Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Max Crozier set to miss approximately 10 weeks due to muscle surgery

Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Max Crozier is set to miss approximately l 10 weeks due to surgery to repair a core muscle injury that he sustained during a match. According to reports, Crozier has appeared in 34 games with the Lightning this season, collecting one goal and 10 points while averaging exactly 16 minutes of ice time, as reported by Daily Faceoff on Wednesday.

The player was recently seen playing with the Lightning in their Stadium Series game against the Boston Bruins on Feb. 1, finishing with two shots and a minus-1 rating in 13:36 of ice time in a come-from-behind 6-5 win. According to the NHL, the Tampa Bay Lightning have signed defenseman Max Crozier to a three-year contract worth an AAV of $775,000. Crozier is on a two-way contract for the 2025-26 season before the deal converts to a one-way contract for the remaining two years. Let’s take a look at his injury details and his timeline to return to the club this season.

Max Crozier to remain away from Tampa Bay Lightning due to core muscle surgery

Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Max Crozier underwent surgery to repair a core muscle injury and will miss approximately 10 weeks. The 25-year-old's recovery timeline rules him out for the rest of the regular season, with a potential return in the late April playoffs. Crozier appeared in 34 games this season, logging 1 goal, 9 assists, 40 penalty minutes, 38 hits, and 31 blocked shots while averaging 16:00 of ice time.

The player was originally selected in the fourth round (No. 120 overall) of the 2019 NHL Draft. NHL reported that the Calgary product spent his first four post-draft seasons at Providence College and was named to the long list for the Hobey Baker Award in his senior year.


It is to be noted that Crozier appeared in five contests with the Lightning in 2024-25, logging 11 hits and six blocked shots while averaging 16:41 of time on ice. He made his NHL debut with Tampa Bay during the 2023-24 campaign, skating in 13 games and recording his first career point, an assist, on January 23 at Philadelphia.

Following this, Max Crozier went on to make his Stanley Cup Playoffs debut three months later, playing in three postseason contests with the Bolts and recording five hits with two blocked shots and four shots on goal, according to the NHL.

Unfortunately, Crozier’s absence will surely be felt as the Lightning is currently leading the Atlantic Division and the Eastern Conference with a 37-14-4 record and 78 points through 55 games in the 2025-26 season.


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