Loss Of Anton Stralman A Big Blow To Tampa Bay Lightning

The Tampa Bay Lightning suffered a huge loss in their 7-4 win over the New York Islanders on Friday night when Anton Stralman suffered a non-displaced fracture of his left fibula. The loss of the Lightning’s No. 2 defenseman is a huge blow to the team and could hamper their chances of going deep into the playoffs.

Stralman has averaged 22:20 of ice time and has tallied 34 points this season. He has nine goals and 25 assists. His nine goals tied a career high set last year, and he was on pace to set personal bests in goals, assists and points. He has elevated his offensive game to match his defensive play, and he has become one of the best all-around defensemen in the NHL.

The injury to Stralman will almost certainly keep him out for most of the playoffs, if not all of them. Right now there is no set timetable for his return and he is listed as being out indefinitely. It is very possible he will be out for the entire playoffs.

After last season’s Stanley Cup Finals loss to the Chicago Blackhawks, there were high hopes for the Lightning entering this season. Stralman was a huge part of those hopes with his defensive play in front of Ben Bishop. He has been one of the best in the game at blocking shots and is one of the most underrated blueliners in the NHL.

There isn’t much star power in Stralman. He was drafted in the seventh round of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft by the Toronto Maple Leafs. He was traded to the Calgary Flames who then flipped him to the Columbus Blue Jackets just two months later. He became a free agent in 2010 and signed with the New Jersey Devils but didn’t make the team. A month later, Stralman was a member of the New York Rangers and finally began to show what he was capable of.

With the Rangers, Stralman emerged as one of the most technically sound defensemen, able to play physical defense despite his 5-foot-11, 185-pound frame while also contributing on offense. It was with the Lightning, though, that Stralman really emerged, and while he isn’t the best defenseman on his team, he is certainly indispensable.

The Lightning will have a hard time replacing the production of Stralman on both sides of the ice. It isn’t an end to the Lightning’s playoff hopes, but it certainly doesn’t help. They will need Andrej Sustr and Braydon Coburn to step up in his absence if they want to get back to the Stanley Cup Finals.