Bad news for all NHL scorers: Andrei Vasilevskiy believes 'my best games are ahead of me'

About to embark on the 10th postseason run of his NHL career, Andrei Vasilevskiy is already a legend.

The Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender is among the most imposing figures in hockey.

Aptly nicknamed the Big Cat, he prowls around his crease with the confidence of the king of the jungle.

His rare combination of towering stature, speed and athleticism are only eclipsed by his pedigree.

Advertisement His accomplishments include two Stanley Cup championships, Vezina and Conn Smythe trophies, five All-Star Game appearances, a World Championships gold medal and the most playoff series-clinching shutouts in NHL history.

Its already a convincing Hockey Hall of Fame resume.

The scary part for the rest of the league? Vasilevskiy, and those who work closest with him, believe hes still improving and is only just hitting the prime of his career.

Im pretty sure my best games are ahead of me, Vasilevskiy told The Athletic .

I work hard for that.

The game of hockey is our life.

You always work for the best, and hope that your best years are ahead of you.

Optimism is one thing, but with the Lightning set to open its first-round series against the Florida Panthers on Tuesday, theres tangible evidence that Vasilevskiy is still improving.

This season was his best yet.

His 28.84 goals saved above expected set a new career high, and his .921 save percentage was his highest ever in relation to the league average (.900), even better than his .925 mark during his 2018-19 Vezina campaign.

Hes still only 30 years old, although it feels like hes older considering his lengthy reign atop the goaltending food chain.

In professional sports, 30 is an age that often signifies the beginning of regression, but not for goalies especially the exceptional ones.

Patrick Roy, Martin Brodeur and Dominik Hasek combined to win more championships and Vezinas after turning 30 than they did in their 20s.

Theres a reason for that.

When it comes to goaltending, mental ability is even more important than physical ability, and they dont progress and diminish the same way.

Those physical attributes decrease as the years go on, but the mental aspects of the game all improve, Tampa Bay Lightning goalie coach Frantz Jean said.

Experience, reading the play, knowing who the shooters and passers are, being able to decipher plays through traffic and flash screens, and handling the scrutiny of the NHL.

Advertisement The point at which those mental and physical abilities intersect is the magic moment.

They meet at this perfect time in an athletes career, said Jean, who has coached Vasilevskiy for a decade.

Thats when you get a goalie in his prime, and I do believe Vasi is in that spot right now.

He really takes care of himself, so there are more years to come of that quality of goaltending.

Vasilevskiy has never wanted for athleticism.

The Russian netminder contorts his body in ways few humans can.

It has allowed him to make some of the most jaw-dropping saves in the NHL over the last decade.

Make no mistake, that side of Vasilevskiys game is still very much intact.

Just ask the Anaheim Ducks Mason McTavish, who was left shaking his head in disbelief after Vasilevskiy robbed him with this acrobatic glove save in January.

The amount of internal hip rotation Vasilevskiy uses to drop into the full splits with his leg pads still square to the shooter is staggering.

Hes got the combination of size and agility, said Nashville forward Steven Stamkos, who played 10 seasons and won two championships with Vasilevskiy in Tampa Bay.

Usually goalies have one or the other.

He has both, and on top of that his competitiveness and work ethic go along with the skillset that he was gifted with.

I think that separates him.

Its impressive.

Stamkos faced the task of trying to score on Vasilevskiy every day in practice for a decade, so he understands the challenge better than most.

Any time you see a goaltender of that size, theres that factor where you dont see a lot of net, Stamkos said.

That can get into shooters heads.

Then you add in the athleticism.

Even when he comes out and you think you have him beat with a deke, the splits come out and you dont have him beat.

Vasilevskiy is an enormous goalie, listed at 6-foot-4, 228 pounds, who moves like a much smaller one.

His body control is unparalleled, especially in chaotic, desperate situations.

Watch how structured and disciplined he stays on this save on Rangers forward Alexis Lafreniere.

On a back-door play like this, most goalies cast technique aside and just try to throw as much of their body in front of the puck as possible.

Vasilevskiy drops into the splits while keeping his pads square to seal the ice and completely take away the bottom of the net.

Meanwhile, he doesnt flop backward onto his butt or forward onto his stomach.

His balance keeps his torso upright and his glove projected out, which allows him to maintain visual attachment with the puck, increasing his chances of snaring it in the glove.

