Looking at scenarios – including Stamkos – with injuries to three Lightning centers

by Erik Erlendsson | @Erik_Erlendsson | Like us on Facebook
March 10, 2017

TAMPA, Fla. – Have to admit, watching the Lightning game against Minnesota on Thursday and seeing three players go down with injury who all play the same position and suffer similar style injures feels unprecedented.

In the span of five minutes of the second period, Vladislav Namestnikov and Tyler Johnson had to be helped off the ice after suffering injuries of some capacity to their left leg and neither was able to put any weight on the leg as they were taken to the trainer’s room.

Then in the third period, Cedric Paquette tackled Nino Niederreiter – who delivered the hit on Johnson earlier – from behind and as the two fell backwards, Paquette had his left leg get caught under him forcing it to twist on the way to the ice.

While head coach Jon Cooper did not paint a positive picture for recovery, though Johnson was seen by others walking out of the arena under his own power without any aid.

So while the prognosis on any of the players won’t be known until Friday at the earliest, there are a few options Tampa Bay has to fill the role of all three players, assuming all are out for the long term.

And how does Steven Stamkos factor in to all of these scenarios?

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There is the ultimate X-factor in Stamkos.

Immediately thoughts naturally turn to where the Lightning captain may be in his recovery from a partially torn meniscus in his right knee, a surgery that was performed on Nov. 17. The timetable for recovery was set at four-to-six months. The four-month benchmark comes next Friday and Stamkos has been skating more and more, including joining the team for some sessions, though he has yet to participate in a full practice to this point.

The thought all along was that Tampa Bay would need to make it to the playoffs in order for Stamkos to return, but recent activity suggests that perhaps the timeline has been moved up. He’s already shown that he is able to recovery on the short end of time tables on his two other long-term injury situations and the idea of a return March 16 has been whispered through the hallways.

But head coach Jon Cooper indicated on Thursday that everything is status quo regarding Stamkos.

”All I know is that every report we are getting on him has been positive, there hasn’t been setbacks,’’ Cooper said. “He was given quite a window with the four to six months, we are still in that window and I would say we are early in that window but he’s progressing well. But there is no time for him and I don’t know anything specific on that. But the fact that he’s out here, he’s around our team more, he’s been coming on the road with us and he’s been at some of these lighter skates, it’s just been really good to have him around.’’

The Lightning scratched two forwards for the past two games – Greg McKegg and J.T. Brown – so both will draw back in to the lineup in order to field enough forwards moving forward, and with three games in four nights starting Saturday, you can fully expect to see both on the ice against the Panthers.

Obviously calling down to the teams minor league system is also on the agenda. But the Syracuse Crunch have injury issues of their own. Tanner Richard, who made his NHL debut earlier this season, is not expected back until next week. Michael Bournival is also out, though he is a winger and not a center.

So as of Friday, the only center in Syracuse that is on an NHL contract is Matthew Peca, who also made his NHL debut this season, and it’s a safe bet Peca will be recalled ahead of Saturday’s game.

Assuming Peca does get the call, that would in all likelihood leave Tampa Bay with Brayden Point as the top line center – he moved up to play with Nikita Kucherov and Ondrej Palat for the remainder of the third period on Thursday – and Peca as the No. 2 center with McKegg left to center the fourth line. But who would then step in to fill the other center role?

Another possibility could see Jonathan Drouin, who played center in his last year in junior and moved over to center for the remainder of the third period against the Wild. That would leave Point as top line center, Drouin on the second line, Peca drops to third line center and McKegg holds down the fourth-line role.

That seems to be the most likely scenario for the time being, but it’s not the only option for Steve Yzerman to help alleviate the current situation.

There is a rule that does allow for NHL teams to recall a player from their junior team in an emergency basis – and with the injuries to both the NHL and AHL teams, seems as if this would qualify – up to the NHL. That player would already have to be on an entry level contract and Tampa Bay has a few options – Mitchell Stephens, Brett Howden and Anthony Cirelli are all natural centers.

Given the team’s penchant for making sure prospects are not rushed, this seems as if it would be a last resort. Stephens (London) and Cirelli (Erie) are playing key roles on top teams in the OHL while Howden is captain of Moose Jaw in the WHL.

There is also the trade route – yes, trades can still be made after the trade deadline. If this happens, it just means the acquired player would not be eligible for postseason play if the Lightning make it to the playoffs.

The team could also find somebody to bring in on a tryout contract, and with some college teams finishing up play with postseason conference tournaments underway, it’s a possibility, although unlikely to think any player under this scenario could be a factor in the lineup. European leagues are also winding down, though any player signed would have to go through waivers first.

In the end, bringing up Peca and perhaps Erik Condra seems the most logical route with Syracuse then calling up Brian Hart and Cameron Darcy from Kalamazoo of the ECHL to fill the open spots with the Crunch.{/mprestriction}