The Tampa Bay Lightning like many champions before them paid the price to win. GM Julien BriseBois revealed a list of injuries that included Victor Hedman who played with a torn meniscus since March 30th.
Hedman had surgery today and will need three to four weeks to recover but is expected to be ready for the season.
Lightning players with injuries
The stellar defenseman wasn’t the only one that played through difficult injuries. BriseBois also told reporters that Nikita Kucherov played with a broken rib sustained during the Islanders series. Both Ryan McDonagh and Barclay Goodrow battled through a broken hand. Other players were banged up, but nothing that required concern.
Tampa’s GM just spoke in wonderment of what his players did. However, what was most amazing to me was how they did not look impacted by these hampering injuries.
BriseBois got emotional talking about Alex Killorn
One player who unfortunately could not come back from injury despite trying was Alex Killorn. The GM spoke on admiration for one of his team’s leaders.
“Obviously Alex Killorn suffered a broken fibula in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final. I saw the X-ray, it was broken in two very distinct pieces all the way through,” he explained. “Blocked that shot, broke his leg on Monday. On a Thursday, in hopes of being able to come back and helping us win a Stanley Cup, had a rod inserted in his fibula and was skating by Saturday.”
An emotional BriseBois held back tears and said, “that’s how you win the Stanley Cup.”
More must-reads: