Lightning winger Ryan Callahan will undergo shoulder surgery this offseason, the team announced (Twitter link). The veteran had been out of the lineup on multiple occasions due to shoulder troubles, including two games in the opening round of the postseason against the Devils. Callahan underperformed relative to his $5.8MM cap hit as he put up just 19 points in 67 regular season games and this operation will all but eliminate the possibility of a contract buyout as injured players are ineligible to be bought out.
Other injury notes from around the league:
- Capitals defenseman Brooks Orpik is fully participating in Washington’s first practice in advance of Monday’s start to the Stanley Cup Final, notes NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti (Twitter link). He missed some time in Game Seven against Tampa Bay after being boarded by Cedric Paquette but it appears there are no lingering effects. Winger Devante Smith-Pelly, who also was banged up that game, is also skating on a regular line in practice, Isabelle Khurshudyan of the Washington Post adds (via Twitter).
- Flames winger Andrew Mangiapane is on schedule, if not slightly ahead of it, when it comes to his recovery from shoulder surgery, reports Postmedia’s Wes Gilbertson. He went under the knife in mid-March after sustaining the injury in the AHL and is roughly a month away from getting back to on-ice training. Despite being in the minors at the time, he should have a chance to crack Calgary’s lineup on a full-time basis after holding his own in ten games with the big club this past season.
- Wild defenseman Ryan Suter is making progress in his recovery from surgery to repair his broken ankle, notes Dane Mizutani of the Pioneer Press. However, he is still several weeks away from putting any weight on that ankle let alone resuming any offseason workouts. Suter remains optimistic that he’ll be ready to start the season but that’s far from a guarantee.
Brian,
No offense, but Ryan Callahan is the heart and soul of the Lightning. He was never a candidate for buyout. His production was hampered by injuries, but goals prevention was his primary function and gritty leadership. More to hockey than goals.
That’s not true. His contract might mean they have to lose one of their better forwards.
You always need players like Callahan on your Team, but the Cap makes it difficult to pay at that level. It looks like the same team goes at it next year as there is little cap space. I’ll take my chances.