Andrei Vasilevskiy Injury Update: Latest on Avalanche forward for 2023 fantasy hockey season

The Russian star forward Andrei Vasilevskiy will miss some portion of the 2023-2024 NHL season. This unfortunate development follows his late September 2023 back injury, which will keep him out of action for the first two months of the upcoming season.

The initial reports said that he will be absent for eight to10 weeks. But there is speculation that he might return sooner than expected, possibly by late November or early December 2023.

What happened to Andrei Vasilevskiy?

The unsettling news for the Avalanche forward first broke on April 30, 2023, when the Tampa Bay Lightning's official X (formerly Twitter) account posted a tweet regarding his injury. This happened well before the start of the 2023-2024 NHL season during an offseason training season.

Initial treatment provided some relief, but there was speculation about how long the star goaltender would be sidelined.

Also, the issue of Vasilevskiy's long-term health has remained a subject of concern, as he approaches the age 30 next year July.

Considering that he has played more hockey than any goaltender over the past four years in the NHL season, these concerns have been accentuated.

The Lightning management is expected to shuffle the line-up to compensate for their star forward. Vasilevskiy was a key main goalie, and his absence creates a big gap that needs to be filled.

As the NHL season approaches, all eyes will be on Vasilevskiy, who has proven that, with determination, even the most major setbacks can be overcome.

"I want to make it crystal clear that this isn't the end of Vasy's season," head coach John Cooper said. "He will return, and I'm confident, given his commitment, it will be sooner rather than later. We can look forward to have a refreshed goalie."

Coach John Cooper is now actively seek replacement options and will rely on Jonas Johansson for a opening match against Nashville.

To serve as Vasilevskiy's backup, Tampa Bay has signed a two-year contract worth $1.55 million with journeyman goaltender Jonas Johansson, who scored 11-13-4 record during his tenure with Buffalo, Florida, and Colorado.

Should you pick Andrei Vasilevskiy for your fantasy team?

So, should you pick Andrei Vasilevskiy for your fantasy team?

The answer is no. Its not recommended to choose Andrei Vasilevskiy for your fantasy team considering the risk, uncertainties regarding his post-injury form, and the potential need for additional rest.