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Stamkos has successful surgery, will be reevaluated in two weeks

Steven Stamkos

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Steven Stamkos asjusts his helmet strap during NHL hockey practice in Toronto on Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2014. Stamkos, who broke his leg in November, hopes that he will be able to play with the Lightning and then participate in the Sochi winter Olympic games next month for Canada. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Nathan Denette)

AP

Lightning captain Steven Stamkos had vascular surgery this afternoon at Tampa General Hospital. The two-hour procedure was a success, according to the surgeon, Dr. Karl Illig.

“Everything went as expected for Steven today,” Dr. Illig said in a team release. “We plan to re-evaluate him in about two weeks and we should know more about his prognosis at that time.”

The timeline for Stamkos is 1-3 months. That makes a return to the playoffs a possibility, assuming the Lightning can make a run.

But the defending Eastern Conference champs will be in tough to do that without their captain, not to mention defenseman Anton Stralman, who’s out indefinitely with a fractured leg.

The Lightning will clinch a playoff berth tonight if they get at least one point against the Islanders.