Tampa Bay Lightning forward Steven Stamkos is out indefinitely after suffering a broken tibia in the team's 3-0 loss to the Boston Bruins on Monday. Stamkos, 23, requires surgery to repair the injury and there is currently no timetable for his return.
"At this point Steven will be out indefinitely," general manager Steve Yzerman said in a statement released by the team, according to NHL. "The medical staff in Boston, in consultation with our team physicians, has made the decision to surgically repair the injury."
Yzerman said the procedure would be scheduled on Tuesday.
"The procedure is expected to take place tomorrow morning," Yzerman said in the statement per NHL.com. "The biggest concern for me, and the rest of the Lightning, is that decisions are made in Steven's best long-term interest, and we feel this is the appropriate course of action."
Stamkos was stretchered off of the ice with 7:11 remaining in the second period at TD Garden. Stamkos' leg slammed against the goal post on the Lightning's side of the ice after some contact with Bruins defenseman Dougie Hamilton. Stamkos attempted to get up after striking the post, but he couldn't stand up and when he fell down to the ice he began to punch the ice with his first in pain and frustration as the medical staff came out to assist him.
Hamilton explained the situation following the game.
"I was just trying to drive the net. He was too fast for me so he caught me, and I guess we both just went to the net and then I don't know what happened," Hamilton told NHL.com after the game. "He fell and hit the post pretty hard. It's unfortunate and kind of sad to see that happen."
Stamkos leads the Lightning and is tied for the league lead with 23 points and is tied for first in the league with 14 goals as well, but the Lightning aren't about to dwell on moving on without their superstar forward.
"It's tough to lose a guy like that," head coach Jon Cooper said via NHL.com. "We'll see what we're made of. You talk about a test, this is a test."
The Lightning (12-5-0) lost for just the fifth time in 17 games this season and sit on top of the Atlantic Division and the Eastern Conference. With the win, the Bruins (11-5-1) moved to within just one point of Tampa Bay. It's a quick turnaround for the Lightning, as the team has to play the Montreal Canadiens (9-8-1) Tuesday night at the Belle Centre.
"We don't have to think about it too much right now," wing Martin St. Louis said per NHL.com. "We've got a game [Tuesday]. And we've got a big West Coast trip after that. So we're going to be playing a lot of hockey and I don't know how bad it is. So it's tough to comment, you know."
Stamkos, in his sixth season with the team, scored 60 goals in the last full NHL season in 2011-12. The Lightning will hope that the young superstar will make a speedy recovery after a gruesome injury, but for now the team looks to continue to stay on top of the Conference despite losing one of its key players.
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