Craig out indefinitely

The hits just keep on coming for the Lightning. The team announced before Monday's game with the Red Wings that center Ryan Craig is out indefinitely with a herniated disc in his back. Craig had been scratched from Saturday's game with what was described a back spasms.

Craig, who was awarded $850,000 in arbitration, was fighting to secure a fourth-line spot. He came into camp in great shape and at 215 pounds, 10 pounds lighter than last season.

More as it becomes available.

 

Comments

[mbab]

bolts smack in the middle of a little chicken or the egg....who do they sign???who knows if boyle will come back 100%...who knows when he will really be back....tough time for this to happen...in the salary cap world, right before the season starts....there isn't anyone to grab....another 30 year old european that has been oout of the league for 3 years??....i hope we don't go down that path ever again....i'd say sign pratt but obviously that relationship is "sour".....tough times call for tough people....hopefully we have some of them.....cause i think we are going to have to play the hand dealt for quite a while...go bolts

[bear]

Boyle only 10-13 games with 3 severed hand tendons? Doubt it. Even if so, then the other clock starts ticking on him..the trade deadline. Free agent Boyle.

Bolts should make their move for his replacement now.

[goldenbolt]

The plaque has arrived - now we get to see what's in the plate. Craig although a loss is replacebla with Macdonald. Boyle only 10 - 13 games.... I think we can live with that. Boyle's vacation will afford the opportunity for one of the young d-men to step up. We will learn a lot about smaby, lundin as we did with Ranger a couple years ago. I still stand by my original comment talk to me after 15 - 20 games I think we will be pleasantly surprised.

[mbab]

about a week ago some astute blogger wrote in and said "i really think the key to the whole season will be how well we avoid the injury bug, because we are so thin"....i know i know....it's not nice to toot your own horn....all the injuries have certainly dampered my over flowing enthusiam....anxious is the word....now the MVP of the team is the trainer!!!!go bolts...if any of the other injuries, other than boyle's are serious, it will be very interesting to see how this mangement dilema will effect roster decisions....will be a very interesting time for all lightning fans to see how this possible dilema plays out...

[Lightning rod]

I really liked the way the team was shaping up prior to the preseason. With all the injuries, especially ones that look like longer term situations, the teams depth is likely to become a significant factor. If any more happen and/or some of the injured take a while to come back (Gratton, Ouellet, Vinny, Craig), there could be real havoc when the real games begin.

Players like Boyle you can't replace, all that can be done is put in the best player(s) you can, and have other's increase their ice time. Maybe the team was due for it's share and run of injuries. If so, it's better to get it over with now, rather than later. One can hope, that it's just a short term run. On the flip-side, maybe one or more of the younger guys gets to show that he can play here. I hope that I am not grasping at straws here, but I don't think many of these injuries are serious, outside Craig and Boyle. In fact, Boyle's accident could have been much much worse. Craig's situation is dependant on what the disc is pushing on, if anything. I pray for him, that it's a minor displacement.

Someone needs to ask the question, so I guess I'll do it. Please tell me why the players are still hanging their skates on a peg above their heads? Gravity still works to drain their skates, even if the skates are just 1 inch above the floor. The team has boot dryers, I have seen them. I know the team has the plastic sheaths that fit on the skate blades. I can't be the only one out here that thinks that something needs to change here, and there is a lessen to be learned from Boyle's freak accident.

[SarasotaBill1]

Phantom called this one for sure. Injuries happen in this game but we have had the luxury of avoiding them. Here's to the guys fighting for a job. Spots are open, make your case!

[Super Fly]

Wow. The Bolts have been pretty fortunate as far as the injury bug goes the past couple of years. But, someone correct me if I'm wrong, we have the following injured in some form or another:

Boyle
Roy
Ward
Gratton
Craig
Lecavalier
Oullet

Well, at least the season hasn't officially started yet and the goalies haven't been injured.