During a matchup against the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday night, Tampa Bay Lightning standout forward Brayden Point suffered a gruesome-looking knee injury after scoring a power-play goal early in the second period.
Flyers defenseman Cam York fell awkwardly on Point’s right leg after he steered home a centering feed for his 11th tally of the season. Point immediately grabbed towards his knee and needed to be helped off the ice by teammate Nikita Kucherov and head athletic trainer Tom Mulligan.
Ahead of Tuesday’s game with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Lightning head coach Jon Cooper said that Point has avoided the “worst-case scenario” with the injury, but he’s still been given a week-to-week prognosis.
Of course, Cooper isn’t just Point’s coach down in Tampa Bay again this season, as he’s also the bench boss for Team Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, which begin in less than one month. Point was one of six players announced to Canada’s Olympic roster back in June and was a key member of the team that won the 4 Nations Face-Off last February.
Should Point’s latest injury cause him to miss more than three weeks, then his Olympic roster spot will be in jeopardy. NHL players are set to fly to Milan on Feb. 7, and each country has until Feb. 11, the start of the tournament, to name any injury replacements.
According to Chris Johnston and Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic, Chicago Blackhawks star Connor Bedard is among a group of forwards who will be considered as Point’s replacement, should he not be able to participate in the Olympics. The other players, per league sources, are Sam Bennett (Florida), Wyatt Johnston (Dallas), Mark Scheifele (Winnipeg), Seth Jarvis (Carolina), and Travis Konecny (Philadelphia).
Before Bedard returned from a shoulder injury that kept him out of the Blackhawks’ lineup for just under one month, he mentioned to the media that Canada’s GM, Doug Armstrong, already let him know that he will be under consideration for an injury replacement standby.
Another league source mentioned that Point was likely to receive a top-six role for Canada in the tournament and was a top option to play on the first line alongside Connor McDavid. That’s where the two-time Stanley Cup champion was slotted to begin the championship game at the 4 Nations Face-Off.
If the Canadians are looking for a true top-line replacement for Point, rather than adding a depth player to the roster, then Bedard would be a perfect fit. First off, he’s another right-handed shot who can play both center and wing, just like Point. Bedard also could fill in and provide consistent offensive support, as the 20-year-old has tallied 46 points (19G, 27A) in 33 games this season. Despite missing 13 games, he’s still tied for 24th in the league in scoring.
Among all players reportedly in the mix for an injury replacement, Bedard undoubtedly provides the highest offensive ceiling. And while it seemed to have been ignored during the initial roster selection process, he’s also made remarkable strides with his two-way play in his third NHL season. He’s no longer just a one-trick pony; he’s a winning hockey player.
Johnston, another right-handed, offensive-minded player, offers a similar makeup to Bedard and will likely garner interest from the Canadians if Point can’t make the trip across the pond. Bennett, given he’s the reigning Conn Smyth Trophy winner, makes plenty of sense, too. He’s known for elevating his game when it matters most. It’s also worth mentioning that both Jarvis and Konecny were on the team at the 4 Nations.
However, none of those players offer quite the same upside as Bedard. When healthy, he’s looked like one of the best players in the NHL and performed at a superstar level. Bedard can be a game-changer for Canada at the Olympics.
The Canadians likely won’t know whether Point will play or not for another couple of weeks. But if his lower-body injury prevents him from representing his country, then Bedard’s has a decent chance of being named a late addition to the tournament.
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