The Tampa Bay Lightning have dealt with more than their fair share of injuries over the course of the season. If you’ve been following the team this season, you are more than aware that at one point the Lightning had no less than nine players on the injured list at the same time. Just when the Bolts started to get some of their players back on the ice, new names would be added to the list.
Let’s fast forward to just before the start of the playoffs. The Tampa Bay Lightning started the postseason without the assistance of Lightning captain Steven Stamkos, who has been sidelined between one and three months after having vascular surgery to remove a blood clot found near his collarbone, and Lightning defenseman Anton Stralman, who has been on relegated to the sidelines ever since fracturing his fibula just four games before the start of the postseason.