The Tampa Bay Lightning set off on their quest for a Stanley Cup Final three-peat on Wednesday when they take on the Colorado Avalanche in Game 1. With the series set to get started, Lightning head coach Jon Cooper dropped a major update on the status of injured star forward Brayden Point. According to Cooper, Point has been cleared to play and will make his coveted return to the Lightning's top line in Game 1.

Via Erik Erlendsson, Cooper revealed that Point would be good to go for the series opener, a major boost for Tampa Bay's offense. The head coach also indicated that Lightning forward Brandon Hagel would be considered a game-time decision, having skated this morning.

The 26-year-old sustained a lower-body injury in the first round of the playoffs during Game 7 against the Toronto Maple Leafs. He did not feature at all during the Lightning's second-round sweep of the Florida Panthers and was sidelined throughout the entirety of the Eastern Conference Final against the New York Rangers, which lasted six games.

Jon Cooper and the Lightning have refused to give too much information into the nature of Point's injury, enough so that his status was essentially a game-time decision throughout most of the playoffs. It's certainly encouraging to see the head coach finally take a declarative stance on Point's status and give him the official nod for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final.

He'll re-join his usual linemates in Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov as the Lightning's top line, as well as taking his usual role as a leader on the power play unit. Lightning fans should be fired up over this bombshell update, as Point could be the key piece needed to help them stun the Avs on the road in the series opener.