Stamkos underwent another set of X-rays this afternoon. The bone is reportedly healing very well but the Lightning are playing it smart. Stamkos is expected to return when the Lightning get back to Tampa Bay on March 6 vs. the Sabres.
After the brief rest, Stamkos returned to the ice last week along with the rest of his non-Olympian teammates looking as good as ever 14 weeks after suffering a broken right tibia. Though he pushed hard to be ready to return before the break and represent Canada at the Olympics, a CT scan performed on Feb. 5 revealed the bone was not quite healed enough to clear his return. "It did feel good (on Feb. 5), but it feels even better now," Stamkos said. "Maybe I wasn't as far along as I thought, knowing how much better it has felt now that I have kept working on it and taking a couple of days off. It's just going to continually get better, and that's positive knowing it's doing that.''
Stamkos fractured his right tibia on November 11 in a game against the Boston Bruins and he subsequently had surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital to place a titanium rod in the tibia. He has missed 39 regular season games to this point. "Today is obviously very disappointing for me," Stamkos said. "I honestly believe that we did everything possible in order to have my injured leg ready in time for the Olympics, but I realize you can't force healing.
It all depends how Stamkos responds to an increased workload. Stamkos is expected to begin 'light' contact on Saturday. So far things are trending in the right direction for Stammer to be ready for Sochi 2014.
Stamkos was active in multiple drills with the Lightning as he continues to progress towards a pre-Olympic return. Stamkos' recovery has been nothing short of spectacular, but there is still no timetable for his return.
O'Reilly missed the last two games with a freak shoulder injury that he suffered on Monday while celebrating a Paul Stastny goal. He is expected to hop back onto his usual line with Paul Stastny and Gabriel Landeskog.
O'Reilly will miss his second straight game with a shoulder injury that he suffered on Monday vs. Calgary. Monitor his status during Saturday to see if he will suit up against the Wild.
Forsberg was named MVP, Best Forward and a media all-star at the 2014 World Junior Championships, helping the host nation to a silver medal, his third time placing at the tournament. He has posted five points (1G / 4A) in 12 games with Nashville, and eight points (3G / 5A) in seven games with Milwaukee (AHL).
Forsberg had been loaned to team Sweden for the World Junior Championships, where he scored four goals and added eight helpers (12 points) in seven games, earning MVP honours. With Patric Hornqvist potentially out tonight, Forsberg would likely slide right back into the Predators lineup. He has one goal and four assists with a minus-8 rating in 12 games.
O'Reilly was injured while celebrating a Paul Stastny goal on Tuesday night. He is listed as day-to-day. Monitor his status prior to Friday's meeting with the Islanders.
O’Reilly hurt his left shoulder while celebrating the Avs’ third goal, by Paul Stastny. Essentially, he got it jammed while extending his left arm into the group hug. The Avs say he is day-to-day, so we’ll see tomorrow if he plays or not against Ottawa
Stamkos continues to skate as he works his way back from a broken tibia that he suffered on November 11. His recovery to this point has been extremely promising and impressive as he works his way back for early February and the Sochi Winter Olympics. He had 14 goals and 25 points in 17 games prior to breaking his leg.
Head coach Barry Trotz the team would allow him to play in the tournament, provided he’s cleared to return to action. “Only injury can stop him now,” Peter Forsberg, the team’s Vice President, told the Swedish media. The Ostervala, Sweden native has participated in the last two World Junior tournaments and served as his team’s captain last year.
Pretty incredible that Stamkos is back on the ice one month and three days after breaking his leg. He was in a track suit this morning, but it is still fantastic news. He will continue to skate as he works his way back and will continue to be monitored closely. He is way ahead of schedule on his recovery which is great news for fantasy owners, the Lightning and Team Canada.
Forsberg will miss his eighth straight game with an upper-body injury. His placement on IR allowed the Predators to recall Joe Piskula from Milwaukee with Shea Weber and Kevin Klein out tonight.
Forsberg will miss his sixth straight game when the Predators are in Columbus on Wednesday. Forsberg has one goal and four assists with a minus-8 rating this season. Still I think the Preds are happy they acquired him, with Martin Erat now demanding a trade in Washington.
If his leg responds well an aggressive re-hab will lead to a quick recovery. However, still no timetable set for his return.
Forsberg should not be owned in any yearly fantasy leagues.
There is no an established timetable for Stamkos to recover from his surgery, which included the insertion of a titanium rod the length of the tibia, though he is expected to begin his rehabilitation right away. The normal time frame is 4-6 months, but there is still some optimism that Stammer could be ready to go for the Olympics, so we will see how his recovery goes.
Forsberg posted six points (1G / 5A) during a four-game stint with Milwaukee, reaching the scoresheet in each game. He started the season with Nashville, amassing five points (1G / 4A) in 11 games, including an assist in his most recent contest, a 6-4 victory over Colorado on November 6. The Predators have posted an 8-2-1 record with the Swede in the lineup in 2013-14.
