Tampa Bay Lightning Injury Update: Steven Stamkos Returns To Ice For Light Skating
Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos seems to be recovering according to plan as he makes his return to the ice to do some light skating before practice today.
The biggest storyline for the Tampa Bay Lightning this season has been the ridiculous amount of injuries the team has been forced to deal with. Of all the injuries on record this season, the one with the most eyes on it is that of Lightning captain Steven Stamkos.
Stamkos had an incredibly promising start to the season, having scored nine goals and 11 assists in a mere 17 games. Unfortunately, all of this progress came to a screeching halt on November 15th as the Tampa Bay Lightning took on the Detroit Red Wings, a game in which the Bolts would win 4-3.
In the first period, Steven Stamkos was doing battle with Gustav Nyquist for possession of the puck when he took an awkward fall along the boards. It was apparent rather quickly something wasn’t right. Unfortunately for Lightning fans, this was the last time they would see their captain on the ice for quite some time.
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Just 24 hours later, Tampa Bay Lightning Vice President and General Manager Steve Yzerman announced Steven Stamkos was “out indefinitely” as the team’s medical staff further evaluated his injury. Things went from bad to worse just one day later when it was announced Stamkos would require surgery for his injury.
On November 17th, it was announced the Lightning captain had suffered a lateral meniscus tear in his right knee and would be forced to miss at least four months away from the ice. This is the second time in his career he was sidelined for a majority of the season with a serious injury.
Now, let’s fast forward a little until we reach today. Here we are, just over three months after Stamkos’ surgery. The good news is, things are definitely looking up for the 27-year-old Ontario native.
According to Tampa Bay Lightning Beat Writer Bryan Burns, Steven Stamkos was able to take the ice before this morning’s practice and get in some workout time with Lightning Assistant Coach Brad Lauer. Apparently, the duo worked on both skating and shooting.
Now, don’t start jumping up and down just yet. Stamkos taking the ice doesn’t mean he’s ready to make his return just yet. According to Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times, Steve Yzerman said Stamkos is still on a “4-6 month timeline.”
If all goes precisely according to plan, a four-month timetable would put Stamkos back in the lineup somewhere around March 17th. This would definitely be an opportune time for the captain to make his reemergence.
On March 16th, the Lightning is set to take on the Toronto Maple Leafs, the team who vied for his affections when he contract was up for renewal. Then, on March 18th, the Bolts are set to take on Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals. Ovi and Stammer have been in fierce competition many a time for the Rocket Richard trophy. Anytime you get these two on the ice together, you’re in for one heck of a game.
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Unfortunately, if Stamkos experiences some sort of setback in his recovery, which is regrettably always a potential scenario, a six-month timetable would put Stammer out of the regular season entirely. In this case, Stamkos would only have a chance of returning should the Bolts make a deep postseason run.
There are advantages and disadvantages to both sides of this storyline. It’s never a bad day when you have the opportunity to get the team’s captain and potential leading goal-scorer back into the mix. At the same time, with the cap issues the team is experiencing right now and the NHL Trade Deadline looming, having Steven Stamkos on the Long-Term Injured Reserve (LTIR) for the remainder of the season has its benefits as well.
Unfortunately, only time will tell how this particular storyline plays out. While we would love to have Steven Stamkos back in the mix to help the team in their desperate push for one of the eight spots in the postseason, it would be unfathomable if he returned too soon and risked further injury to himself.
Next: Steven Stamkos Recovery Headed In The Right Direction
On the bright side, the simple fact he is already back on the ice and working on some minor drills is a pretty good indication Stamkos is headed in the right direction. As the days continue to pass, we’re sure the situation will come into a much clearer view. Hopefully, it’ll be good news for the Bolts and their captain.