Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos is looking to get back the level he set for himself prior to his season-ending injury in the 2016-17 season.
If you look at it from a fan’s point of view, Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos seems to be cursed with some of the worst luck in the league. As a player who can compete at the highest levels in the league, it is never easy to sit on the sidelines. Unfortunately, this is where he spent a majority of the 2016-17 season.
Last season, after an awkward fall on November 15, 2016, as the Lightning battled the Detroit Red Wings, it was discovered the Lightning captain had suffered a lateral meniscus tear in his right knee. Stamkos would need surgery to repair the injury, and while there was hope he would be able to return before the end of the season, it simply wasn’t meant to be.
Now, the Lightning is looking forward to the 2017-18 season, which just happens to be their 25th Anniversary Season. After Monday’s practice at the Ice Sports Forum in Brandon, Steven Stamkos spoke with members of the media and discussed how he’s feeling since returning to the ice and his hopes for the upcoming season.
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“Some of the tough injuries I’ve had the past couple of years you never really know, I guess, what it feels like to be completely healthy,” Stamkos said. “It’s tough, but you find a way to deal with it. I found a way to come back and work extremely hard after I broke my leg and to get back to the player I know I can be.”
Stamkos also looked back at the injuries he’s sustained over the past couple of seasons and the journey he’s been on in order to make his way back to the ice with his teammates.
“With the blood clot issue, I found a way to come back at the beginning of last year and be at a level I thought was some of the best hockey of my career,” Stamkos said. “It may take some time, it may not. The only way you’re gonna find out is getting into those regular season games and put yourself through that test.”
The good news here is, Stamkos seems to be exceeding his own expectations when it comes to the pain he was previously feeling and the progression he has made since returning to the ice.
“So, like I said, coming into camp it felt better than I was expecting to,” the captain said. “I played four preseason games and had no issues. It felt better than I was expecting it to. So, hopefull, that trend continues and I can come back and do the best that I can and hopefully get back to that level where I was playing some good hockey before the injury.”
The Tampa Bay Lightning have a lot riding on this season. Completely aside from the festivities of the 25th Anniversary Season and the official retirement of the #4 of former Lightning captain Vincent Lecavalier, the Lightning will be looking to make a statement after the disappointing end to last season.
There is still a lot of work to be done and a long and winding road in front of them, but let’s be real here for a moment. The best things in life typically have one of the most difficult journeys. The Lightning is absolutely jam packed with talented players, but they will have to come together as a single unit if they are going to be successful in the upcoming season.
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The expectations, from both the fans and the players themselves, have been set fairly high. Hopefully, the team can stay healthy throughout the season (knock on wood) and the team can be consistent throughout the season and accomplish the goal they set out to do, capture the team’s second Stanley Cup Championship.