Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brayden Point is sidelined week to week with a lower-body injury sustained during a win over the Philadelphia Flyers. The injury raises questions about his availability for Canada's Olympic roster at the Milano Cortina 2026 Games. Coach Jon Cooper expressed relief that the setback is not season-ending.
Brayden Point left the Tampa Bay Lightning's 5-1 victory against the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday after scoring a power-play goal at 4:29 of the second period. The 29-year-old forward corralled a rebound and backhanded it past goaltender Samuel Ersson, but as he celebrated, Flyers defenseman Cam York fell on his right leg. Point immediately grabbed his knee, was helped off the ice, and did not return for the third period.
Lightning head coach Jon Cooper provided an update before Tuesday's game at the Pittsburgh Penguins, classifying the injury as week to week. "This is definitely more than day to day, probably classified as week to week right now," Cooper said. "And I will sit here and say, hopefully, we averted what could have been really, really bad. But he's going to be out for the time being now."
Point has recorded 30 points (11 goals, 19 assists) in 37 games this season, contributing significantly to Tampa Bay's recent success. The Lightning, with a record of 28-13-3, have won 10 straight games and sit second in the Atlantic Division, one point behind the Detroit Red Wings. The team is already managing injuries to defensemen Ryan McDonagh (lower body), Victor Hedman (elbow), and Emil Lilleberg (undisclosed).
Named to Canada's Olympic roster in June, Point helped the team win the 4 Nations Face-off last season with a goal and an assist in four games. His status for the Milano Cortina 2026 Games, starting February 12, remains unclear, with Canada scheduled to depart for Italy on February 7. Cooper emphasized the team's resilience: "The big thing for us is how do we continue to keep playing? ... This group has been a pretty resilient group so far. It should continue."
Point, selected 79th overall in the 2014 NHL Draft, has amassed 665 points (317 goals, 348 assists) in 694 regular-season games and 89 points (44 goals, 45 assists) in 92 playoff games, including leading the playoffs in goals during Tampa Bay's back-to-back Stanley Cup wins in 2020 and 2021.