Tampa Bay Lightning On SI

Andrei Vasilevskiy Wins Second Vezina Trophy

The Big Cat adds to his Hall of Fame resume

Austin Dobbins

Apr 26, 2026; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) sprays water on his face against the Montreal Canadiens during the third period in game four of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images
Apr 26, 2026; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) sprays water on his face against the Montreal Canadiens during the third period in game four of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images / David Kirouac-Imagn Images

Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy has officially secured his second career Vezina Trophy, cementing his status as the premier netminder of his generation. Vasilevskiy captured the award by earning the top spot among NHL general managers in voting.

While it was a tighter race than his dominant 2018-19 Vezina victory, his performance throughout the season left little doubt as to who anchors the league's elite between the pipes.

According to the NHL, 17 out of 31 ballots gave a first-place vote to Vasilevskiy.

The New York Islanders' Ilya Sorokin finished the vote in second place, while the Boston Bruins' Jeremy Swayman ranked third.

Another Season of Absolute Dominance

Vasilevskiy put together a spectacular campaign to beat out fellow powerhouse finalists. The Lightning star led the NHL in wins while finishing near the top of the league in both Goals Against Average and Save Percentage.

Perhaps his most staggering statistic was his consistency: Vasilevskiy allowed two or fewer goals in dozens of matchups, tying for the most in the NHL. According to analytics platform BenchRates, Vasilevskiy ranked as the league's top goalie in both Contribution and Paid Contribution, proving that he isn't just elite he delivers maximum value on his contract.

Vasilevskiy makes $9.5 million per season.

Entering an Exclusive List

With this latest piece of hardware, Vasilevskiy enters an incredibly exclusive club. In the entire history of the NHL, the only goaltenders to have won multiple Stanley Cups, multiple Vezina Trophies, and a Conn Smythe Trophy are Andrei Vasilevskiy, Patrick Roy, Ken Dryden, and Bernie Parent.

Furthermore, this season marked another career milestone for Vasilevskiy as a perennial Vezina finalist. To put his sustained excellence in perspective, only two legends in NHL history --Patrick Roy and Martin Brodeur -- have been named a finalist for the award more times over their careers.

Locked In for the Future

Tampa Bay fans can rest easy knowing "The Big Cat" isn't going anywhere anytime soon. Vasilevskiy remains under contract with the Lightning through the conclusion of the 2027-28 season. Still in the absolute prime of his career, he gives the Lightning a championship anchor beyond the net to build around for years to come.

But the Lightning's goal keeper can't do it alone. Vasilevskiy has helped carry the Lightning to two Championships while showcasing elite goaltending capabilities -- a 92.7% and 93.7% save percentage-- en route to a Conn Smythe.

The Big Cat earned the honor yet again, and it may not be the last award he adds to his Hall of Fame resume.

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Austin Dobbins
AUSTIN DOBBINS

Austin also writes for the Five Reasons Sports Network, covering all South Florida sports. As a current athlete, Austin specializes in in-depth analysis, player profiles, combining on-field knowledge with strong storytelling to cover football, basketball, and beyond. He is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Sports Business Management at Webber International University. Twitter: @austindobbins13

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