Craig will miss up to six months

Rehab wasn't enough for the 25-year-old forward, who had surgery Tuesday.

By DAMIAN CRISTODERO, Times Staff Writer
Published December 19, 2007

ADVERTISEMENT Forward Ryan Craig might be ready if the Lightning makes the playoffs.

ATLANTA -- The Lightning just can't catch a break when it comes to injuries.

The team announced forward Ryan Craig could not rehab his injured left knee and will be out up to six months after Tuesday's surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament and torn meniscus.

Craig might be ready if the Lightning makes the playoffs.

Craig, 25, was hurt Nov.24 when the Devils' Travis Zajac fell on him. It was his seventh game after finally recovering from a preseason herniated disc.

"After two weeks of rehab, there was still enough swelling, and with the knee was not responding, our medical staff determined that a brace was not a long-term solution," team spokesman Bill Wickett said.

Surgery was performed by team medical director Ira Guttentag at Tampa's Florida Medical Clinic.

TAKE A BREATHER: The line of center Vinny Lecavalier, Marty St. Louis and Vinny Prospal has been so important, it can't afford to run out of gas.

Lecavalier admitted that happened toward the end of Saturday's 3-2 loss to the Capitals, and it was the line's own fault for extending its shifts. Coach John Tortorella said the line averaged 1 minute, 12 seconds.

Lecavalier said shifts should be about 40 seconds.

"Yeah, sometimes we got caught out there," he said of the longer shifts. "If you do one or two of those during a period, it's hard to recover from that."

Tortorella always has used his top players liberally.

Center Brad Richards entered Tuesday leading all forwards with 25:08 of average ice time. St. Louis was second at 24:43, Lecavalier fifth at 22:52 and Prospal 27th at 19:58.

The key is cutting that into smaller, more intense chunks. As St. Louis said, "You can't manufacture when you're tired."

Tortorella said his top players always will get the bulk of playing time, regardless of with whom they are paired. Tuesday, the lines were all over the map.

"They need to have trust in me, and I believe they do, that they're going to go back out there," he said. "If they come back early they're going to go back out there early."

BIG DAY?: Hollywood producer Oren Koules is expected to meet today with executives from Lightning owner Palace Sports & Entertainment and could make an offer for the team.

Also, a group that includes Tampa attorneys Steve Burton and Tom Scarritt will hold meetings today and Thursday to gauge interest from other potential investors about perhaps mounting a bid.

ODDS AND ENDS: Prospal's 15 goals are one more than last season. ... Atlanta's Eric Perrin, a former Lightning, got his league-best and team-record sixth shorthanded assist on Pascal Dupuis' third-period goal. ... Lecavalier's 168,792 All-Star votes are second among East centers behind Sidney Crosby's 381,941. ... Prospect Riku Helenius will play goal for Finland in the World Junior Championships, which begin Dec.26 in the Czech Republic.

Damian Cristodero can be reached at cristodero@sptimes.com.

[Last modified December 19, 2007, 01:41:26]