NHL Trade Rumors: Tampa Bay Lightning face roadblocks in pursuit of Flames goalie to replace Vasilevskiy

By Ankit Kumar

Modified Sep 30, 2023 18:12 GMT

Reigning Stanley Cup champions, the Tampa Bay Lightning have hit a significant roadblock as they prepare for the upcoming NHL season. Star goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy, considered one of the best in the league, recently underwent back surgery, and the team is facing the daunting task of finding a temporary replacement.

Vasilevskiy's surgery, a microdiscectomy to address a lumbar disk herniation, will sideline him for approximately the first two months of the regular season.

While the Tampa Bay Lightning's general manager, Julien BriseBois, expressed confidence in his full recovery, the team now faces the challenge of securing capable goaltending during his absence.

Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois said:

"We fully expect him to make a full recovery and for him to be back to being his old self. It's going to take some time."

Since 2016–17, Vasilevskiy has the most wins (245) and second-most games played (385) in the NHL. The Tampa Bay Lightning's goaltending depth chart, however, doesn't inspire the same confidence as Vasilevskiy.

With Jonas Johansson, Hugo Alnefelt, and Matt Tomkins collectively boasting just 36 NHL games, it's clear that the team lacks an experienced netminder.

Rumors emerged which suggest the Lightning's interest in acquiring goaltender Dan Vladar from the Calgary Flames. However, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman poured cold water on the speculations, emphasizing that Tampa Bay's limited draft picks and Calgary's high asking price make such a trade unlikely.

Recently, Elliotte Friedman on the 32 Thoughts Podcast said:

“I just don’t see how Tampa makes that work and also this is not exactly a team with a plethora of draft picks, Calgary is not going to be giving Dan Vladar to Tampa Bay, they’re going to want a nice price for him”

Tampa Bay Lightning explores other options

Despite the setback, BriseBois remains optimistic about the goalies currently on the Lightning's roster:

"For the time being we're going to go with the guys we have here. We still have five preseason games so that gives us time to get our goalies some reps..."

He believes they can step up during Vasilevskiy's absence, although he acknowledges that the team has been exploring alternative options.

"He's the best goaltender in the world ... But we think the goalies that we have here are able to get the job done and carry the load in the meantime. That doesn't mean we're not going to be exploring other options..."

While Vasilevskiy's absence is undoubtedly a significant blow, the Tampa Bay Lightning are eager to maintain their competitive edge as they start the NHL season.