NHL Players Struggle to Spell Vasilevskiy

Ahead of Stadium Series, hockey stars can't master Lightning goalie's name

Jan. 30, 2026 at 10:55am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

In a lighthearted video, NHL players from across the league were challenged to correctly spell the name of Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy ahead of the 2026 Stadium Series game at Raymond James Stadium on Sunday. Many of the players, including some of the league's biggest stars, had difficulty spelling the Russian netminder's complex last name.

Why it matters

Vasilevskiy is one of the NHL's elite goaltenders and a key player for the Lightning, who are hosting the outdoor Stadium Series game. The inability of many players to spell his name highlights the linguistic and cultural diversity in the modern NHL, where players hail from all over the world.

The details

The NHL video shows numerous players, when asked to spell "Vasilevskiy", struggling to get the 11-letter Russian surname correct. Some players guessed close approximations like "Vasilevsky" or "Vasilevskiy", while others were completely off the mark, spelling it as "Vasalevsky" or "Vasilievsky".

  • The video was released on January 30, 2026, ahead of the Stadium Series game on Sunday.

The players

Andrei Vasilevskiy

The starting goaltender for the Tampa Bay Lightning and one of the NHL's elite netminders.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“I have no idea how to spell that. Vasilevskiy? Vasilevsky? I'm just guessing.”

— Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins Captain (NHL.com)

“Wow, that's a tough one. I'm not even going to try to spell that. I'll just call him Vasy.”

— Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs Center (NHL.com)

What’s next

The NHL will likely continue to promote the Stadium Series game and highlight the league's diverse international talent in the lead-up to the outdoor matchup.

The takeaway

The difficulty NHL players had spelling Vasilevskiy's name underscores the linguistic challenges that come with the league's increasingly global talent pool. However, the lighthearted video also shows the camaraderie and humor among the players as they struggle with the Russian goaltender's complex surname.