The injury befalling Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brayden Point on Monday night has evoked a flurry of speculation.
The immediate reaction across the league, including the TV broadcast, was that Point could have sustained a knee ligament injury. In particular, one medical expert weighed in on what could be the precise nature of the Lightning forward’s injury.
Dr. Harjas Grewal offered his expert medical opinion, stating that an MCL sprain could be the outcome of Point’s injury. That type of injury could have a long-term timeline for recovery:
The week-to-week timeline seems optimistic. When such injuries require surgery, the timeline could be much longer. That would be the worst-case scenario Point and the Lightning could face.
A good example of such a case is Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov. Barkov suffered a knee ligament injury that required surgery during training camp this season. While Barkov is back on the ice skating, he’s nowhere near ready for game action.
If all goes well, Barkov could return to the ice at some point during April or May. That’s the type of situation the Lightning could face with Point’s injury. If surgery is necessary, Point could very well miss the remainder of the regular season and most likely the playoffs.
Team Canada Could Be Without Point
One of the other concerns for the Lightning forward is his Olympic participation. Even with a week-to-week prognosis, Point would likely miss the Olympics.
Unless the injury seemed a lot worse than it really was, Point may not recover in time to take part in the Milano-Cortina Games. That’s purely speculation at this point. A precise timeline won’t be clear until further testing reveals the extent of the injury. However, one would have to think that the outlook won’t be too optimistic.
Lightning coach Jon Cooper addressed the Olympics question by stating the following after the game:
“Let’s talk about the elephant in the room, there’s a big tournament coming up in a month (Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026), and he’s a big part of [Team Canada]. So, let’s just hope everything turns out all right.”
Cooper, who is also the head coach for Canada’s Olympic squad, added, per NHL.com, that the club hopes Point will undergo further testing on Tuesday to determine the extent of the injury. In the meantime, Point is highly unlikely to play in the Lightning’s next game against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday at the PPG Paints Arena.
Lightning Trade Deadline Plans Could Change Significantly
Depending on the prognosis for Point’s injury, the Lightning’s trade deadline plans could significantly change. In particular, the Bolts may target a depth center. While replacing Point is virtually impossible, at least adding some depth would help offset the ice time lost.
Beyond depth, the Lightning may target a scoring forward. However, securing such a forward will not be easy. There aren’t many options available. And the prices for those on the block are astronomical.
So, Lightning GM Julien BriseBois will need to get creative in order to solve his team’s needs. That approach all hinges on the outlook for Point’s recovery.
Lightning Point Could Be Out Long-Term: Medical Expert