Andrei Vasilevskiy’s top five Vezina-worthy moments from the ‘25-26 season

The 2025-26 NHL season was a landmark year for big Andrei Vasilevskiy moments. We’ll get to the best of them in a second. But first, we have to talk about Andrei Vasilevskiy’s Porsche 911 GT3 RS.

The first time I saw it, I was driving down Bayshore Boulevard. It was one of those perfect mornings that made even the most mundane things feel next to God. The sun glistening on the water, the balustrade along the seawall, I’m a sucker for this stuff. And this particular day’s ambience came correct.

That’s when, in my rearview mirror, an even more glorious sight approached. A black Porsche with a spoiler so massive I thought the car might rocket off the asphalt and fly right off over the bay. (I know that fundamentally this is the opposite of how spoilers work, but that’s how big the spoiler was. It defied rudimentary understandings of physics.) At the car’s helm: Vasilevskiy, pulling up alongside me like Christie Brinkley in National Lampoon’s Vacation, sipping a coffee in the kind of sunglasses you wish you had on your own face. Windows down. Aura through the roof.

Now, I bring all of this up for a couple of reasons.

For one, these are exactly the kind of vibes you ask for from a Stanley Cup-winning, Vezina Trophy-collecting netminder—especially one nicknamed The Big Cat.

And for two, the renowned said Porsche recently played a critical, starring role in the NHL’s most recent episode of Punk'd.

As far as “Surprise Here’s a Trophy” videos go, this is about as elaborate as they come, with a grand finale of Vasilevskiy receiving his second career Vezina Trophy, awarded to the NHL's top goaltender of the season. At the end of it all, the re-anointed King of the Crease only had this to say: "I was just happy my car was in one piece." 

It was a memorable moment to cap off a season's worth of remarkable performances and unforgettable plays from Vasilevskiy. For celebratory sake, we took a look back at our favorite five on the year.

5. Vasilevskiy saves 33 of 34 in 6-1 drudging of Panthers

The epic conclusion to the Lightning’s impossible midseason run was brought to you by Big Cat HQ. Despite 34 shots from the Bolts’ cross-state rival, Vasilevskiy didn’t let up a goal until a Florida power play midway through the third period. The dominant win at home helped the Bolts improve to 16-0-1 in the 17 games leading up to the Olympic break.

4. Vasilevskiy saves 31 of 33 to beat Avalanche in battle of NHL’s two hottest teams

Vasilevskiy was in top form in what many deemed to be a matchup of the NHL’s two best teams at this time in January. Only before the contest, the narrative was more so a question of which team ranked second behind the scorching, near-perfect Avs. Vasilevskiy and Brandon Hagel powered the Bolts to a statement win at Benchmark International Arena. And the Lightning would go on to win 10 of their next 11 games, flipping the script on the hottest team in the league narrative.

3. Vasilevskiy robs Demidov in Game 6 shutout of Montreal

OK, Round 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs doesn’t categorically fall into the Vezina Trophy voting. And no, this maddening series didn’t exactly pan out in the Lightning’s favor. But unfortunately, I’ve watched this highlight over a dozen times now and the eyes see what they see: In the most critical game of Tampa Bay’s ‘25-26 campaign, facing elimination at the Bell Centre, Vasilevskiy delivered a perfect game to force Game 7. The performance was vintage Vasy, spotlighted by a severe case of Russian-on-Russian crime when Vasilevskiy robbed Ivan Demidov twice in two seconds to shut down a crucial Montreal power play.

2. Vasy vs. Swayman I at Raymond James Stadium

One could argue that the 2026 NHL Stadium Series served as the quote-unquote “Heisman Moment” for Vasilevskiy’s Vezina campaign. Sure, a few other goalies put up some great numbers, but no player in recent memory can drop the Goalie Fight Heard ‘Round the World onto their resume.

With 8:59 left in the second period and the Bolts down 5-2, Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman took offense to Hagel attempting to poke a puck loose after a save. Swayman launched into Hagel, and in turn launched a melee behind the net. Then the Big Cat got involved, skating out to center ice to challenge Swayman to a gentlemen’s scrap. Swayman gladly accepted, and then gladly accepted a hammer of a left hook from Vasilevskiy that sent him to the ice. The stadium erupted. The momentum shifted. It turned out to be the turning point in one of the most epic comebacks in Stadium Series history.

I expected to see a number of things at Tampa’s first outdoor hockey game—this wasn’t on the list. It remains the most surreal sports moment I have ever witnessed live.

1. Vasilevskiy makes save(s) of the year in OT thriller over the Oilers

Every July, the ESPYs give out an award for the single best play of the sports calendar year. It’s called the Best Play ESPY. Saquon Barkley won it last year for jumping over a football player unlike anyone has jumped over a football player before. And this year, I am begging all of the Lightning’s loyal readers at ESPN HQ to do the Hockey Gods justice (sorry, Vasy) by putting the most electric sequence of the NHL season up to task. Vasilevskiy’s triple-save stunner is worthy of a nomination on its own. I mean, look at his legs down there. Go ahead and try it at home, see how it feels. They're essentially showing 10:15 on a clock. The ensuing breakout and immediate Guentzel game-winner is merely the resonating feather in the cap. Let’s do this, Bristol.