Lightning center Steven Stamkos said today he was hopeful he’ll be able to return to the ice for the Eastern Conference final, but didn’t have any sort of timeline in place.
Stamkos, a four-time All-Star with 314 career goals, has been sidelined since April 4, when he had surgery to remove a blood clot in his right arm. The initial prognosis was that he would miss 1-3 months.
Stamkos participated in the team’s optional skate this morning before Game 1 between the Lightning and Penguins tonight, but does not have a clear idea of when he’ll be able to return to game action.