- Agent Dan Milstein says Andrei Vasilevskiy wants to finish his career with the Lightning
- The goal is to play 1,000 games in Tampa Bay, and Milstein hopes he stays there for his whole career
- Read below for Milstein’s full comments and how he tied it back to Nikita Kucherov
Andrei Vasilevskiy isn’t looking for the exit in Tampa Bay.
His agent, Dan Milstein, said Wednesday that the Lightning goalie wants to retire with the only franchise he has played for. Milstein made the comments on the DFO Insider podcast with Jeff Marek and David Pagnotta, the same appearance where he said things with Nikita Kucherov had gone “horribly wrong,” as we covered Wednesday.
Milstein was asked where Vasilevskiy stands after the Kucherov trade request.
“Andrei is extremely happy,” Milstein said. “He just, like Nikita Kucherov pre the summer, wishes to finish his career as a Tampa Bay Lightning player.”
Milstein said the goal is for Vasilevskiy to play 1,000 games for the Lightning. He added that he hopes Vasilevskiy “finishes his Hall of Fame career with one team,” while admitting that’s not only up to him and his client.
Check out the full episode:
The comparison to Kucherov won’t sit easy with Lightning fans, since Milstein used the same words about his other star before this summer. Kucherov is now expected to hold off on signing anywhere until July 1, per Elliotte Friedman.
Milstein also said the Kucherov fight hasn’t touched Vasilevskiy’s relationship with the team. He explained how that works when one agent has both players in the same building.
“Sometimes you fight with the person (GM) and then five seconds later, you pick up the phone and you talk about a different client,” Milstein said.
Vasilevskiy is 7-3-1 in 11 starts this season with a .879 save percentage and a 2.91 goals-against average. The 32-year-old is in his 13th season with Tampa Bay after going 19th overall in 2012, and he owns two Stanley Cups and the 2021 Conn Smythe Trophy.
He is in the seventh season of an eight-year, $76 million contract.
