Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy has signed an eight-year, $76 million contract extension with the team.
His agent, Dan Milstein, broke the news Monday on Twitter.
Gold Star Hockey client Andrei Vasilevskiy has signed an 8-year extension with the Tampa Bay Lightning. He would like to thank great fans, ownership and management for making Tampa such a great place play and live for him and his family. #WeAreGoldStar! pic.twitter.com/e6ZSGWU8BC
— Dan Milstein-Hockey (@HockeyAgent1) July 29, 2019
The Lightning made the move official later Monday morning, announcing the deal that carries an average annual value of $9.5 million and makes Vasilevskiy the third-highest paid goalie in 2020-21 behind Carey Price and Sergei Bobrovsky, based on AAV.
THE BIG CAT!! 🦁
We have re-signed Andrei Vasilevskiy to an eight-year contract worth an AAV of $9.5 million.
, The deal carries an average annual value of $9.5 million and will make Vasilevskiy the third-highest paid goalie in 2020-21 behind Carey Price and Sergei Bobrovsky.
📝: https://t.co/KAPMXn9qM6 pic.twitter.com/7Vo1JrPiJg— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) July 29, 2019
“I’m very excited to sign this extension with the Lightning today,” Vasilevskiy said in a release. “I’d like to thank the entire organization, including (team owner) Mr. (Jeffrey) Vinik, (president and GM) Julien BriseBois and the great Bolts fans, for making this such a great place to play and live for me and my family.”
Vasilevskiy, 25, went 39-10-4 last season with a .925 save percentage and 2.40 goals-against average en route to winning the Vezina Trophy.
“The Lightning are very proud to extend Andrei for another eight years today,” BriseBois said. “Since joining the organization Andrei has shown unmatched work ethic and professionalism both on and off the ice. We look forward to him continuing his career in Tampa Bay for the foreseeable future.”
Vasilevskiy led the Lightning to the Presidents Trophy last season, but his save percentage ballooned to .856 save percentage and goals-against average grew to 3.82 as the Lightning were stunned in the first round of the playoffs, swept by the Blue Jackets.
Vasilevskiy was set to become a restricted free agent next July before the two sides reached the agreement.
