1. Early Career
Andrei Vasilevskiy was born on July 25, 1994. His early development in ice hockey began in Russia, where he quickly emerged as a promising goaltending talent.
1.1. Junior Career
Vasilevskiy began his junior career playing for Tolpar Ufa in the Minor Hockey League (MHL). He played 14 games during the 2010-11 MHL season, recording eight wins, two losses, and four overtime losses, with a goals against average (GAA) of 1.81 and a save percentage of .937, including three shutouts. In the 2011 KHL Junior Draft, he was originally selected by Salavat Yulaev Ufa in the first round, seventh overall.
He continued with Tolpar Ufa for the 2011-12 MHL season, appearing in 27 games, securing 15 wins, 8 losses, and 3 overtime losses, with a 2.23 GAA and a .931 save percentage. In the 2012-13 MHL season, he played 27 games, achieving 17 wins, 6 losses, and 4 overtime losses, alongside a 1.93 GAA and a .930 save percentage. His talent was further recognized when he was selected 19th overall by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. On May 6, 2014, the Lightning officially signed Vasilevskiy to a three-year, entry-level contract.
2. Professional Career
Vasilevskiy's professional journey began in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) with Salavat Yulaev Ufa before he transitioned to North America to join the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
2.1. Debut and Early Years with Tampa Bay (2014-2016)
On September 27, 2014, Vasilevskiy was assigned to the Syracuse Crunch of the American Hockey League (AHL), the top minor league affiliate for the Tampa Bay Lightning. He quickly made an impact, earning the CCM/AHL Player of the Week honor on December 15, 2014, after allowing only one goal on 56 shots over two games, resulting in a 0.50 GAA and a .982 save percentage. This included a 29-save shutout against the Springfield Falcons, ending their franchise-record 11-game winning streak. He also made 29 saves in a 4-1 victory over the Hershey Bears. In 14 appearances for Syracuse that season, he compiled a record of 8-3-3 with a 2.34 GAA, a .918 save percentage, and two shutouts. On January 2, 2015, he was named CCM/AHL Goaltender of the Month for December, posting a 4-0-1 record with a 1.17 GAA and a .962 save percentage, becoming the first Syracuse goaltender since Karl Goehring in March 2008 to receive the award.
Vasilevskiy was recalled by the Tampa Bay Lightning on December 16, 2014, and made his NHL debut that same night, securing a 3-1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. He notably became the first NHL goaltender to wear uniform number 88. On March 3, 2015, he recorded his first NHL shutout, stopping 28 shots against the Buffalo Sabres. His first playoff win came on June 6, 2015, during Game 2 of the 2015 Stanley Cup Finals against the Chicago Blackhawks, when he replaced starting goaltender Ben Bishop twice in the third period. This made him the first goalie in 24 years to win a playoff final game in relief and the first to earn his first career playoff win in relief in the Final since Lester Patrick in 1928. Despite his efforts, the Lightning eventually lost the Finals to the Blackhawks in six games.
On September 3, 2015, Vasilevskiy underwent successful surgery to remove a blood clot near his left collarbone and treat a type of thoracic outlet syndrome, with an expected recovery period of two to three months. He was cleared from blood thinner medication on October 21 and recalled from his conditioning stint with the Crunch on November 1, having made 56 saves on 58 shots in two wins. He returned to NHL play on November 1, contributing to a 4-3 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes. In the 2016 Stanley Cup playoffs, Vasilevskiy again filled in for an injured Ben Bishop during the third round against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Despite a strong performance, the Lightning lost the series in seven games, falling one win short of a second consecutive Stanley Cup Finals appearance. In the 2015-16 NHL season, Vasilevskiy played in 24 games, posting an 11-10-0 record, a 2.76 GAA, a .910 save percentage, and one shutout. In the playoffs, he appeared in eight games, with a 3-4 record, a 2.76 GAA, and a .925 save percentage. On July 1, 2016, the Lightning re-signed Vasilevskiy to a three-year contract extension.
