Updated:
The Tampa Lightning will have to try to win a Stanley Cup this spring without the services and leadership of their captain Steven Stamkos.
Bolts GM Steve Yzerman has announced that Stamkos will undergo surgery on Monday on a blood clot in his right arm.
There is a small glimmer of hope that Stamkos can make a full recovery from his surgical procedure in the next 4-5 weeks. A very, very small glimmer of hope.
This isn't a broken bone nor a pulled muscle. This is a blood clot which can do serious damage if it mobilizes and moves throughout Stamkos' body.
The Bolts issued the following statement late Saturday night:
Tampa Bay Lightning forward Steven Stamkos is scheduled to undergo surgery to treat a type of Vascular Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (called Effort Thrombosis) near his right collarbone, vice president and general manager Steve Yzerman announced today. The procedure is scheduled to be performed on Monday, April 4 by Dr. Karl Illig, Director of Vascular Surgery at Tampa General Hospital. Stamkos is expected to fully recover and he should be able to return to the ice in 1-3 months.
“Obviously this situation is extremely disappointing because I wanted to help my team clinch a playoff spot and prepare for the start of the postseason,” Stamkos said. “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.”
Yzerman will remain on medication to help dissolve the blood clot.
Yzerman said Stamkos visited doctors after Thursday's game, having felt discomfort in his arm, some swelling and tingling in his fingers.
On Friday team doctors evaluated Stamkos and diagnosed him with Effort Thrombosis.
Bolts goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy has made a full recovery from the same ailment from earlier this season.
Bolts GM Steve Yzerman may have to call up embattled youngster Jonathon Drouin from AHL Syracuse to replace Stamkos.
The worst case scenario is that Stamkos will miss three months which would mean that his contract will expire on July 1 when he will become an unrestricted free agent.
The glass half full outlook would be for Stamkos to miss 1 or 2 months which would allow him to rejoin his team during the Stanley Cup playoffs.
The odds of Tampa making a deep playoff run without it's best forward and captain, and it's number two D Anton Stralman (broken fibula) are slim to none.
The Bolts will need to be patient and will have to remain healthy between now and the time that the Stanley Cup playoffs begin in two weeks.
It's very possible that Stamkos has played his last game ever in a Tampa Lightning sweater.
Yzerman and Stamkos' agent were not able to come to terms on a long term contract extension last summer. Stamkos' no movement clause kicked in on July 1, 2015.
Stamkos scored 36 goals and added 28 assists in 77 games played this season.
In 569 career games played over eight seasons on Tampa, Stamkos has scored 312 goals and has chipped in 250 helpers.
In 38 playoff games, Stamkos has scored 15 goals and assed 20 assists.
The Buffalo Sabres now have four skaters under the age of 25 with at least 20 goals this season in Jack Eichel (23), Sam Reinhart (22), Evander Kane (20), and Ryan O'Reilly (20).
ROR scored his 19th and 20th goals of the season in the first period of Saturday night's game against the NY Rangers' all world tender Henrik Lundqusit.
Hudson Fasching fed ROR for his 19th goals of the season.
Jack Eichel's apple sauce set up his future captain for his milestone 20th goal of the season.
This is the second time that O'Reilly has reached the 20-goal plateau. He scored a career high 28 goals with the Colorado Avalanche in 2013-14.
The Sabres have scored 191 goals this season and 85 of them have been scored by the quartet of Eichel-Reinhart-Kane-O'Reilly. That's 45% of Buffalo's total goals being scored by four load-bearing walls of the rebuilt Sabres.
The Property Brothers would say that the foundation of the Sabres is rock solid.
O'Reilly's 20-goal achievement gives the Sabres four 20-goal scorers who are under the age of 25 for the first time since 1987-88 when Dave Andreychuk, Phil Housley, Christian Ruuttu and Ray Sheppard accomplished the same feat.
Zemgus Girgensons scored from his knees at the beginning of P3, chasing Lundqvist to the showers at 3-0.
Matt Moulson also scored for Buffalo.
The Sabres held on to win the game.
Chad Johnson now has 21 wins this season.
Look for Dan Bylsma to call up a group of kids from Rochester to play in the final three games of this rebuilding season. Why not call up Justin Bailey, Nick Baptiste and Chad Ruhwedel for a loo see at the end of this season? Bailey scored his 18th goal of the season in Rochester's win on Saturday night.
The Sabres now have 77 points this season, which is a 23 point improvement over the 54 point season that they tanked in 2014-15.
Last summer, I predicted the Sabres would finish this season with 83 points.
With three games remaining in their season and the Sabres playing extremely well, I like their chances to win out all three remaning games.
Join the Discussion:
»