Lightning goalkeeper Vasilevskiy out for 2 months after back surgery

The Tampa Bay Lightning goalkeeper Andrei Vasilevskiy will miss the first 2 months of the upcoming NHL season following a back surgery, the team announced.

Andrei Vasilevskiy has had back surgery, and is expected to miss the first two months of the regular season, per @KevinWeekes. pic.twitter.com/9Y3jyg4g5f

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) September 28, 2023

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The injury was sustained during training camp and comes as a shock to the team as it arrives only days before the season kicks in.

General manager Julien BriseBois said Vasilevskiy had a successful microdiscectomy to address a lumbar disk herniation. The recovery could sideline him for 25 or more games.

The 29-year-old is arguably the best goalie in the NHL having won the Vezina trophy in 2019 as the league’s top netminder along with an MVP trophy in 2021.

Therefore, the news is a huge setback for the Tampa Bay team, who were relying on their goalie to help their aspiration going into the new season. Vasilevskiy himself admitted that he suffered from a heavy workload following the playoff exit to Toronto, which might have contributed to the injury.