2.2. Rise to Prominence and Major Achievements (2016-Present)
Andrei Vasilevskiy transitioned from a promising backup to one of the NHL's elite goaltenders, achieving numerous accolades, including the Vezina Trophy, and backstopping the Tampa Bay Lightning to consecutive Stanley Cup championships.
2.2.1. Establishing as a Top Goaltender
On December 28, 2016, Vasilevskiy recorded his first career NHL point, assisting on an overtime goal scored by Tyler Johnson in a 4-3 victory over the Montreal Canadiens. He concluded the 2016-17 NHL season with a 23-17-7 record in 50 games played.
Vasilevskiy played his 100th career NHL game on October 26, 2017, in a 3-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings, marking his eighth consecutive win of the season and tying Nikolai Khabibulin for the most consecutive wins by a Lightning goaltender. Four days later, he recorded his ninth consecutive win, surpassing Khabibulin for the franchise record. This also marked his 10th win in October, tying him with Manny Legace and Craig Anderson for the most wins in a single season during that month in NHL history. On December 12, he achieved his 20th win of the season in just 25 games with a 3-0 shutout against the St. Louis Blues, making him the fifth fastest in NHL history and only the sixth goalie to reach 20 wins in 25 games played.
On January 10, 2018, Vasilevskiy was named to his first NHL All-Star Game, the 2018 NHL All-Star Game. He recorded his seventh shutout of the season on January 22 in a 2-0 win over the Chicago Blackhawks, tying Nikolai Khabibulin's record for most shutouts in a single season by a Lightning goalie. Additionally, he set a new franchise record with six road shutouts in a single season. On February 27, Vasilevskiy achieved his 78th career NHL win, moving past Daren Puppa for third most in Lightning history. He surpassed Ben Bishop for the most wins in a single season in franchise history on March 20, recording his 41st win. On April 3, Vasilevskiy's 43rd win of the season came in a 4-0 shutout of the Boston Bruins, moving him past Nikolai Khabibulin for second most career wins (84) and setting a new franchise record for single-season shutouts with eight. On April 17, Vasilevskiy was nominated for the Vezina Trophy for the first time as the NHL's top goaltender.
2.2.2. Vezina Trophy and Consecutive Stanley Cup Wins
On November 14, 2018, Vasilevskiy suffered a broken left foot during practice, sidelining him for four to six weeks. He made his return on December 13 against the Toronto Maple Leafs, tying Ben Bishop's team record with 48 saves in a 4-1 victory. On January 8, 2019, he was added to the Atlantic Division roster for the 2019 National Hockey League All-Star Game as an injury replacement for Carey Price. Vasilevskiy recorded his 15th career shutout on January 15 in a 2-0 win over the Dallas Stars, surpassing Nikolai Khabibulin (14) for second most shutouts in franchise history. He tied Ben Bishop for the franchise record for most shutouts with 17 on February 14 against the Dallas Stars (6-0 win), and then claimed sole possession of the record with his 18th shutout two days later. On March 20, Vasilevskiy set a new Lightning record for most saves in a single game, stopping 54 shots in a 5-4 overtime win against the Washington Capitals. On March 25, he surpassed Ben Bishop for the most career saves in franchise history, reaching 5,739 saves in a victory over the Boston Bruins. Vasilevskiy made his 207th career NHL start on April 1 in a 5-2 win over the Ottawa Senators, moving past Daren Puppa (206) for second most starts in franchise history.
At the 2019 NHL Awards on June 19, Vasilevskiy was awarded the Vezina Trophy as the league's top goaltender, making him the first player in franchise history to win the award. On July 29, Vasilevskiy signed an eight-year, 76.00 M USD contract extension with the Lightning, keeping him with the team through the 2027-28 season. For the third consecutive season, Vasilevskiy was named a finalist for the Vezina Trophy.
