(Tampa) Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper says there’s a “real good chance” that star goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy will return in the club’s upcoming road trip, which will begin on Friday.

Cooper made the announcement after his team’s morning practice on Wednesday, before their match against the Winnipeg Jets.

Vasilevskiy, who missed his 20th game Wednesday, underwent back surgery for a herniated disc eight weeks ago.

The Lightning will be in Carolina on Friday, before games at Colorado on Monday and Arizona on Tuesday.

Double winner of the Stanley Cup and Vezina Trophy in 2019, Vasilevskiy also won the Conn-Smythe in 2021, as playoff MVP.

Vasilevskiy decided to go under the knife after two injections failed to cure his problem.

Jonas Johansson replaced him as the starter and before Wednesday’s game he was 8-4-4 with a 3.44 goals-against average in 16 games.