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Stamkos: ‘Maybe I wasn’t as far along as I thought’

Steven Stamkos

In this Jan. 28, 2014, photo, Tampa Bay Lightning forward Steven Stamkos takes part in practice in Toronto. Stamkos will not play for Canada in the Sochi Olympics. Steve Yzerman, the Lightning’s general manager and Team Canada’s executive director, said Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2014, that doctors ruled out Stamkos because he hasn’t recovered sufficiently from a broken right leg. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Nathan Denette)

AP

Steven Stamkos’ return from a broken leg has been a roller coaster of emotions to witness.

From seeing him walking without crutches not long after undergoing surgery to watching him rejoin his Tampa Bay Lightning teammates in January only to see his hopes of playing in the Olympics dashed because of a setback, it’s been a whirlwind.

Now that the Lightning are back on the ice practicing as the Olympic break winds down, things are much better and he understands that he may have moved too quickly to get back as Damian Cristodero of the Tampa Bay Times shares.

“It did feel good, but it feels even better now,” Stamkos said of his leg. “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 will have an X-ray done on Monday and could be ready to play against Nashville on Feb. 27. Considering he broke his leg against Boston back in November, even getting back this soon is something else.

The Lightning are seven points back of the Bruins for first in the Atlantic Division and have Montreal and Toronto breathing down their necks one point behind. Getting their superstar forward back should provide a nice lift, even with Valtteri Filppula banged up.

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