Part of the fun of the summer is that many of the Russian players conduct interviews back at home. With a more comfortable setting, and conversing in their primary language they are often more at ease. We saw it with Mikhail Sergachev last week, and now a short clip of an interview with Andrei Vasilevskiy is making the rounds.
According to the translation provided, Vasilevskiy was asked (somewhat in jest) why the Lightning even employ back-up goaltenders when he plays so often. With a smile, The Big Cat acknowledged that being a back-up in the NHL is “tough work”, citing the long stretches they go through without playing. He also acknowledged that he’s not getting any younger, and at some point the Lightning are going to replace him.
Time and age come for everyone, even Vasy. He still has three years left on his current contract, which runs through the 2027-28 season. He’ll be 33 at that point, and while to this middle-age blogger that seems young, in sports (and especially among goaltenders) he might as well be Methuselah. His next contract negotiation is bound to be interesting.
Hockey News
Five Team Canada players acquitted from charges [TSN]
Five members of the 2018 Team Canada U20 team, including former Tampa Bay Lightning defensemen Cal Foote, were acquitted of all charges in their sexual assault trial. Judge Maria Carroccia ruled that the prosecution had failed to produce proof beyond a reasonable doubt and that she did not find the evidence provided by the complainant to be “credible or reliable”. There is a 30-day window for The Crown to file an appeal.
The eligibility of the players is still unknown at this time, and Gary Bettman will likely wait to see if any appeals are filed. The NHL released a statement saying that they are conducting their own review and until they determine their next steps, the players are ineligible to return to play. The league has suspended players before despite them not being found guilty, or had their charges dismissed. Slava Voynov’s one-year suspension being one of those cases.
The NHLPA released their own statement calling the NHL’s actions ” inconsistent with the discipline procedures set forth in the CBA”. Expect any decision made by the NHL to be contested by the Players’ Association.
NHL Summer Power Rankings [ESPN]
The Worldwide Leader has the Bolts ranked 10th in their summer countdown stating, “Another long playoff run is possible, though they’ll likely have to defeat their rivals from South Florida at some point on that road.”
Grading every team’s offseason [Bleacher Report]
C’s make degrees, but they might not win Stanley Cups. BR compliments the top-six of the Bolts, but isn’t sold on the bottom-six. Sounds about right.
Inside Gavin McKenna’s path to Penn State [The Athletic]
All eyes are going to be on Penn State as the consensus number one pick for next year’s draft will be taking to the ice for the Nittany Lions next season. The reigning CHL player of the year is looking forward to the collegiate experience and possibly winning a national title in Hockey Valley.
Hulk Hogan was a lot of things, both good and bad, but he was a Lightning fan.
— Raw Charge (@rawcharge.com) July 24, 2025 at 12:05 PM
