehicle.
Vasilevskiy, leaving the Benchmark International Arena, was met by Tampa Bay police officers and a K-9 unit investigating suspicious activity in the area. Amidst this backdrop, he was surprised with the news of his accolade.
Vasilevskiy’s Achievements
This marks Vasilevskiy’s second Vezina Trophy, his first since the 2018-19 season. He has been a finalist six times, joining an elite group of goaltenders like Martin Brodeur, Patrick Roy, and Dominik Hasek. This season, Vasilevskiy led the NHL with 39 wins in 58 starts, boasting a 39-15-4 record, a 2.31 goals-against average, and a .912 save percentage.
His performance was instrumental in securing the Lightning’s ninth consecutive postseason appearance, tying for the longest active streak in the league. Vasilevskiy also became the sixth goaltender in NHL history to record at least nine 30-win seasons, with his current streak being the second-longest in league history.
Statistical Highlights
Throughout the season, Vasilevskiy ranked near the top in several statistical categories. He tied for first in games allowing two or fewer goals (35), ranked second in goals-against average (2.31), and finished third in save percentage (.912). Additionally, he logged significant ice time and maintained impressive save percentages in high-danger and mid-range scenarios.
The voting for the Vezina Trophy showed a clear preference for Vasilevskiy, who secured 17 first-place votes and appeared on 28 ballots, finishing with 114 points. Ilya Sorokin of the New York Islanders and Jeremy Swayman of the Boston Bruins followed in second and third place, respectively.
Original reporting: Tampa Free Press — read the source article.