Advertisement He never gives up on a puck, Franz said.

I think that can be intimidating, too.

Vasilevskiy plays mental warfare with opposing scorers.

His exceptional skating allows him to play near the top of his crease, offering shooters little hope of scoring by hiding the net behind his monstrous frame.

Then, on the rare chance they do catch him out of position, with net to shoot at, he makes the types of saves that leave shooters feeling like they may never score.

At this time a year ago, it appeared Vasilevskiy could be slowing down.

He underwent back surgery in September 2023, and followed it up with the worst statistical season of his career.

The fact that only five or six weeks after a back operation, he was playing NHL games is totally insane and unbelievable, Jean said.

That in itself was incredible, but it came at a price.

Coming directly off a back surgery, Vasilevskiys 52 starts were the most by any goalie during that time period.

It was the first time he finished a season with a save percentage below the league average.

Now, 18 months removed from the procedure and playing better than ever, Vasilevskiy has proven that last years struggles were a mere speed bump.

This year he had a full training camp and I felt we put his game back together again, Jean said.

I felt he has started to execute more consistently as the season progressed.

I felt it took October and November to really put it all together on the ice in terms of consistency.

Vasilevskiy led all goalies with 63 starts this season.

From December on when Jean felt he found his game he led the NHL with a .927 save percentage.

Over the years, my style has really evolved, Vasilevskiy said.

This season, Ive made some changes.

We dont want to change too much, but just little adjustments.

Working with Jean and private goalie advisor Adam Francilia who has worked with Connor Hellebuyck for most of his career Vasilevskiy has refined his game in several aspects.

His stance has become more structured and compressed, with his pelvis further forward to make his chest bigger to the puck.

He holds his glove hand lower, compared to the flying left elbow that he used to have.

His butterfly is less crouched, again taking up more net.

Advertisement Vasilevskiy is constantly becoming a smarter goalie, learning tiny details to make the game easier on himself and relying less on pure athleticism.

He hits his spots really quickly on the ice, Jean said.

So as a shooter your pass is coming, you think youre going to have some net to shoot at, then you get there and suddenly hes beaten the play.

This save on Red Wings sniper Alex DeBrincat in January was a great example.

Vasilevskiy faced a dangerous two-on-one with Patrick Kane carrying the puck and Debrincat on the back side of the play.

Vasilevskiy made this save look far easier than it was.

Considering Kanes shooting prowess, and the fact that he was on his off-wing giving him a better shooting angle Vasilevskiy had to remain fully committed to the shot.

Once Kane passed the puck, the speed with which Vasilevskiy shifted his eyes to DeBrincats release point and exploded to his far post was impressive.

Most importantly, it wasnt an all-out dive that wouldve left him sprawled out on the ice and unprepared for any follow-up chance.

Vasilevskiy kept his weight centered and his structure intact, leading with his head and his stick, which allowed him to make the save in a much more controlled, predictable manner.

His excellent footwork helps a ton in this aspect.

Vasilevskiy is exceptionally light on his edges for his size, allowing him to dance around the crease and react to the play without digging into the ice and locking himself into positions.

His quick, nimble feet also allow him to direct low shots out of danger better than anyone.

The difference between placing a rebound harmlessly into the corner and kicking it directly into the slot for another high-danger chance is only a few degrees of angle in the leg pad.

Vasilevskiy is great at making tiny manipulations with his pad angles to funnel shots out of trouble, thus making life easier on himself and his teammates.

Beyond the technical intricacies and physical attributes, theres one more aspect to Vasilevskiys game that could be his biggest advantage of all and its one that doesnt diminish with age.

He thrives under pressure.

When the lights are at their brightest, and the stakes at their highest, Vasilevskiy is at his best.

Advertisement He is already 12th all-time with 66 playoff wins (one more than Hasek).

He needs six more to pass Jacques Plante and climb into the top 10.

Vasilevskiys .942 save percentage in series-clinching games is the highest of any goalie with at least 10 such games, and he has played in 24.

Even more incredible: Vasilevskiy has produced a shutout in 25 percent of those clinching games including the Stanley Cup-clinching game in 2020.

Vasilevskiys .946 save percentage in four Game 7s is the fourth-highest all-time among goalies who have played in at least four.

