Lecavalier Ready to Test Shoulder

Vinny Lecavalier wants to know if he’s ready, he wants to find out for himself whether or not his surgically repaired right shoulder is healed enough to take contact.

And there’s only one way for him to know – play in a live game, which he plans to do in the next preseason game in Berlin.

“My goal is to play on Sunday so I can start testing getting hit,” Lecavalier said.

The regular season begins Oct. 4 in Prague, Czech Republic, and Lecavalier wants to play in that game. And with two preseason games still on the schedule – Sunday in Berlin and Tuesday in Bratislava, Slovakia – before the regular season gets under way, the Lightning captain has a chance to test the shoulder to see how it responds.

“I’m definitely excited for that,” Lecavalier said. “I suffered the injury in April so I’m happy to start again and get back into that rhythm of playing games again.”

Lightning coach Barry Melrose said while the team is planning on having Lecavalier for the season opener, “we’re always going to err on the side of caution” with this type of injury.

Source: Tampa Tribune