The Tampa Bay Lightning aren't going anywhere, and that's bad news for the Red Wings. With a roster as talented and experienced as Tampa Bay's, the Red Wings will have their hands full when they face the Bolts in 2025-26.
A big reason for Detroit's issues with the Lightning over the last decade has been the stellar play of veteran goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy. Entering his age 31 season in 2025-26, Vasilevskiy continues to be at the top of his game. He has been a stronghold in Tampa's crease for 11 seasons now, and he has dominated the Red Wings along the way.
Vasilevskiy shines against plenty of NHL teams, but especially against the Red Wings
Vasilevskiy has elite numbers against a lot of teams. In 540 NHL games, the Russian netminder owns a record of 331-163-35 to go along with a 2.52 goals-against average and .917 save percentage.
He is a two-time Stanley Cup champion, an eight-time All-Star, and won the Vezina Trophy in 2018-19. It's hard to believe he has just one Vezina Trophy to his name, but he's finished in the top-three of Vezina voting on five different occasions.
But Vasilevskiy has especially shined against the Red Wings. In 22 career games against Detroit, he is 16-5-1 and owns a strong 2.16 goals-against average and .929 save percentage.
His 16 wins against Detroit are the second-most against a single franchise in his career. He's defeated the Blue Jackets 17 times in 21 games and the Panthers 17 times in 34 games.
This past season, Vasilevskiy went 2-1-1 against the Red Wings, as the two teams split their season series two games apiece. He was his normal, elite self in net, as he turned aside 124-of-133 shots, which was good for a save percentage of .932 and goals-against average of 2.24.
Red Wings goaltenders will have a tough time keeping up with Vasilevskiy in head-to-head matchups this season
Back when he was calling the shots in Tampa Bay, Steve Yzerman drafted Vasilevskiy with the 19th overall pick in the 2012 NHL Draft. Yzerman let Vasilevskiy develop for almost two years before bringing him up to the NHL. Vasilevskiy made his NHL debut on December 16, 2024 at the age of 20.
Red Wings fans have been anxious for highly-touted goaltending prospect Sebastian Cossa to see time between the pipes for Detroit. Cossa was drafted 15th overall in the 2021 NHL Draft, and has just one NHL game under his belt.
Yzerman is taking his time with Cossa's development, and if the 21-year-old netminder proved he could be more consistent, there's a good chance John Gibson doesn't even come to Hockeytown this season.
Yzerman traded for Gibson to shore up Detroit's goaltending, and still has veteran Cam Talbot as a formidable backup. That means Cossa could have a tough battle ahead for a share of time between the pipes.
Regardless of who is in net for Detroit this season, going up against Vasilevskiy and the Lightning will pose a big challenge for the Red Wings again in 2025-26.
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