The Tampa Bay Lightning announced that defenceman Dan Girardi will be out indefinitely with a lower-body injury. Girardi has missed the previous six games with the injury and was originally listed as day to day.
Injury update: #TBLightning defenseman Dan Girardi (lower-body) is out indefinitely.
— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) March 20, 2019
Dan Girardi To Miss More Time
There is no specific time on how Girardi suffered the injury but it appears to be more serious than originally believed.
So far this season, Girardi has scored four goals and 11 assists for 15 points to go along with 12 minutes in penalties. His possession numbers were 50.2 percent Corsi and a relative Corsi of -1.5 percent.
Over his 13-year NHL career, Girardi has played for the New York Rangers and Tampa Bay Lightning. He has 56 goals and 207 assists for 263 career points in 926 career games.
What This Means for the Future
Girardi has spent most of the season on the second pairing playing alongside Victor Hedman. Since joining the Bolts in 2017, Girardi has 10 goals and 23 assists for 33 points in 138 games. With Girardi out of the line-up defenceman Jan Rutta has seen time in the Lightning lineup. Rutta was acquired by the Bolts in January and has spent most of the year in the AHL with the Syracuse Crunch.
In 26 games playing for Rockford and Syracuse, Rutta has four goals and eight assists for 12 points. He also has 12 penalty minutes. The Bolts have also announced that Anton Stralman, who is also battling injuries, will not travel with the team.
The Bolts have recalled Cameron Gaunce from Syracuse to cover for the lack of depth. Gaunce has 10 goals and 33 assists for 43 points in 57 games this season with the Crunch.
The Lightning have already clinched the President’s Trophy and the number one seed in the Eastern Conference. It wouldn’t be a surprise if they sat Girardi at until at least the playoffs. The Lightning have nine games remaining in the regular season.
TAMPA, FL – OCTOBER 14: Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Dan Girardi (5) in the 2nd period of the NHL game between the St. Louis Blues and Tampa Bay Lightning on October 14, 2017 at Amalie Arena in Tampa, FL. (Photo by Mark LoMoglio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
