Overview
- The Lightning announced the 25-year-old had core muscle surgery during the Olympic break and will miss roughly 10 weeks, projecting a late-April return after the regular season.
- He has not yet been placed on injured reserve, and his last game was the Feb. 1 Stadium Series win over Boston.
- In a career-high 34 NHL games this season, the right-shot defenseman has one goal and 10 points with about 16 minutes per game in a bottom-pair role.
- Analysts suggest the timeline could push GM Julien BriseBois to seek short-term defensive depth before the trade deadline.
- Tampa Bay leads the Atlantic but faces a tough remaining schedule, with Charle-Edouard D’Astous and Emil Martinsen Lilleberg listed as question marks for the restart and Victor Hedman recently sustaining a lower-body injury of unknown severity during international play.