In his last two winner-take-all games (in 2021 and 2022), he stopped 49 of the 50 shots he faced (.980 save percentage).

Vasilevskiys clutch playoff performances are comparable to Roys heroics for the Canadiens and Avalanche in the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s.

Hes the most accomplished goalie of the current generation, and is still adding to his resume.

Special athletes are able to narrow their focus in those high-stakes situations, Jean said.

They narrow their focus into a near-perfect synergy.

You always hear about flow state, and you can literally see it in front of you.

Theres a perfect flow between the athlete and the game, and I see that with Vasi.

Vasilevskiy is intense, on and off the ice.

He can be as intimidating in the dressing room before a game as he is in the crease.

You dont talk to him on game days, Stamkos said with a smile.

He doesnt say a word.

You dont say a word to him.

Hell give you a head nod or a smile.

Like many goalies Vasilevskiy has an extensive and detailed pregame routine.

He arrives at the arena far earlier than most of his teammates to prepare his body and mind.

For most of it hes eerily quiet, but the occasional grunt can be heard from his dressing-room stall as he jabs his hands in front of him, visualizing himself making glove and blocker saves.

Advertisement Its just a well-known thing, Stamkos said.

Hes got some superstitious things that he likes to do.

Everyone knows.

You just let him do it, and it usually results in a good game.

Vasilevskiys air of confidence is as synonymous with him as the lion airbrushed on his mask and the No.

88 on his back.

The more stressful the situation, the more his composure stands out.

Each game, I just try to prepare myself the best I can, so I can perform well, and the confidence comes naturally, Vasilevskiy explained.

Confidence is difficult to demonstrate, but Vasilevskiys treatment of new equipment is a good window into just how sure he is in his ability.

Most goalies receive new pads at least once per season, but some switch sets several times.

In almost every instance, they will wear their new gear multiple times in practice to break the pads in, adjust to the differences and feel comfortable.

Not Vasilevskiy.

He will take the pads straight out of the box, rip the plastic wrapping off, and strap them on for an NHL game without hesitation.

When Bauer introduced an innovative new goalie skate that looks and performs dramatically different from any skate before, most goalies werent interested in testing them out until the summer, when they would have weeks to adjust.

Vasilevskiy tried them on in practice and wore them in a game the next night.

The thought of failure is almost nonexistent.

Thats a valuable weapon when the stakes increase.

He gets into those situations and theres no doubt in his mind, Jean said.

Its just time to go out and compete.

Theres no fear, and I think thats really important.

Its not a guaranteed win every time, but you know that you will get the best performance that the athlete has to offer on that day.

Vasilevskiys reputation as a big-game performer is well established.

Theres a reason he dominates the responses every time NHL players are polled about the best goalie in the world.

Despite several of Vasilevskiys contemporaries producing incredible statistics, players trust his pedigree.

Advertisement Theres always someone gunning for you, so you have to stay on top of your game and stay hungry with that killer mentality, Jean said.

There are other goalies coming to get what they think is theirs, so now you have to defend whats yours.

To be honest, right now were in a situation where were attacking to get whats next.

Were not defending anything.

Were going after another championship.

Its only been two years since Vasilevskiy backstopped the Lightning to the last of three consecutive Cup Final appearances, but the drought feels a lot longer to him.

Tampa Bay has a new cast of players, with only a few remaining from the championship years, and Vasilevskiy is hungry to add to his already impressive legacy.

Im 30 years old, so obviously my muscles and joints arent getting any younger, he said.

I need that style of play that will help me play another eight to 10 years.

Thats my goal.

Well see.

Its hockey, so you never know, but I hope to have that longevity.

If Vasilevskiy reaches those goals, hell finish near or at the top of seemingly every career goaltending leaderboard.

This season, he broke Plantes record for the fastest goalie to reach 300 NHL wins.

The record had stood for 61 years, and Vasilevskiy cleared it by a whopping 31 games.

It would take incredible consistency and longevity to pass Brodeurs 691 wins, but hes on pace to catch just about everyone else.

Hes just climbing up historical statistical ladders that not too many guys get to do, and yet you look at him and you think hes still in his prime, Lightning coach Jon Cooper said.

Hes a big part of what our identity of our team is, and the fact that hes still doing it and showing no signs of slowing down is impressive.

(Photo: Mike Ehrmann / Getty Images).

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