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Tampa Bay Lightning star Steven Stamkos was placed on long-term injured reserve on Friday as a result of a lower-body injury. The move is retroactive to April 9 and the earliest that Stamkos could return to the ice is May 3.
Stamkos will be eligible to be activated off of injured reserve after 24 days (10 games) from the retroactive date. The Lightning are currently scheduled to face the Dallas Stars on May 5, which could mark Stamkos’ return to the lineup.
“By no means are we sitting here saying his season is over,” Lightning head coach Jon Cooper said following the roster move. “This is just something he has to go through here for a little bit. And for us, if we make the playoffs we put him in a position to be in tip-top shape for the playoffs.”
Stamkos suffered the injury during the third period of a 6-4 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets back on April 8. The Lightning forward didn’t play in the team’s past three games and also missed two games in February as a result of the lower-body injury.
Stamkos dealt with an abdominal core muscle injury last season and had to have surgery last March. As a result of the surgery, he missed the majority of the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
In 38 games this season, the Lightning star has registered 34 points (17 goals & 17 assists) and is currently tied with fellow forward Brayden Point for the team lead in goals. Stamkos did score a goal in his last game on the ice back on April 8.
The Lightning currently own a 29-12-2 record (60 points) this season and are tied with the Carolina Hurricanes for first place in the Central division. The top four teams in the division qualify for the postseason.
In addition to Stamkos, the team is already without forward Nikita Kucherov, who is currently recovering from hip surgery. The Lightning don’t expect Kucherov to return at any point during the regular season.