Lightning Goalie Set to Make Return vs. Kings

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 31-year-old, one-time Vezina Trophy winner is expected to return to the crease for the Lightning’s home clash against the Los Angeles Kings.

“I have not talked to the trainers yet, but he looked good out there,” Lightning assistant coach Rob Zettler said regarding Vasilevskiy’s status. “I said, ‘How are you doing?’ and he said, ‘I feel good.’ We will see.”

Vasilevskiy, who was a first-round selection in the 2012 NHL Draft, had started the season off hot — as he’s been prone to doing over this illustrious career. In 19 starts, he went 11-6-2 with a .916 save percentage and a 2.31 goals-against average. His level of performance had increased significantly in the time right before he went down with an injury. In his six games prior to his absence, Vasilevskiy went 6-0-0 with an otherworldly .959 save percentage.

Lighting Have Struggled Without Vasilevskiy

Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Jonas Johansso — Dec 13, 2025; Elmont, New York, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Jonas Johansson (31) makes a save against the New York Islanders during the second period at UBS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images | Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images

In the seven games with Vasilevskiy absent, the Lightning relied solely on backup netminder Jonas Johansson. While he was able to do a fine job for large stretches over that span, his teammates routinely failed to back him up with quality performances of their own.

Tampa Bay lost back-to-back games by a score of 2-0 against the New York Islanders and Toronto Maple Leafs on Dec. 6 and Dec. 8, respectively. In both contests, Johansson stopped all but one shot (both games featured an empty-net goal), yet the Lightning couldn’t find a way to win.

As a whole, Tampa Bay went 2-5 with Vasilevskiy gone, with most of the problems stemming from the team’s inability to find goals in clutch moments. While the star goalie’s return won’t necessarily solve those woes, the Lightning can hope that his dominant presence alone can help uplift the team to wins that Johansson might not have been able to secure.

What’s Next for the Lightning?

Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevski — Dec 2, 2025; Elmont, New York, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) makes a save against the New York Islanders during the third period at UBS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The Lightning, who are 4-5-1 over their last 10 games, sit third in the Atlantic Division behind the Detroit Red Wings and Boston Bruins. In a crowded Eastern Conference, just a couple of results can swing a team toward the top — or closer to the bottom.

That makes Vasilevskiy’s return tonight versus the Kings an important matchup. Los Angeles has lost two in a row and will be without its own star goalie, Darcy Kuemper, who went down with an upper-body injury just a couple of nights ago. Should the Lightning want to climb the standings and catch Detroit and Boston, winning against the Kings in Vasilevskiy’s first start in two weeks is imperative.

After tonight’s bout, the Lightning will stay home to face the Carolina Hurricanes on Dec. 20 before playing the St. Louis Blues on Dec. 22. They’ll then be off for four days before playing the Florida Panthers on Dec. 27.

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