The Tampa Bay Lightning on the verge a clinching the
postseason received some discouraging news Saturday when they learned captain
Steven Stamkos will miss one to three months due to a blood clot near his
collarbone.
Stamkos said in a statement released by the organization, “Obviously this situation is extremely
disappointing because I wanted to help my team clinch a playoff spot and
prepare for the start of postseason. During my recovery, I will do all I can to
help my teammates and I hope to rejoin them soon in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.”
Lightning general manager, Steve Yzerman classified the
condition as a vascular thoracic syndrome called thrombosis. This is the same
injury that backup goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy had during the summer which
cause him to miss the early part of this season.
Yzerman said, “After
Thursday’s game Stamkos went to see the doctor; he had discomfort in his arm,
some swelling and tingling in his fingers.” Stamkos was a scratch from the
Lightning’s 3-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Saturday night.
Yzerman added, “Friday
we had him assessed by doctors locally. He will have a procedure done on Monday
to alleviate the problem and will remain on medicine to aid in the breaking
down of the blood clot. We expect Steven to make a full recovery from this.”
With the Stanley Cup Playoffs scheduled to begin on April
13, Stamkos will miss at least the beginning of the Lightning’s chance to
repeat as Eastern Conference Champions. He currently leads the Lightning with
36 goals and 64 points this season.
Yzerman mentioned that he does not expect the surgery to
have any long term effects on Stamkos’s career, but would not confirm whether
the recovery time would be closer to one month or three. He did say they should
have a better time table within the next few weeks.
Stamkos is at the end of a five year 37 and a half million-dollar
contract and can become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. Yzerman remains determined
to work out a new deal that would allow him to reamin in Tampa.
Yzerman said, “Our number
one hope is that he comes back to play this year. We want him to remain with
the Lightning and we are hoping at the right time we can make that happen.”
Yzerman mentioned that he was not ready to make a roster
move yet, but recalling Jonathan Drouin was something that they were
considering. Drouin the number three pick in the 2013 entry draft has been
playing for the Syracuse Crunch of the American Hockey League since returning
from a Lightning suspension on March 7.
Drouin has nine goals in 10 games with the Crunch and was
scratched from one for missing a team meeting. Yzerman said, “Drouin has worked extremely hard, you will
see the stat sheet and goals and all that, but overall his attitude, his work
ethic, we are very pleased with him right now. His effort has been outstanding.”
The Lightning will also be without defenseman Anton
Stahlman, who is recovering from a non-displaced fracture in his left fibula,
sustained on March 25. Lightning coach Jon Cooper said, “Guys are going to have to step up, especially in the absence of
Strahlman and now Stamkos.” He added, “Those
are two very big pieces to the puzzle. Those guys are irreplaceable.”
The Lightning who have not officially clinched the playoffs
yet, currently sit in second place in the Atlantic Division two points behind
the Florida Panthers with four games left in the regular season.
The Lightning close out the regular season with three a game
swing through the New York metropolitan area, before traveling up to Montreal
on April for their final regular season game.
Yzerman added, “Every
team is dealing with something, and that is part of what makes it difficult to
win championships. For us it is an opportunity for other players and something
for us to rally around and do our best to survive. First to make the playoffs
and then to survive until we start getting guys back.”
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