Andrei Vasilevskiy Wins Second Vezina Trophy
Andrei Vasilevskiy, the standout goaltender for the Tampa Bay Lightning, has been honored with his second Vezina Trophy, a prestigious accolade recognizing the league’s top goalie. At 31 years of age, this marks Vasilevskiy’s sixth nomination for the award, which is determined by a vote among NHL general managers. This year, he received recognition on 28 of the possible 32 ballots, underscoring his dominance in the position.
Exceptional Performance in the 2022-2023 Season
During the 2022-2023 NHL season, Vasilevskiy showcased exceptional skill, notching 39 victories across 58 appearances. This impressive feat aligns him with just five other goalies in NHL history who have achieved nine or more seasons with at least 30 wins. His current streak of nine consecutive 30-win seasons now trails only Hockey Hall of Famer Martin Brodeur, who achieved 12.
Vasilevskiy’s overall record for the season stood at 39 wins, 15 losses, and 4 overtime losses, partnered with a commendable 2.31 goals-against average and a .912 save percentage, including two shutouts. His performance was integral in leading the Lightning to their ninth consecutive playoff appearance.
Voting Results and Recognition
In the voting results, Vasilevskiy earned an impressive 17 first-place votes, surpassing his nearest competitors: Ilya Sorokin of the New York Islanders with eight votes and Jeremy Swayman of the Boston Bruins with two. Although not in the top three, Logan Thompson of the Washington Capitals and Scott Wedgewood from the Colorado Avalanche also gathered two first-place votes each.
A Memorable Award Presentation
The moment of Vasilevskiy’s award presentation was made memorable when police officers from Tampa Bay, accompanied by a K-9 unit, surprised him at Benchmark International Arena as part of the NHL’s initiative to generate engaging, shareable moments during award announcements.