During the COVID-19 pandemic-shortened 2019-20 NHL season, Vasilevskiy made 61 saves in a five-overtime victory against the Columbus Blue Jackets in Game 1 of the first round of the playoffs on August 11, 2020, setting a new Lightning record for most saves in a playoff game. On August 25, he recorded his 22nd playoff win in an overtime victory over the Boston Bruins, surpassing both Ben Bishop and Nikolai Khabibulin to become the Lightning's all-time leader in playoff victories. On September 28, Vasilevskiy earned his first career playoff shutout in Game 6 of the 2020 Stanley Cup Finals against the Dallas Stars, securing a 2-0 victory and the Stanley Cup for the Lightning. With this shutout, he joined Tom Barrasso as one of only two goaltenders in NHL history to record their first playoff shutout in a Stanley Cup-clinching game. He also set an NHL record for most minutes played by a goaltender in a single postseason (1,708:12) and most postseason wins in a single season (18).
Vasilevskiy continued his outstanding play in the 2020-21 NHL season and was named a Vezina Trophy finalist for the fourth consecutive season. Throughout the 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs, Vasilevskiy achieved a remarkable feat by recording shutouts in all four of the Lightning's series-clinching victories. On July 7, 2021, he posted a 1-0 shutout against the Montreal Canadiens in the decisive Game 5, clinching the Lightning's second consecutive Stanley Cup. His streak of five consecutive series-clinching shutouts tied an NHL record held by Chris Osgood and Clint Benedict. Following the victory, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman awarded Vasilevskiy the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff MVP, making him the first goaltender since Jonathan Quick in 2012 to receive the honor.
2.2.3. Conn Smythe Trophy and Playoff Records
Vasilevskiy's performance in the 2021 playoffs, culminating in the Conn Smythe Trophy, cemented his reputation for clutch play. His NHL record of 18 wins in a single postseason (set in 2020) and his streak of five consecutive series-clinching shutouts demonstrated his dominance. On May 23, 2022, Vasilevskiy further solidified his playoff legacy by posting an NHL record-breaking sixth series-clinching shutout with 49 saves against the Florida Panthers in a four-game sweep. In that series, he maintained an astonishing .981 save percentage, allowing only three goals on 154 shots faced.
2.2.4. Recent Seasons, Injuries, and Milestones
In the 2021-22 NHL season, Vasilevskiy and the Lightning reached their third consecutive Stanley Cup Finals, where they eventually lost in six games to the top-seeded Colorado Avalanche.
On September 28, 2023, Vasilevskiy underwent back surgery, causing him to miss the first two months of the 2023-24 NHL season. He made his return and season debut on November 24, making 22 saves in the Lightning's 8-2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena. On November 14, 2024, Vasilevskiy earned his 300th career NHL win in the Lightning's 4-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets. He became only the 40th goaltender in NHL history to reach 300 wins, and the fastest to achieve this milestone. On December 12, Vasilevskiy played his 500th NHL game in an 8-3 win over the Calgary Flames, becoming the 82nd goaltender in league history and the first goaltender in Lightning history to reach this milestone.
3. International Play
Andrei Vasilevskiy has consistently represented Russia in international ice hockey competitions, earning multiple medals and individual accolades at various levels.
3.1. Junior International Competitions
Vasilevskiy has been a key player for Russia in junior international tournaments. He won a bronze medal with the Russian U18 team at the 2011 IIHF World U18 Championships in Germany. He then secured a silver medal with the Russian junior team at the 2012 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships in Canada. He continued his success at the IIHF World Junior Championship, earning bronze medals at both the 2013 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships in Russia and the 2014 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships in Sweden.
3.2. Senior International Competitions
Vasilevskiy has achieved significant success with the Russian senior team. He won a gold medal at the 2014 IIHF World Championship in Belarus. For this achievement, he was awarded the Order of Honour on May 27, 2014. On March 2, 2016, the Russian Ice Hockey Federation named Vasilevskiy to its roster for the 2016 World Cup of Hockey in Toronto, where he was joined by Lightning teammates Vladislav Namestnikov and Nikita Kucherov.
