Lightning Goalie Set to Make Return vs. Kings - Sports Illustrated
The Tampa Bay Lightning have reason to rejoice. After being without star goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy since he went down with an undisclosed injury on Dec. 2, the
www.si.comHere are the latest publicly reported updates on Andrei Vasilevskiy (NHL star goaltender for Tampa Bay):
- Most recent coverage in 2025–2026 has described Vasilevskiy as returning to practice after an extended absence due to an undisclosed injury, with teams indicating the issue was being managed and that he was on track to return to game action later in the season. Several outlets noted he began practicing again in late September 2025 and was expected to be ready for the season opener, though exact timelines varied.[3][5][9]
- By December 2025, reports suggested a positive trajectory toward his return, with Sports Illustrated and The Hockey News indicating he was set to be back in the lineup around December to January, following a period of treatment and gradual ramp-up in practice.[4][3]
- In early 2026, coverage from FOX Sports and CBS Sports continued to monitor his performance and consistency as he re-established himself in net, including assessments of shakiness in some outings, but generally continued to frame him as a top-tier goaltender when healthy.[6][8]
If you’d like, I can pull the most up-to-date links and summarize the latest official team statements or provide a quick timeline of his injury and return milestones. Would you prefer a focus on his on-ice performance metrics from 2024–2026 or a broader news narrative?
Citations: The updates above reference coverage from Sports Illustrated, The Hockey News, Fox Sports, CBS Sports, and others discussing Vasilevskiy’s injury status, recovery timeline, and return to practice and game action.[5][8][9][3][4][6]