Trophy Tracker: Lightning goalie Vasilevskiy early-season choice for Vezina

To mark the beginning of the 2026-27 regular season, NHL.com is running its first installment of the Trophy Tracker series. Today, we look at the race for the Vezina Trophy, given annually to the top goalie in the NHL as selected NHL general managers.

Andrei Vasilevskiy was asked on the first day of Tampa Bay Lightning training camp how he could put the 2025-26 season behind him, a season that saw him win the Vezina Trophy voted as the top goalie in the NHL for the second time.

"New journey. Clean sheet," he said. "So excited to be here once again. ... We'll see at the end of the season if those emotions will stay positive."

The NHL.com staff certainly believes they will be. Vasilevskiy is the early-season favorite to win the Vezina for the second straight season. He received 64 points, including six first-place votes, from the 16-person panel. Logan Thompson of the Washington Capitals was second with 48 points (five first-place votes) and Ilya Sorokin of the New York Islanders was third with 41 points (two first-place votes). Jake Oettinger of the Dallas Stars (two) and Jacob Markstrom of the Florida Panthers (one) also received first-place votes.

Vasilevskiy is off to a solid start in his repeat Vezina bid. The 32-year-old is 2-1-0 with a 2.05 goals-against average and .900 save percentage entering Tampa Bay's game against the Minnesota Wild on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; Wild+, MINNHL, The Spot). After allowing four goals on 24 shots in a season-opening 5-1 loss at the New York Rangers on Oct. 1, he gave up a combined two goals on 36 shots in wins against the Washington Capitals on Saturday (3-1) and the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday (4-1).

"His work ethic is everything," Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak said. "He puts in so much time being the best goalie he can be and you know if you do your job in front of him, he's going to take care of everything else. And sometimes when you don't, he still takes care of it. He is a champion because he works every day at being the best. He is the best."

Vasilevskiy has a chance to rank among the best in NHL history if he continues on his current path.

He could become the fifth goalie to win the Vezina in back-to-back seasons since NHL general managers began voting on the award in 1981, joining Patrick Roy (1989-90), Dominik Hasek (1994-95, 1997-99), Martin Brodeur (2003-04, 2007-08) and Connor Hellebuyck (2024-25).

Vasilevskiy, who also won the Vezina in 2019, also could become the fifth goalie to win the award three times since GMs began voting, joining Hasek (six), Brodeur (four), Hellebuyck (three) and Roy (three).

His victory against the Flyers was his 372nd, moving him into a tie with Andy Moog for 20th in NHL history. Having averaged 35 wins each of the past 10 seasons, he has a good chance of becoming the 16th goalie with 400 later this season, the third born and trained in Europe after Henrik Lundqvist (459) and Sergei Bobrovsky (456).

Voting totals (points awarded on a 5-4-3-2-1 basis): Andrei Vasilevskiy, Tampa Bay Lightning, 64 points (six first-place votes; Logan Thompson, Washington Capitals, 48 (five first-place votes); Ilya Sorokin, New York Islanders, 41 (two first-place votes); Jake Oettinger, Dallas Stars, 25 (two first-place votes); Jeremy Swayman, Boston Bruins, 14; Igor Shesterkin, New York Rangers, 12; Brandon Bussi, Carolina Hurricanes, 8; Jacob Markstrom, Florida Panthers, 6 (one first-place vote); Jakub Dobes, Montreal Canadiens, 5; Carter Hart, Vegas Golden Knights, 5; Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets, 4; Jesper Wallstedt, Minnesota Wild, 3; Karel Vejmelka, Utah Mammoth, 3; Dan Vladar, Philadelphia Flyers, 2

NHL.com independent correspondent Corey Long contributed to this report