Whelp, if nothing else, the Raw Charge Curse is alive and well. Just mere days after writing about Dominic James, the energetic rookie suffered an injury that will effectively end his regular season.
Injury updates for the Lightning: #GoBolts forward Gage Goncalves is day to day with a lower body injury. Forward Dominic James had surgery for a lower body injury, he’s out 8-10 weeks.
— Benjamin Pierce (@boltsben.bsky.social) March 5, 2026 at 8:01 AM
In the loss to the Buffalo Sabres, James was digging the puck out behind the Sabres net when he was boarded by Michael Kesselring. When the Lightning forward attempted to get up, the intertwined players fell back on the ice with James’ leg twisted awkwardly underneath him. He was unable to put any weight at all on his leg as he was helped off of the ice.
He had been one of the biggest surprises on the team after being signed as a free agent in the summer. The 23-year-old was called up just a few games into the season and refused to give the Lightning a reason to send him back to Syracuse. His speed and ability to transition from zone-to-zone was a tremendous help to the Lightning.
He was one of the better forwards on the squad when it came to attacking off of the rush, something the Lightning love to do with their top lines.
James was a spark plug that could carry the puck into the zone under control and help his teammates generate chances. When he was the ice, they didn’t have to dump and chase the puck, rather he could attack with speed and drive the defenders back, which opened up shooting lanes for the second wave of players entering the zone, similar to the way Brayden Point carries the puck into the zone.
His likely replacement, Conor Geekie, doesn’t have the same skill set (namely the skating ability) to duplicate that style of play. With Geekie on the ice, his line will have to rely more on the forecheck to generate possession. It can be effective, but takes a lot more physicality to achieve positive results.
If you’re looking for a positive spin on the injury, the length of the injury does likely secure Geekie’s spot on the roster for the near future. The 21-year-old forward will have a chance to show the coaching staff he can perform on a consistent basis, something that has been an issue during his previous stints in Tampa. This season has been built on resiliency and the next skater stepping up, now it’s Geekie’s turn to do the same.
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TRRRRAAAAAADDDDEEE #2 [Deseret News]
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TRAAAAAAAADDEEEE #3 [Canucks Army]
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TRAAAAADDDDDEEE #4 [Mile High Hockey]
The Avalanche make a sneaky good trade to pick up a solid blueliner who will probably be their sixth or seventh defenseman for now, but can jump into a bigger role if needed. Nashville turns another expiring contract into a draft pick, this one being a 2027 fifth-round selection.
