The Tampa Bay Lightning were holding out hope that maybe Mattias Ohlund would be back at some point this season to help on defense. Those hopes can all stop now as Ohlund is set to be out for a lengthy amount of time.
Damian Cristodero of the Tampa Bay Times reports that Ohlund will be going in for major knee surgery on his left knee to alleviate the problems that have kept him off the ice all season. As Ohlund tells Cristodero, there’s no guarantee he’ll be able to continue his career after his operation.
“I don’t know if I want to put it in those terms,” he said. “But this is a major procedure. Everybody seems quite optimistic I’m going to get better.”
At 35-years-old Ohlund’s battle to get back on the ice is going to be a tough one. Ohlund says his recovery time will take months, not weeks, to be able to try and get back on the ice. Considering how his knees have been such a problem this season, there’s nowhere to go but up from here.
With Ohlund not ready to hang it up, his fight will be hard to get back into playing shape and to suit up again for the Lightning.