On April 9, 2017, he was again named to the roster for the 2017 IIHF World Championship, alongside teammate Nikita Kucherov. On May 21, 2017, Vasilevskiy helped Russia secure a bronze medal by defeating Finland in the bronze medal game. His exceptional performance led to him being voted the top goaltender of the tournament. He also earned a bronze medal at the 2019 IIHF World Championship in Slovakia.
4. Personal Life
Andrei Vasilevskiy comes from a family deeply rooted in ice hockey. His father, Andrei Vasilevski, born in 1966, was also a professional goaltender who played in the Russian Superleague for Salavat Yulaev Ufa.
Vasilevskiy is married and has one son. He describes himself as a dedicated family man, prioritizing time with his family when not engaged in his hockey commitments. He chooses to avoid social venues like bars and maintains a low profile on social media. As a personal touch, he has the names of his wife and son painted on his goaltender mask.
5. Career Statistics
The following tables present Andrei Vasilevskiy's statistical performance throughout his career in junior, minor, and professional leagues, as well as in international competitions.
5.1. Regular Season and Playoffs
Bold indicates led league
| Regular season | Playoffs | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | W | L | OTL | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | SV% | GP | W | L | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | SV% | ||
| 2010-11 | Tolpar Ufa | MHL | 14 | 8 | 2 | 4 | 730 | 22 | 3 | 1.81 | .937 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 87 | 3 | 0 | 2.05 | .936 | ||
| 2011-12 | Tolpar Ufa | MHL | 27 | 15 | 8 | 3 | 1,477 | 55 | 0 | 2.23 | .931 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 120 | 5 | 0 | 2.50 | .931 | ||
| 2012-13 | Tolpar Ufa | MHL | 27 | 17 | 6 | 4 | 1,613 | 52 | 3 | 1.93 | .930 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 189 | 9 | 0 | 2.85 | .897 | ||
| 2012-13 | Salavat Yulaev Ufa | KHL | 8 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 298 | 11 | 1 | 2.22 | .924 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 2013-14 | Salavat Yulaev Ufa | KHL | 28 | 14 | 8 | 5 | 1,601 | 59 | 3 | 2.21 | .923 | 18 | 9 | 9 | 1,144 | 38 | 1 | 1.99 | .934 | ||
| 2014-15 | Syracuse Crunch | AHL | 25 | 14 | 6 | 5 | 1,469 | 60 | 2 | 2.45 | .917 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 2014-15 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 16 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 864 | 34 | 1 | 2.36 | .918 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 113 | 6 | 0 | 3.19 | .895 | ||
| 2015-16 | Syracuse Crunch | AHL | 12 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 711 | 23 | 1 | 1.94 | .935 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 2015-16 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 24 | 11 | 10 | 0 | 1,259 | 58 | 1 | 2.76 | .910 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 434 | 20 | 0 | 2.76 | .925 | ||
| 2016-17 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 50 | 23 | 17 | 7 | 2,832 | 123 | 2 | 2.61 | .917 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 2017-18 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 65 | 44 | 17 | 3 | 3,826 | 167 | 8 | 2.62 | .920 | 17 | 11 | 6 | 1,000 | 43 | 0 | 2.58 | .918 | ||
| 2018-19 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 53 | 39 | 10 | 4 | 3,204 | 128 | 6 | 2.40 | .925 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 236 | 15 | 0 | 3.83 | .856 | ||
| 2019-20 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 52 | 35 | 14 | 3 | 3,122 | 133 | 3 | 2.56 | .917 | 25 | 18 | 7 | 1,709 | 54 | 1 | 1.90 | .927 | ||
| 2020-21 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 42 | 31 | 10 | 1 | 2,524 | 93 | 5 | 2.21 | .925 | 23 | 16 | 7 | 1,390 | 44 | 5 | 1.90 | .937 | ||
