Stamkos to Undergo Surgery for Blood Clot Issue, Out 1-3 Months

The Tampa Bay Lightning announced tonight that Captain Steven Stamkos will miss 1-3 months due to a blood clot issue, similar to what Andrei Vasilevskiy dealt with earlier in the season.  The news comes on the heels of the team's 3-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils at Amalie Arena on Saturday night, a game that Stamkos missed with what was originally described as an upper-body injury.  Per the team's press release (included below), Stamkos will undergo vascular surgery on Monday to treat the condition:

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Steven Stamkos is scheduled to undergo surgery to treat a type of Vascular Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (called Effort Thrombosis) near his right collarbone, vice president and general manager Steve Yzerman announced today. The procedure is scheduled to be performed on Monday, April 4 by Dr. Karl Illig, Director of Vascular Surgery at Tampa General Hospital. Stamkos is expected to fully recover and he should be able to return to the ice in 1-3 months.  

“Obviously this situation is extremely disappointing because I wanted to help my team clinch a playoff spot and prepare for the start of the postseason,” Stamkos said.  “During my recovery I will do all I can to help my teammates, and I hope to rejoin them soon in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.”

Reaction to the announcement has been swift and consistent.  Tampa fans are rightly concerned about the team's chances at success in the postseason with Stamkos and Anton Stralman (fibula) both injured, but they are also concerned about the Captain's health from a non-hockey-related perspective.  Some things are bigger than the game, and health is certainly one of them.  The outpouring of support for Stamkos from Tampa fans and hockey fans in general is certainly special to see.

OPINION: Radulov a Flawed, Risky, but Potentially Intriguing Option for Tampa Bay

A report out of Russia this morning indicated that the Toronto Maple Leafs were in the process of negotiating with pending-UFA Alexander Radulov, who last suited up in the NHL with the Nashville Predators back in the 2011-12 season.  While Sportsnet's Elloitte Friedman debunked that report following its release, it is worth noting that there is a very real possibility that Radulov returns to the NHL in time for next season.  The player said as much in an interview translated by The Hockey News last summer:

“You see, I’m not so young,” Radulov told the paper, according to a rough translation. “(I’m) not 20 years old, and it is possible that I will have the last chance to compete for the Stanley Cup. If it is a great option in a team that will fight for the title, then why not?"

One thing that's clear based on that quote is that, should he come back to this side of the pond, Radulov will be looking to win the Stanley Cup; he wants to compete.  So, it's probably not unreasonable to suggest that the Maple Leafs *might* not be the best fit for him.  They are, of course, at least a couple years away from being able to do any damage in the postseason.

If that's indeed the case, it's worth pondering where a guy like Radulov might fit in today's NHL.  He wants to win a title.  He'll likely want some money.  And, because of all the perceived risk involved, he likely won't be able to demand a long-term contract.  Call me crazy, but a Stamkos-less Tampa Bay Lightning squad might be a fit.

Quick Thoughts on Slater Koekkoek's Role... or Lack Thereof

Anton Stralman's injury (a fractured left fibula) could not have come at a worse time for the Tampa Bay Lightning.  With the postseason right around the corner, Tampa is without its number-two defenceman, a guy who is arguably the most underrated rearguard in the National Hockey League today.  It's not a good situation.

GM Steve Yzerman responded by calling up Slater Koekkoek, his team's 10th overall pick from the 2012 draft.  Koekkoek, by all accounts, has performed well in Syracuse by utilizing his swift stride and puck moving abilities.  Yzerman undoubtedly viewed him as a player who could/would step in and help to fill the void left by Stralman's massive presence.

Unfortunately the coach had other things in mind:

Slater Koekkoek played 5:57 tonight. Wondering if he even had to shower.

— Bolt Prospects (@BoltProspects) March 27, 2016

The Fight for First in the Atlantic is a Battle of Process vs. Percentages

A lot has been made of tonight's matchup at Amalie Arena between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers.  After all, who would have predicted that two teams from Florida would be battling for first place in the Atlantic Division at this point in the season?  It's a pretty cool story.  People are rightly intrigued by the fact that both squads from the 'Sunshine State' have 91 points through 74 games this year, while relying on a bevy of young talent.  It's an exciting time to be a hockey fan in the state, to be sure.

