Lightning Star Steven Stamkos Sidelined Indefinitely With Broken Leg

Tampa Bay Lightning superstar center Steven Stamkos was carted off the ice at the TD Bank Garden during a game against the Boston Bruins on Monday afternoon. It was immediately apparent that the injury he sustained was substantial.

Stamkos’ right tibia, which is one of the two bones in the lower leg, was cleanly broken when he careened into his own net late in the second period. The net seemed to easily dislodge from its moorings, which makes the severity of his injury all the more surprising and unfortunate.

After the incident Stamkos attempted to get up and assess the situation, but collapsed face-first onto the ice within seconds. Almost immediately he grabbed his right leg and began writhing around on the ice in pain.

It was Stamkos’ skate was the first part of his body to make contact with the net and it initially it looked like it may have been his ankle that was impacted by the collision. He appeared to tell a teammate “It’s broken,” before the trainer got out to him.

The whole scene was jarring enough to elicit pretty impressive applause from a Boston crowd that isn’t known for being hospitable to opposing teams.

Prior to the injury Stamkos was tied was the Pittsburgh Penguins Sidney Crosby as the NHL’s leading scorer. USA Today described his performance to date as an “MVP season,” but now he’s out indefinitely and his place on the Canadian Olympic team is also now in jeopardy.

Right now, all fans can do is just sit back and wait. Although it doesn’t look good for the Olympics, given that the Sochi Games are just three months away.