The Tampa Bay Lightning have signed goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy to a three-year extension worth $10 million.
Vasilevskiy will make $925,000 during the 2016-17 campaign before his new $3.5-million cap hit kicks in for the 2017-18 season.
The 21-year-old Russian was drafted 19th overall by the Lightning in 2012 and has already developed into a quality NHL netminder. He went 11-10-0 with a .910 save percentage and 2.76 goals-against average in 24 regular season appearances last season. He also saw action in eight post-season games with his save percentage improving to .925.
Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman has been busy this week. The Vasilevskiy signing occurred shortly after the team locked up Victor Hedman to a huge eight-year extension and two days after Steven Stamkos inked an eight-year deal of his own.
Vasilevskiy’s new deal also has major implications for Ben Bishop, the Lightning’s other goalie. Bishop is entering the final year of his contract. If they re-sign Bishop they’ll risk losing one of their two goalies during next summer’s Las Vegas expansion draft. Bishop’s name has been involved in trade rumours the last couple weeks. The Dallas Stars are believed to be interested, as were the Calgary Flames prior to the team acquiring Brian Elliott.
