Back on the ice for the first time in 10 months, Steven Stamkos looked like Steven Stamkos

by Erik Erlendsson | @Erik_Erlendsson | Like us on Facebook
September 22, 2017

TAMPA – Something felt different, yet it all felt familiar.

The only thing absent for Steven Stamkos? Nerves.

After 10 months away from the ice, 10 months since last playing in a game, Steven Stamkos looked like – Steven Stamkos.

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The Lightning captain last suited up for an NHL game of any kind on Nov. 15, 2016. But midway through the game, he fell to the ice during a game at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit and when he returned to his skates, began to flex his right knee, feeling something a little out of sorts.

Stamkos skated toward the bench and back to the locker room and never re-emerged. His season ended that night after partially tearing the meniscus in his right knee. Surgery was performed to reattach the meniscus, unexpectedly ending a sensational start to his season.

Friday, he was right back where he belonged, leading the Lightning on to the ice for pregame warmups, taking the opening faceoff. Just hearing his name mentioned as part of the starting lineup elicited a loud roar from the crowd inside Amalie Arena.

Even for just the third game on the preseason schedule, there was something that just felt right seeing No. 91 back in blue, back on the ice, back where he belongs.

”He seemed like he was right back in to it,’’ said right wing Ryan Callahan, himself returning from a prolonged absence. “It was good to see him out there and feeling good.”

That’s exactly how it all felt. From the morning skate to the pregame skate to his first shift. To Stamkos, it all felt good. He wasn’t even nervous.

”I was surprised that I felt pretty calm and comfortable leading up to this day, I was actually more excited to go through the game-day routine,’’ Stamkos said. “I almost forgot all my routines that I have but once I got to the rink they come pretty natural. It was nice to just go through a game day, I haven’t done it in a long time. It’s kind of rewarding knowing all the hard work you put in and you feel a certain way and you know you are going to get better, your timing is going to get better, you’re crispness out there is going to get better. I was glad with how the first one went.’’

Watching Stamkos on the opening shift of the game, it was hard to imagine his last game came more than 10 months ago.

As he leaned in to the center ice circle, opposite Nashville’s Colton Sissons, Stamkos showed he was back, winning the opening faceoff. Seconds later, he raced down the left wing side to collect a puck in the offensive zone to feed a quick pass across the slot area for a potential scoring chance.

Then, just 33 seconds in to the game, 33 seconds in to his first shift, Stamkos found the scoresheet and it was like he never left.

Trailing Nikita Kucherov down the right wing boards, Stamkos took a drop pass then spun around to deliver a spinning, backhand pass over to Victor Hedman, who promptly shoveled a shot in to the back of the net to give Tampa Bay an early 1-0 lead.

Those instincts, even after 10 months, never really go away.

”The talent he is, the kind of natural he is at this game, I’m not surprised,’’ Hedman said. “He’s one of the best in this league. For him to come back like that after a scary injury like that . . missing nine months of competitive hockey like that is tough, so for him to get off and running was fun to watch.’’

It’s like he never left.

”He’s a gifted player and he has the ability to make those plays,’’ Lightning head coach Jo cooper said. “When you put a gifted player like Stammer in the offensive zone, more often than not plays like that can happen. At that point it’s instincts, I don’t think you lose your instincts. When those guys get around the net, I think they know what they are doing. But it was a heckuva play.’’

”He looked like Steven,’’ Callahan said. “It was pretty impressive, that first pass he made to Heddy was special. That’s what makes him so special and players like that can use their instincts, they know where they are on the ice and no matter how much time they off, they still have it.

”That play showed right away he’s ready to go and he’s back.’’

Stamkos finished the night with a pair of assists, setting up Kucherov for a power play goal, while logging 19:05 of ice time, most among Lightning forwards. It wasn’t by design or planned to play Stamkos any certain amount of time. It’s just how it played out, and things went well.

Stamkos is back.

”I couldn’t have felt any better tonight,’’ Stamkos said.

Stamkos discusses his first game back

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