BREAKING: Lightning lose top forward indefinitely

The Tampa Bay Lightning have lost one of their top forwards to injury according to Tampa Bay Times reporter and Bolts insider Joe Smith. He reported that Ondrej Palat has left the team to return to Tampa to undergo medical testing following a spear from Jared Spurgeon of the Minnesota Wild

The play happened late on a 5-on-3- powerplay, and no penalty was given to Spurgeon after the spear. Right after, the Lightning made a recall from their AHL affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch.

The 26-year old Palat has been on fire this season notching 30 points in 46 games this season, The winger mostly played alongside Tyler Johnson and Brayden Point, eating up 2nd line minutes behind captain Steven Stamkos, Nikita Kucherov and Vladislav Namestnikov.

The Bolts are first currently in the NHL this campaign, but since Palat and no. 1 defenseman Victor Hedman expecting both to be out long-term, things could go for the worse for the team. Would GM Steve Yzerman make a move to make sure his team will be solid enough if both players miss all the way up to the playoffs?