Boyle's surgery called successful

Defenseman Dan Boyle underwent a 60-minute procedure at Tampa's University Community Hospital to reconnect the tendons that were severed in his left forearm Saturday night when a skate he was trying to hang above his locker after a 2-1 loss to the Capitals fell and cut his arm.

"Everything couldn't have gone any better,'' said Ira Guttentag, the Lightning's medical director. "We had a nice repair of the tendons.''

Notice he said tendons, plural. The team originally said Saturday Boyle's abductor tendon was cut, but Guttentag said the surgery showed two other tendons also was severed. Guttentag said those tendons are the ones you use to give the thumbs-up sign or when you are hitchhiking, or in Boyle's case stick-handling.

Guttentag, who assisted during the operation performed by hand specialist Richard Gray, said Boyle should be back in four to six weeks which means the earliest would be Oct. 21. Boyle will be put in a "dynamic'' splint on Tuesday, which will allow the thumb to move while keeping it protected. Rehab also will start Tuesday. Guttentag said Boyle can start skating at any time.

Guttentag said he expects a full recovery with no limitations.

   

Comments

[goldenbolt]

That is some great news...... The fact that they are talking about full recovery with no loss is outstanding. Good luck and fast heal for you Danny...... Goldenbolt

[mbab]

hope all is well....will be a very very testing time for our bolts....let me repeat that....very....replacing 27 minutes a game of pure speed will be tough.....and nan you are on probation for dissing Gbolt....I might be a simpleton myself but that was pretty "doctory" for me.... remember we are all being nice from now on......i think

[goldenbolt]

That is very tongue in cheek of you mbab. Nicey nicey..... that is out of character me thinks too. The link did have pics --- that's what I focused on.... lol

[Phantom]

Great to read about the successful procedure.
Please let that thing heal and don't rush back risking long term issues.

Worst case for the team--Our November swoon will hit in October. Get Danny back in November and look out!

I too, have my sensors on full alert for any rancorous jive wanting to slide out my fingertips. Thanks for the bucket of cold water. Perhaps we can activate the signature link to the e-mail address of the author?? Then certain nabobs can "take it outside."
I pledge to be more prudent.

Any one else bothered by the small note on Ryan Craig's back spasms?
Uh-oh.

Go Bolts!

[Mike13]

While I'm glad that the surgery went well, having Mr. Boyle (or any of the Big 4) getting hurt is just awful news for the Bolts. This is exactly what happens when you put all of your eggs in 1 basket.

So now that our #1 defensemen is out for the first 3-5 weeks of the season (about 10 games), who do the bloggers think our 6 defensemen will be?

The given 4:
Kuba
Ranger
O'Brien
Lukowich

[SarasotaBill1]

The cold water was due. Glad to see the circus has left town!

Now that things are back to normal.....

My best to Boyle for the expected full recovery. Severed tendons.......the sound of it alone can make your skin crawl. Good news is 4 to 6 weeks is not a season. We will certainly miss him during that time but he will be back on the ice as strong as ever in fairly short order.

This team has been extremely fortunate over the last few seasons as far as injuries go. One or two key injuries would decimate most teams in this league. We are no exception. Let's hope we don't see any more of these freaky incidents. Gratton takes one across the mug and ends up with a scratched cornea, Roy gets a little shove into an open door and ends up with a bruised can, and of course, Boyle's runaway skate.

All of the sudden I'm a little unnerved with the status of the D.

[Ozmodcon]

So good to hear that it went well.

I'm going to the Leafs/Sens preseason tommorow, and I'll be wearing my #22 Bolts Jersey in support of you Danny!

Best of luck on the rehab, and as Vinny and Marty would say, "Don't stop believin'"!

[Hawkeye]

Good to hear Danny! Get well soon, the Bolts and the fans will miss you!

[Lightning rod]

Great to hear Danny boy's surgery went well. Very unlucky accident, with a silver lining. The clean cut of the tendons I mean, which makes the repair easier and more likely to heal completely and faster. It's all rehab now.

SB is right, as a team, the Lightning have had few major injuries, over quite a period of time. I guess in some ways, they were due for a run; and let's hope that there are no more.

It's not likely that the team will pick-up a replacement, so it will be from within. I think that having the D stand-up at the blue line a lot more is now a must. Not having Boyle back there for 25+ minutes will be difficult at best; but losing his ability to move it out of the D zone, makes controlling how a team enters the D zone critical from my viewpoint. This is not just a player replacement issue, it's a coaching issue.

[mbab]

with mr. boyle out, our whole scheme will change....for all of you that dissed danny the past couple years....to many turnovers...a defensive liability....i dare say, you will see the true meaning of "valuable player" the next 6 weeks.....the hidden value of danny boyle is not only all the space he creates offensively but how many boo boos he wipes away in an instant with his speed
...there is no one on our roster to even come close to filling his size 17 shoes....Grod.....coachng will be at a premium....these exhibition games mean a bit more now....torts has to get them ready to play very different at times...don't want to see another single player get hurt...but i feel this is a major adjustment that the team must make....even the power play will have a total new look.....just a stat for all of you.....know which lightning player had the most powerplay points last year....one guess,,,it wasn't a forward....go bolts

[Mike13]

I imagine that Ranger or Kuba will pick up his spot on the PP.