By For Andrei Vasilevskiy, summer means returning to his roots, spending time with family, and staying close to the game that made him one of the NHL’s best goaltenders.
The Tampa Bay Lightning netminder traveled to Ufa, Russia, the city where he grew up and took his first major steps in hockey. While there, Vasilevskiy spent time with his family, including his brother Alexei, who also plays professional hockey in the KHL.
Vasilevskiy returned to Ufa following another impressive season with the Lightning. In 58 games, he recorded 39 wins and two shutouts while posting a 2.31 goals-against average and a .912 save percentage. His performance earned him the Vezina Trophy as the NHL’s top goaltender.
After returning to Tampa, Vasilevskiy stayed connected to the game, making an appearance at a goalie camp organized through the Tampa Bay Lightning’s development program. Local kids were happy to get some professional advice from their idol and take pictures with him.
And local fans will soon have another opportunity to see the Lightning star. Vasilevskiy is scheduled to appear at FitFest 10 on Saturday, Aug. 15.
The event will give fans a chance to see the two-time Stanley Cup champion through meet-and-greet and photo opportunities included with general admission, subject to time and availability.
FitFest is also featuring a limited “Andrei Signature Experience,” which includes two options: a meet-and-greet with a one-on-one selfie opportunity and a personalized puck for $200 or a personalized autographed Fanatics jersey for $500.
From returning to the city where his hockey journey started to meeting with the Tampa Bay community, Vasilevskiy’s summer has combined family, hockey and time with fans.
