Any and every team that makes a deep playoff run has to deal with injuries. It’s just the nature of the business, as the wear and tear of playoff hockey adds up in a pretty significant way. The Bolts were lucky enough to stay relatively healthy through the first three rounds of the playoffs, but things sort of went off the rails in the Final.
With that in mind, it’s time to unpack the injury suitcase. Here’s what we know:
Tyler Johnson – Broken Wrist
Johnson, who somehow still managed to finish as the NHL’s top goal/points scorer in the playoffs, played most of the Stanley Cup Final with a broken wrist.
#TBLightning Tyler Johnson said he played with a broken right wrist. Suffered early in this series.
— Joe Smith (@TBTimes_JSmith) June 16, 2015His injury really turned the Triplets into a bit of a mess for Tampa Bay. Rather than dominate possession like they had all year long, they were the ones being dominated in the Final. It obviously hurt the Lightning, as scoring was a huge issue everywhere on the roster. With their top scoring threat effectively neutralized by Chicago, there just wasn’t much hope.
Ben Bishop – Torn Groin The big goaltender noted that, if this had been the regular season, he likely would have missed a few weeks with the type of groin injury he suffered in Game Two of the Final. Instead, he suited up in the third, fifth, and sixth games of the series. The rest between the third and fifth games ultimately allowed him to keep playing.
People might look back and suggest that Bishop should have sat for longer with such a groin tear, but it’s hard to argue with the results. In his last three appearances, he didn’t allow more than two goals. His save percentage in each of those contests was .947, .931, and .938 respectively. He was great, but Chicago’s Corey Crawford was just better. No, Bishop’s injury didn’t cost the team.
The good news for Bishop and the Lightning is that it doesn’t sound as though his injury will require surgery:
Bishop said he tore his groin on a Richards shot in second period of Game 2. Won't require surgery, just rest this offseason.
— Joe Smith (@TBTimes_JSmith) June 16, 2015Everyone Else - ??????
I’m sure we’ll hear more in the coming days and weeks about the ailments that plagued Tampa’s skaters. Nikita Kucherov was obviously hampered by going headfirst into the post in Game Five, so maybe we’ll hear some news on him. And I’m quite certain that there were more minor bangs and bruises in the room as well. Like I mentioned, that’s the nature of making a deep playoff run.
As always, thanks for reading.
Michael Stuart has been the Tampa Bay Lightning writer for HockeyBuzz since 2012. Visit his archive to read more or follow him on Twitter.