Steven Stamkos to undergo vascular surgery, latest on the playoff race & more in today’s collection of notable NHL headlines.
Lightning captain Steven Stamkos to undergo blood-clot surgery.
THE TAMPA TRIBUNE/TAMPA BAY TIMES: The Tampa Bay Lightning’s 3-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils was overshadowed by the news Lightning captain Steven Stamkos will be sidelined 1-3 months due to upcoming surgery to remove a blood clot near his right arm.
TRIBLIVE.COM: The Pittsburgh Penguins clinched a playoff berth by blanking the New York Islander 5-0, but they did so without starting goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, who’s sidelined by a concussion. A return date for Fleury isn’t known. The Penguins’ victory is good news for the Toronto Maple Leafs, as it assures the latter they’ll have the Penguins first-round pick in this year’s draft as part of the lingering legacy of last summer’s Phil Kessel trade.
PHILLY.COM: A two-goal performance by Wayne Simmonds and some stellar goaltending from Steve Mason lifted the Philadelphia Flyers to a 3-2 win over the Ottawa Senators.
SUN-SENTINEL.COM: The Florida Panthers overcame a 3-0 deficit to edge the Montreal Canadiens 4-3, and are one game away from securing a postseason spot.
THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: An energetic game by Antoine Roussel helped the Dallas Stars down the Los Angeles Kings in a 3-2 comeback victory.
THE DETROIT NEWS: A 32-save performance by Jimmy Howard carried the Detroit Red Wings to a 3-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs, vaulting the Wings over the Boston Bruins into third place – and a possible playoff berth – in the Atlantic Division.
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS: New York Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist was pulled in a 4-3 loss to the Buffalo Sabres, delaying the Rangers’ chance to clinch a postseason spot and likely costing them second place in the Metropolitan Division.
SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS: Two goals by Tomas Hertl paved the way for Logan Couture’s shootout winner as the San Jose Sharks edged the Nashville Predators 3-2.
THE DENVER POST: Colorado Avalanche defenseman Nikita Zadorov suffered a concussion from an unpenalized hit by Washington’s Tom Wilson during the Avs recent loss to the Capitals..
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stamkos’ lengthy absence could seriously hamper the Lightning’s Stanley Cup aspirations this spring. The Penguins could also find themselves in a spot of difficulty if Fleury is sidelined for a long period of time. The Wings have a tenuous hold on third in the Atlantic, as the Boston Bruins (78 games played) hold a game in hand. The Flyers, however, hold two games in hand over the Wings and one over the Bruins.
Yowch. That’s serious surgery!
What the hell does 1 to 3 months mean ?????
Seems fairly clear to me.
That is delicate surgery – it means the period is related to how his body reacts to the surgery. It requires close monitoring and careful rehab.
Precisely George. Seemed pretty obvious to me as well. Even surgeries performed regularly show 4 to 6 weeks, 4 to 6 months for the very reason’s you state. Look at Klefbom in Edm. The issues related to his injury have manifested & what started out as a short time line ended up costing him virtually the entire season.
It means that for 1-3 months his arm will be so sore that he won’t be able to use it to sign his own name on a new contact. I expect him to make a full recovery around July 1st.
It’s by just the surgery that dictates the timetable. The person will have to be on blood thinners and anticoagulants to the point which even the slightest little nick or cut could cause a person to bleed out in a very short time.
The Penguins have future super star Matty Murray to fill in for Fleury so they won’t lose much potency. If the Penguins keep dominating their opponents with lots of goals and great team defense like they have been as well as get some guys back from off the injured list at key times, I think they may finally have a real shot at a return to the Stanley cup finals. And long term injury to Letang or Crosby though and they are in serious trouble. And Kessel is quickly working himself into that category as well, his play of late has been phenomenal.