Tampa Bay Lightning rookie Brayden Point nearing return to the lineup

by Erik Erlendsson | @Erik_Erlendsson | Like us on Facebook
January 26, 2017

SUNRISE, Fla. – Brayden Point was in the midst of enjoying a strong rookie season, making the jump from juniors straight in to the NHL.

The former third-round draft pick from 2014 started off in a smaller role that expanded to the point where he was getting regular minutes in a top-nine, and sometimes top-six role, starting at the wing before getting chances at his natural center position, recording three goals and 15 points through 36 games.

His season went off tracks on Dec. 28 against Montreal when he suffered a fracture in his hand that has kept him out of the lineup.

But as the All-Star break comes, Point is getting closer to a return.

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Point joined the team on the ice for the morning skate at BB&T Center in Sunrise, and though he was limited, he did participate in non-contact drills as he wore a red jersey used by injured players on the mend.

Point joined the team on the ice for some practice time earlier on the road trip, but on Thursday, he worked on taking some light faceoffs and jumped in on some 2-on-1 shooting drills.

”Every day you try to do a little more,’’ Point said after he came off the ice. “Today I was shooting and light faceoffs so hopefully it keeps feeling good and keeps progressing. No problems stickhanding or shooting and no pain or anything like that, so it’s a good feeling.’’

When the team opens the post All-Star game schedule on Tuesday when the Lightning hosts Boston, Point, who was scheduled to miss 4-6 weeks, is expected to be listed as day-to-day according to head coach Jon Cooper. That means Point could return at some point on the four-game homestand.

”He’s literally day-to-day after the All-Star break,’’ Lightning head coach Jon Cooper said. “We have Boston and Ottawa (on Thursday) and we are hoping that he can come back for one of those games, but until he gets the final clearance after the break, we can’t say for sure when.’’

Sitting out for an extended period of time for Point has been a tough stretch. Though he dealt with a shoulder injury last season with Moose Jaw in junior, missing this many games at the NHL level has been more difficult to work through.

”It’s tough, probably the longest I’ve had to sit out,’’ Point said. “But you just have to keep working to get yourself back.’’

When Point suffered the injury in the game against the Canadiens, he took off his hand from a teammate’s shot during a power play midway through the third period. He didn’t realize the extent of the injury and kept playing the remainder of the period. The fracture was not revealed until after the game.

”I didn’t know it was broken, I though it just might have been a bad bruise or something,’’ Point said. “It was just soar. It hurt, but I thought it was a bone bruise or something, so it was unfortunate that it broke. And it was swollen up but nothing crazy, that’s why I didn’t think it was broken.’’

While he’s been out, he’s had the chance to watch the games from a different viewpoint, taking a bit of a step back from the ice to see things in a different perspective.

”It’s good to watch sometimes, you get to see where some guys get space or if they have time or how guys get space,’’ Point said. “There are a lot of guys in our lineup that I get to watch that are really good at that.’’

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