Tampa Bay Lightning won’t have the help of their captain Steven Stamkos for the Eastern Conference Finals against the New York Islanders. According to Lightning’s coach Jon Cooper, Stamkos is still recovering from a lower-body injury and will be unavailable for the rest of the series.
“He’s not available. He didn’t skate today. Not going to play in the series,” Cooper told reporters.
Stamkos initially suffered a core muscle injury in March but recovered in time to participate in Tampa’s voluntary workouts before the 2019/20 season restart. However, the 30-year-old captain re-aggravated the injury during one practice and hasn’t returned to ice since.
Cooper previously acknowledged that Stamkos could be back in the lineup at some point during the playoffs, but it appears Lighting will have to get to Stanley Cup Finals in order for this to happen.
Stamkos was one of the Tampa Bay’s most productive skaters during the regular season, contributing with29 goals and 37 assists for a total of 66 points. This earned him his sixth NHL All-Star appearance.
While Lightning won’t have Stamkos against the Islanders, the team still received some positive news lately. Despite being injured in the series against Boston Bruins, the 2019’s Hart Memorial Trophy winner Nikita Kucherov is ready to go for this round. Kucherov has been crucial for Tampa’s run this postseason, scoring five goals and dishing 16 assists in 14 games.
