TAMPA, Fla. — Several Lightning players persevered through injuries during the team’s Stanley Cup championship run, general manager Julien BriseBois said Tuesday during his end-of-season media wrap-up.
Defenseman Victor Hedman played through a torn left meniscus for more than three months, an injury that dated to a March 30 game against Columbus. Hedman will have meniscectomy surgery Tuesday with a three- to four-week recovery timetable, BriseBois said.
Defenseman Ryan McDonagh and forward Barclay Goodrow played with broken hands. Star forward Nikita Kucherov, who had a non-displaced broken rib from the crosscheck he took in Game 6 of the semifinals against the Islanders, wore a protective flak jacket and received nerve-block injections before every game.
BriseBois said all existing injuries should be resolved before the beginning of training camp in September.
“I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed watching them play during this playoff run, not only as the general manager of this organization but as a hockey fan,” BriseBois said of his team’s grit. “Obviously such a talented group, but most importantly, so much collective heart. All the blocked shots, all the hits given and taken, all the punches given and taken, all of the competing through injury, it was outstanding, and so inspiring to watch on a game-to-game basis.”
BriseBois became choked up on the podium when detailing the injury to Alex Killorn, who tried to come back from a broken leg sustained on a blocked shot 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,” BriseBois said. “He blocked that shot, broke his leg on a Monday, on a Thursday in hopes of being able to come back and help us win the Stanley Cup, had a rod inserted in his fibula and was skating by Saturday.”
