Lightning’s Steven Stamkos sees ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ in injury recovery

TAMPA — Steven Stamkos is optimistic he will be able to return in time for the first game of the Lightning’s playoff run.

Speaking for the first time since suffering the lower-body injury that has sidelined him for the past month, Stamkos said Friday that it’s been a long month for him but all indications are that he will return for the opening game of the postseason, likely May 15 or 16.

“I’m feeling much better, definitely in a better place than I was a couple of weeks ago,” Stamkos said. “The goal has always been to be ready come Game 1 of the playoffs and everything has been trending in that direction, so that’s been exciting.”

Stamkos left the ice in the third period of the Lightning’s game on April 8 and shortly thereafter went on long-term injured reserve, meaning he wouldn’t be eligible to return before this past Wednesday. He returned to practice Tuesday, which marked the first time this season that both he and Nikita Kucherov — who is also slated to return for the playoffs following offseason hip surgery — practiced on the ice together.

Though they haven’t played together all season, Stamkos and Kucherov rehabbed together. Stamkos said having Kucherov by his side over the past month has been helpful.

“Kuch and I are really close,” Stamkos said. “Anytime you can have a rehab buddy, it makes things a lot easier just from a mental standpoint to have someone to bounce things off of behind the scenes.

“So we’re always together doing work, whether it’s before practices, we’re out there working hard. During the games, we’re either in the gym or getting some treatment or together talking. So I think we’re just excited to get a chance to be back on the ice in a game situation.”

Stamkos said he will provide more details about the nature of his injury after the season. Given the various injuries he’s had, he said his recovery has had its share of physical and mental challenges.

“There’s no one that wants to be out there more than myself,” Stamkos said. “But you have to put in the work, and in the first couple of days out, you’re down on yourself and you kind of can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. When you’ve had the surgeries that I’ve had in the past on the leg, the knee, now the core, it’s all connected. It’s frustrating. You’re never going to feel the same way you did before all that stuff.

“Unfortunately, no matter how much hard work or rehab you put in or pre-hab you put in, things just happen when you’ve had those significant injuries. I do see the light at the end of the tunnel right now. I’ve been working extremely hard. I’m feeling a lot better than I was a couple weeks ago in a much better place mentally as well.”

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