The Tampa Bay Lightning are in coaching camp mode with the preseason simply days away. Few are as desirous to get again on the market as goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy, and his teammates have seen. “Being wholesome is big,” Lightning ahead Nikita Kucherov stated at media day. “I’m 31 and he’s 30, and it is very important maintain our our bodies. It’s big to not need to take care of accidents and stuff.”
Vasilevskiy missed the primary quarter of final season recovering from again surgical procedure. When he returned, it was clear he wasn’t fairly himself. He had a career-worst save proportion (.900) and objectives in opposition to common (2.90, GAA) – in comparison with his All-Star stage profession common of .917 save proportion and a 2.56 GAA.
The harm and post-surgery play have been a wake-up name that one thing needed to change. Vasilevskiy stated he’s making changes accordingly. “Eradicate the health club. I modified some issues,” Vasilevskiy stated at media day. “Much less weights now and extra goalie stuff. I really feel, me within the health club, I look foolish, the stuff I do, however it’s really actually arduous.”
That being stated, these changes are solely for the off-the-ice routine. When he’s between the pipes, anticipate nothing completely different.
“I’ll play 60 to 70 video games or regardless of the coach will give me,” he stated. “… I spotted, off the ice, I’ve to do one thing a bit of completely different now however, on the ice, I’m all in. I like to play quite a bit.” He’s performed 60 video games loads of occasions over time. As for 70? Pump the breaks a bit.
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Like I stated earlier than, Vasilevskiy is raring to get again out on the ice, however he may also play in each single Stanley Cup Playoff recreation for the Lightning. Any relaxation he can get throughout the common season will assist the staff obtain the last word aim.
What Will Vasilevskiy’s Workload Look Like?
If he’s totally wholesome, there isn’t a purpose Vasilevskiy’s workload can be restricted in any trend throughout the 2024-25 season. It might be argued that he’s taking part in wholesome for the primary time since properly earlier than he really damage his again. He wasn’t wanting fairly proper within the second half of the 2022-23 season. It’s potential that hassle was brewing as early as then. He’s by no means going to take himself out of the lineup and the Lightning gained’t both.
Even when he was getting back from surgical procedure, the Lightning didn’t hesitate to play him as typically as they presumably might. He performed 52 video games after Thanksgiving. That’s quite a bit after surgical procedure. That’s the identical variety of video games he performed throughout the 2019-20 common season that was lower brief by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The one distinction between this season and final is he’ll play an identical variety of video games however with extra off days in between. Count on a traditional workload. Final season, can’t be referred to as a traditional workload by any means.
What would additionally assist is that if backup Jonas Johansson takes a step ahead in his recreation this season. He helped maintain the Lightning afloat in Vasilevskiy’s absence, nevertheless it’s been a bit for the reason that staff has had a high-quality backup possibility. If he performs properly, Vasilevskiy can relaxation and be prepared for the highest opponents.
We’ll see what all this builds as much as quickly sufficient. Vasilevskiy will see dwell motion when the preseason begins on Sept. 24 and common season motion starting on Oct. 11.
