The worst is confirmed for Brayden Point ahead of Eastern conference final

The Tampa Bay Lightning is set for its Eastern Conference Final matchup against the New York Rangers, with Game 1 happening tonight, but once again, the Bolts will have to do without star forward Brayden Point.

Even worse, according to head coach Jon Cooper, the Lightning are “planning to play without” Brayden Point in the Eastern Conference Final. He said everyone needs to “temper any of the expectations about him coming back.” So, as of now it doesn’t look like Point will be an option against the Rangers, per Dan Rosen of NHL.com.

“Pointer’s playing hockey again. We just don’t know if it’s this season, next season, this round. If we’re fortunate enough to win this round, can he play next one? We don’t know that. Is he improving daily? He is.”

“It’s way too soon to tell now if he’s going to be able to play or not. I think the worst of it is over for him now…I would temper any of the expectations of him coming back at all.”

The update came hours after Point skated for the first time since sustaining a lower-body injury during Game 7 against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round. He didn’t feature in a single game in the series against the Florida Panthers. Despite having as many as nine days of rest ahead of the series with New York thanks to a four-game sweep, he won’t be returning and it may be for the rest of the postseason…

Point, who is an important contributor to the Lightning’s past two championship runs, scored the overtime winner in Game 6 to force a Game 7 in Toronto. He tallied two goals and two assists in the series against the Maple Leafs after recording 28 goals and 30 assists over 66 games this season, his sixth with Tampa Bay.