The condition that led Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy to undergo vascular surgery on Thursday isn't entirely rare, with 1,000-2,000 cases in the United States each year.
But the type of Thoracic Outlet Syndrome that led to a blood clot in Vasilevskiy's left collarbone isn't typically found in hockey players.
"It's unusual," said Dr. Karl Illig, who performed Vasilevskiy's surgery at Tampa General Hospital. "It's something that's most often seen in baseball pitchers, swimmers, and tennis players. But certainly, if you're an athlete and muscular, it becomes much more likely."
The good news for the Lightning is that, in general, this type of surgery - if the condition is diagnosed early - has a strong success rate in patients, including athletes.