Boyle's return seems imminent

Dan Boyle traveled to Baltimore to have his wrist checked by Thomas Graham, chief of the National Hand Center, who performed the second surgery on his injured left wrist tendons. With Boyle in his 10th week of recovery after the Nov. 9 procedure, and with the window for recovery anywhere from eight to 12 weeks, it is not a stretch to believe the puck-moving defenseman is getting a final MRI before he is cleared to play.

How soon will he be back? Perhaps next week, when the Lightning on Tuesday faces the Oilers and on Thursday the Senators at the St. Pete Times Forum. The Jan. 25-27 All-Star break would give Boyle a rest after that action, though the Lightning could wait till after the break to give Boyle a little more time.

The only word from the Lightning was that Boyle is "progressing nicely'' and that there is no timetable for his return.

Boyle has been skating since the end of December.

"He looks good,'' coach John Tortorella said. "But I don't want to hear about percentages. I just want to know when he can play. And he'll play.''

This can only be good news for Tampa Bay which certainly misses the puck-rushing element Boyle brings to the table. At the very least it will fee some of the defensive emphasis on the top line if there is another weapon that has to be watched.

Beyond his obvious frustration at not being able to play, this is a critical season for Boyle, who needs playing time to help ressurect his value. The Ottawa native can become an unrestricted free agent after the season. Before the injury he was expected to try for a contract worth between $6-million and $7-million.

As for tonight's game against the Penguins, Johan Holmqvist will be in net.

 

Comments

[Mike13]

Good decision to start Holmer. And GGGGRRRREEAAAATTTT! news about Boyler being so close to being activated off the IR.

So does JF send Lundin to Norfolk or just sit Janik for the rest of the season?

Aren't some roster moves necessary to get the team back under the ownership salary cap?

[David]

I say send Janik down (and if i'm correct he's out of options so he'd have to clear waiver) and hope he clears waivers. If he doesn't it's an oh-well. Lundin is the best defensive defensman on the team besides Kuba, with the defense this weak, we can't afford to send him down.
Janik is without question the weakest link in a weak defesne (and he's undisciplined, take for instance his play against Colorado the other day).
So what if Janik was in great shape, he can skate all day following people around without doing a thing.

Boyle should help jumpstart this team.

Anyone know when Oulett is due back?

[Casper]

This is pleasant news.
They didn’t take my advice the first time by rushing him back; now can we please go easy does it through January?
I know Danny is a shift hog and is anxious as heck to prove to somebody, anybody, he’s worth $30+M for the next five years.
Gradually build up to that ridiculous 28 minutes per game, OK?
Skating since December is good, but as everyone knows, it’s not game tested. Other things (groinage) could rip, thereby sending him into a deep, protracted sulk.

Hope Tool Man heals as well.

[Nate Dogg]

I agree with you Mike13 (on Holmer getting the start tonite). Time for Johan to get a "w" under his belt to help his confidence.

You also bring up a good question about defensemen being demoted. Even though I really do root for Janik, he's probably the odd-man out. It really might shake up Lundin's mindset if he went from being a regular on the Lightning (when he wasn't supposed to even get more than a couple "call up" games from the AHL in the beginning of the year), to being thrown down to the AHL. If he goes down to the Admirals, his potential may not be as high the second time he makes his way back up to the Lightning as it currently is if he were to stay with the big club. (Now= future top 4 d-man, After possible demotion= 5th-6th defensemen)

Lundin making the club out training camp has almost given him a new identity. Let's not mess it up. Until he just absolutely starts playing awful or Janik starts stealing the show every night, I say Janik is the odd man out.

Nate Dogg

[keith]

Boyles return is good news, but one man is not going to make much of a difference at this point in the season. It will be a while till he's able to hang with the 25 mins TOI that we are used to seeing from him, at which point there will be 25 or so games left and we all will be watching the #1 pick next year very closely.
Send Janik down, too many brain farts in a game. Lundin deserves a longer chance.

[Chris]

But lets not forget when Boyle came back before. Everyone kind of backed off and as I remember we went 0-fer. Not a big Janik fan either so say no bfd if/when he goes. Lundin needs to stay until his 44 game legs can't maintain the pace.
Great news that Homer is back in net, knowing Rhamo is the future & all but Homer is the present, need him on track. Still "only" 10 out of 3rd / 8th with quite a few division games with their double point effect

[leo]

Would it be "crazy" to suppose that perhaps, just possibly, the Bolts are realigning him to "show/prove" to OTHER teams that he is still a viable commodity?
Before Feb26?
Just asking.
P.

[Mike13]

I more or less agree Leo. Depending on how well the team performs for the 3-4 weeks that Danny is back, and depending on how well the contract negotiations go, he may be auditioning for trade bait more than anything else.

Like many fellow bloggers, I like Janik and root for him, but we all know he's #7-8 defenseman material.

I don't think they'll send him down though. I think they'll hang on to him and either send him back in March or pencil him back into the starting lineup if they deal Boyle.

[Bear]

If Boyle can shoot and fog a mirror he will be taken by someone at the deadline.

He certainly would be a long long shot to return next year when he can take HIS pick of teams.

[lameducks]

Whoever saves the most money will be traded or sent down. The towel has been thrown in for the season by management.