Lightning’s Steven Stamkos Needs Surgery, Out 1-3 Months

Photo Credit: Kim Klement/ USA TODAY Sports

Tampa Bay Lightning’s star forward and captain Steven Stamkos is expected to undergo surgery in order to fix a blood clot that has developed in his right arm. The surgery will sideline Stamkos for anywhere between one to three months, causing him to miss the important games ahead.

Tampa Bay is currently second in the Atlantic Division with 95 points; matched with the Detroit Red Wings for the first round of playoff games. The team still has four games left in the regular season before they will officially begin playoff play, but have been giving the remainder of their games an all in effort to clinch the playoffs. This is a feat they’ll have to face, now without Stamkos, as they finish the season.

Steven Stamkos' statement regarding his blood clot. pic.twitter.com/5PcVc46C4j

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) April 3, 2016

Stamkos has 36 goals and 28 assists this season. Currently, he leads his team in goals and is third in assists. Stats aside, Stamkos, as captain, confidently leads his team and the lack of his persona on the ice will make a difference.  In the playoffs last season Stamkos recorded seven goals and 11 assists. Though he didn’t lead his team in goals or assists through the playoffs last season, he did rank in the top five and was a contributing force for Tampa’s success until the Stanley Cup Finals, where the team fell to the Chicago Blackhawks.

This season Tampa Bay plans to go all the way, back to their place last year in the Stanley Cup Finals, but this season they want to walk away with the Cup. One of the only differences though would be that the team will be headed there without their captain. Stamkos will undergo his surgery on Monday, April 4, and it will not be known for a few weeks how long the captain will actually be sidelined. General Manager Steve Yzerman has stated that as soon as the recovery time can be predicted for Stamkos it will be made known to the fans.

Yzerman also stated that the calling up of current AHL-er Jonathon Drouin is something the team will consider as they await more news considering Stamkos’ condition. Tampa Bay will also be without top defenseman Anton Stralman as they head towards the playoffs; the d-man has a fractured leg and, as of now, will miss at least the first round of the playoffs.  All Tampa can do now is await the news following Stamkos’ surgery before deciding what their next move will be. Hopefully Stamkos’ surgery goes well and allows him a quick and easy recovery time.

The team will face the New York Islanders in New York at 7:00 PM EST on Monday April 4.