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Jason Garrison out 3-to-5 weeks with lower body injury

OTTAWA, ON - FEBRUARY 8: Jason Garrison #5 of the Tampa Bay Lightning skates against the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre on February 8, 2016 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Andre Ringuette/NHLI via Getty Images)

Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Jason Garrison will miss the next three-to-five weeks with a lower body injury, the team announced Thursday.

Garrison was injured in Monday’s 5-1 loss at the Ottawa Senators. He took three more shifts after a first period collision with Bobby Ryan, but did not return for the final two periods according to the Tampa Tribune.

"That's a tough one too, because he's a big minute-munching defenseman for us," Lightning coach Jon Cooper told reporters. "A big body and size."

Garrison has four goals and three assists and had played in all of Tampa’s 52 games before the injury. He averages 18:23 of ice-time per-contest, which ranks third amongst Tampa Bay blueliners.

According to War on Ice, Garrison has a 50.29 CF% and a minus-2.72 CF Rel%.  This means the Lightning posses the puck more than their opponents when he’s on the ice, but less relative to the rest of the group.

The Tampa Bay Times notes Matt Carle will likely slide back into the lineup, but this injury could make the team look to bolster blueline depth around the NHL’s Feb. 29 trade deadline.

Last season Garrison had four goals and 30 points in 70 games played. He was a plus-27.

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Josh Cooper is an editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!