Tampa Bay Lighting Former First-Round Pick Out For Start Of Season

Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Cal Foote is expected to miss the first two to four weeks of the regular season after having surgery on his right pinkie finger.

Julien BriseBois said Cal Foote had surgery to repair a tendon on his pinkie finger, will likely miss 2-4 weeks at start of season
— Joe Smith (@JoeSmithTB) September 22, 2021

Although Foote will be out of the lineup for the beginning of the season, this is still expected to be a big year for the 2017 first-round pick. The Lightning lost a few right-handed defenseman this off-season, so he is likely to receive playing time on a regular basis moving forward.

As a rookie last season, the 22-year-old defenseman had a goal and two assists in 35 games. As he continues to get used to the league, he should improve.

Nonetheless, here's to hoping Cal can recover quickly and be in the Lightning's top-six soon.