| 2021-22 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 63 | 39 | 18 | 5 | 3,761 | 156 | 2 | 2.49 | .916 | 23 | 14 | 9 | 1,403 | 59 | 1 | 2.52 | .922 | ||
| 2022-23 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 60 | 34 | 22 | 4 | 3,597 | 159 | 4 | 2.65 | .915 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 388 | 23 | 0 | 3.56 | .875 | ||
| 2023-24 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 52 | 30 | 20 | 2 | 3,063 | 148 | 2 | 2.90 | .900 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 298 | 16 | 0 | 3.22 | .897 | ||
| KHL totals | 36 | 18 | 9 | 5 | 1,899 | 70 | 4 | 2.21 | .923 | 18 | 9 | 9 | 1,144 | 38 | 1 | 1.99 | .934 | ||||
| NHL totals | 477 | 293 | 143 | 30 | 28,049 | 1,199 | 34 | 2.56 | .917 | 115 | 66 | 46 | 6,968 | 280 | 7 | 2.41 | .920 | ||||
5.2. International Statistics
| Year | Team | Event | GP | W | L | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | SV% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Russia | U18 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 272 | 12 | 0 | 2.65 | .897 | |
| 2011 | Russia | U18 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 344 | 15 | 0 | 2.62 | .936 | |
| 2012 | Russia | U18 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 299 | 11 | 1 | 2.20 | .922 | |
| 2012 | Russia | WJC | 5 | 4 | 1 | 299 | 10 | 2 | 2.01 | .953 | |
| 2013 | Russia | WJC | 4 | 3 | 1 | 164 | 5 | 1 | 2.04 | .943 | |
| 2014 | Russia | WJC | 6 | 4 | 2 | 328 | 10 | 0 | 1.83 | .933 | |
| 2014 | Russia | WC | 2 | 2 | 0 | 120 | 1 | 1 | 0.50 | .985 | |
| 2017 | Russia | WC | 9 | 6 | 2 | 523 | 15 | 3 | 1.72 | .936 | |
| 2019 | Russia | WC | 8 | 7 | 1 | 488 | 13 | 2 | 1.60 | .946 | |
| Junior totals | 31 | 19 | 11 | 1,706 | 63 | 5 | 2.22 | .935 | |||
| Senior totals | 19 | 14 | 3 | 1,131 | 29 | 6 | 1.54 | .946 | |||
6. Awards and Honors
Andrei Vasilevskiy has received numerous awards and honors throughout his distinguished career in the KHL, NHL, and international competitions.
6.1. KHL Awards
- Alexei Cherepanov Award: 2014
6.2. NHL Awards
- NHL All-Star Game selection: 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023
- Vezina Trophy: 2019
- NHL First All-Star Team: 2019, 2021
- Stanley Cup champion: 2020, 2021
- Conn Smythe Trophy: 2021
6.3. International Awards
- Order of Honour: 2014
- WC All-Star Team: 2017, 2019
- Best Goaltender (WC): 2017, 2019
- WJC All-Decade Team: 2019
7. Records
Vasilevskiy holds several significant records, both within the Tampa Bay Lightning franchise and across the entire National Hockey League.
7.1. Single Season Records
- Most wins in a single season by a Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender: 44 (2017-18)
- Most shutouts in a single season by a Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender: 8 (2017-18)
- Most saves in a single season by a Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender: 1,908 (2017-18)
- Most shots against in a single season by a Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender: 2,075 (2017-18)
7.2. Career Regular Season Records
- Most wins by a Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender: 314
- Most shutouts by a Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender: 37
- Most games played by a Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender: 515
- Most career saves by a Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender: 11,261
- Most shots against by a Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender: 12,251
- Most saves in a game by a Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender: 54
7.3. Career Playoff Records
- NHL record most wins in a single postseason: 18 (2020)
- Most playoff wins by a Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender: 33
- Most playoff games played by a Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender: 58
- Most saves in a playoff game by a Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender: 61
- Most series clinching shutouts in NHL history: 6