But, as much as people like to draw parallels between the Lightning and Panthers due to the fact that they both play in supposedly 'non-traditional' markets and are having on-ice success with youngsters leading the way, there's a pretty distinct contrast between the two teams specific to the 2015-16 campaign.  It comes down to a pretty simple idea: One of these two teams has had a lot of its success this year attributable to the process, while the other owes a heap of credit to percentages.

Consider that the Panthers are currently ranked 20th overall in the NHL's race for the Corsi championship.  With a five-on-five CF% of 48.2%, the Panthers find themselves just in front of Columbus and Calgary but behind the likes of Edmonton and almost every team bound for the Stanley Cup playoffs.  Obviously Corsi isn't everything, but analysis has repeatedly shown that possession matters.  Remember when the Colorado Avalanche were the flavor of the month despite rocking brutal possession stats?  They fell back down to earth.  How about the Maple Leafs?  They crashed, too.

Singing for an Unsung Hero: An Analysis of Vladislav Namestnikov's Performance in 2015-16

Since starting my new job in the accounting field, I haven't had the opportunity to sit back and watch Tampa Bay Lightning games like I used to when I was writing at HockeyBuzz and finishing my degree.  Living out West means that Tampa games are often midway through the second period by the time I get home and find my way to the couch.

So, nights like last Tuesday night feel kind of special.  I got home and was able to watch the Lightning play a very solid game against a quality opponent, the Detroit Red Wings.  The result was a 6-2 win for the home team, which sent countless "fans" in red straight to the washroom where they could switch back to their blue-colored gear.  Victory tasted especially sweet, if I may say so.

One of the things that stuck out as I watched Tuesday's game was the play of Vladislav Namestnikov.  I've written at length already about his impact on the Lightning this season here and here, so it didn't exactly surprise me when I found myself sitting back and thinking that the Bolts might have a real building block in the form of #90.  What it did do, however, is get me interested in quantifying some of his very real success now that we basically have a season's worth of data to analyze.  The results, as you'll see below, were more impressive than I ever could have predicted.

Coburn Extension Leaves More Questions than Answers

The Tampa Bay Lightning announced earlier today that they have re-signed defenseman Braydon Coburn to a three-year contract extension worth an average of $3.7MM per year.  Coburn, who turns 31 tomorrow, has played in 64 regular season games and 26 playoff games for Tampa since being acquired prior to last year's trade deadline.

My reaction to this announcement is admittedly not a positive one.  Don't get me wrong: Coburn hasn't been a brutal player for the Lightning like, say, Eric Brewer was during the latter days of his tenure.  Perhaps the highlight of his Lightning career to date was when he scored the game-winner in the team's pivotal Game Seven matchup with the Detroit Red Wings, which then helped to propel the team forward to the Stanley Cup Final.  I liked that moment just as much as any Lightning fan, but this decision to extend him for another three seasons?  It has me incredibly confused.

Reader Question: Will Drouin be moved by the deadline or will Yzerman wait until the draft?

One of my long-time readers, Sean L., asked me the following question: Will Jonathan Drouin be moved by the February 29th trade deadline or will the team wait to pull the trigger on a deal until the draft?  It's an almost impossible question to answer, especially when you consider that Tampa Bay Lightning GM Steve Yzerman has a penchant for surprising the fanbase with trades out of left field.  We might wake up tomorrow to news that Drouin has been dealt.  We might go to bed three months from now with Drouin still sitting on the sidelines as Lightning property.  Predicting what Steve Yzerman is going to do is a bit like picking lottery numbers --- in almost every case, it's a pointless exercise!

With that in mind, a more answerable question might be: Should Yzerman trade Drouin before the deadline or wait until the draft?  But, again, it's tough to say.  There are so many variables to consider.  Can the team get fair value (a notoriously subjective thing) for Drouin before deadline?  Are they more likely to get a better return at the draft?  How long does the GM want to have the Drouin file sitting on his desk?  Which side is more likely to blink first?  The list of questions goes on and on.