The Tampa Bay Lightning announced that defenceman Jan Rutta is sidelined for weeks with a lower-body injury. Tampa Bay head coach Jon Cooper said he’s out weeks, but it’s not season-ending.
Per Coop, Jan Rutta’s lower-body injury will keep him out a few weeks but it is not season-ending. #PITvsTBL
— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) February 6, 2020
Jan Rutta Injured
Rutta left Tuesday’s game against the Vegas Golden Knights with a lower-body injury. He only played two minutes, 40 seconds of ice time before he left the game. The Knights Nicolas Roy ran into the back of Rutta’s legs. Rutta was in considerable pain before being helped off the ice.
So far this season, Rutta has scored one goal and six assists for seven points in 33 games. The Pisek, Czechoslovakia native also has 14 penalty minutes. His possession numbers are 54.1 percent Corsi and a relative Corsi of 2.0.
Over his four-year NHL career, Rutta has played for the Chicago Blackhawks and the Lightning. He has nine goals and 26 assists for 35 career points in 127 career games. Chicago signed him as undrafted free agent after playing for Pirati Chomutov
Cooper said that he hopes that Rutta will be back by the start of the playoffs, but he will take some time to recover.
What This Means for the Future
Braydon Coburn will slot into the lineup to take Rutta’s place on the roster. Mikhail Sergachev will likely move into Rutta’s spot on defence with Victor Hedman. Rutta had been playing with Hedman the last 14 games and they were forming a solid partnership.
Luke Schenn may also get some time in the lineup while Rutta is out of the lineup. Both Coburn and Schenn are veterans that can plug the hole while the Czech defender is out of action.
Tampa Bay currently sits in second place in the Atlantic Division and has been playing a lot better after a slow start. The Lightning hope that Rutta can return just in time for the team to make a run at the Stanley Cup.
