Back issues likely to end career of Lightning F Callahan

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Ryan Callahan likely will never play professional hockey again due to a degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine. The Lightning announced Thursday he is being placed on long-term injured reserve after his diagnosis of serious back issues and the recommendation of doctors.

"He's such a proud competitor, such a fierce competitor. I know he was planning to not only play out this contract, but sign another contract after that," Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois told NHL.com. Callahan, 34, collected seven goals and 10 assists in 52 games last season. He has one year left on his contract with a $5.8 million cap hit.

A New York native, he eclipsed the 20-goal mark four times in his NHL career that began with the New York Rangers in the 2006-07 season. After seven-plus seasons there, he went to the Lightning in 2014 in a trade that sent right wing Martin St. Louis to New York. In 757 career games, Callahan collected 186 goals and 200 assists for 386 points. He also represented Team USA at the 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympics, capturing silver in Vancouver in 2010.

According to an article in the Tampa Bay Times, Callahan had hoped to play for a few more years in his quest to win a Stanley Cup title. But his pain went from manageable to unbearable. "It was literally taking it day-by-day, seeing how I felt when I woke up," Callahan said in the Tampa Bay Times. "If it's a game day, you just try to keep it loose as possible and hope nothing happens. Sometimes it did. "I truly thought there could be a solution," he added. With Callahan on the LTIR list, the Lightning can exceed the salary cap by up to $5.8 million to replace him.