TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy is anticipated to overlook the primary two months of the NHL season after present process again surgical procedure.

The staff introduced the beautiful harm information Thursday, halfway by way of coaching camp and with opening evening lower than two weeks away.

General supervisor Julien BriseBois mentioned Vasilevskiy had a profitable microdiscectomy to deal with a lumbar disk herniation. The restoration may sideline arguably the most effective goalie on the planet for 25 or extra video games.

Tampa Bay hoped the 29-year-old Russian could be contemporary after a first-round playoff exit following three consecutive journeys to the Stanley Cup Final. Vasilevskiy gained the Vezina Trophy in 2019 because the league’s prime netminder and the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2021 as playoff MVP.

No one performed extra hockey from August 2020 by way of the top of the playoffs final season than Vasilevskiy, who was on the ice for simply over 14,769 minutes of recreation motion. He mentioned after the collection defeat to Toronto he struggled with a heavy workload.

BriseBois advised the Tampa Bay Times the again harm was not associated to any bodily points the goalie mentioned he performed by way of final season.

The newspaper reported Vasilevskiy first skilled an issue together with his again in August and acquired an injection.

Treatment and a second injection didn't resolve the issue after Vasilevskiy skilled the difficulty once more when he practiced for the primary time in coaching camp.

“The medical opinion was that he should go ahead and have surgery,” BriseBois advised the Times. “That was the only way to fully recover from the herniated disc.”

Despite a wage cap crunch, Vasilevskiy‘s absence could push the Lightning to make a trade or sign a free agent, given their tight contending window. Journeyman Jonas Johansson, 22-year-old Hugo Alnefelt and Matt Tomkins - Canada’s 2022 Olympic starter who has by no means performed within the NHL - are the one different goaltenders Tampa Bay has beneath contract.

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