Lightning forward Steven Stamkos continuing to work toward pre-Olympic return

The feeling of helplessness is what’s bothered Steven Stamkos most over the last two months. Knowing that no matter how many hours he puts into rehabbing his right leg, healing takes time.

He’s never been through this type of injury recovery process before in his career and although he doesn’t want to make his situation seem more serious than it is, “obviously [it’s] nothing compared to what other people go through in their lives,” he said in a recent phone interview, the last two months haven’t been easy for the 23-year-old.

It was during a mid-November matinee game against the Boston Bruins that the Tampa Bay Lightning star forward crashed into his own net, his right leg slamming into the post before snapping backwards awkwardly.

The result: a broken tibia, an injury that would require surgery and leave his Olympic status in doubt.

“I remember being on the ice knowing something was extremely wrong with the leg and thinking ‘why now? This is probably the best I’ve played in my career,’” he said. “We got off to such a great start as a team and obviously being in an Olympic year all those thoughts went through my head. I guess you could say as soon as the injury happened I was thinking about how long the recovery process would be and trying to think positively that I could get back to playing hockey before the Olympics.”

Original reports were that the injury would require between three to six months of healing time, but a mere two weeks post-surgery Stamkos was walking without a boot or crutches and in mid-December, just a month after being stretchered off the ice, video of him skating in a tracksuit during a Lightning pre-game practice in New Jersey was posted online.

He says those big moments in his recovery are the results of the hard work he’s put in behind the scenes.

“That first week [after surgery] I couldn’t do anything and that was tough, it’s frustrating. You can’t sleep, you can’t get up to go to the washroom,” he said. “It’s not fun, but you get through it. Mentally I think the toughest part is being able to trust that bone that you literally snapped in half a week before and knowing that metal rod is there supporting you.

“When our team was on the road one of our interns was coming over to my house in Tampa twice a day [helping me] do little movements and rehab exercises. That was three days after I had surgery just to get the ball rolling,” he said. “And then eventually we got into the underwater treadmill and the stationary bike, things that don’t cause that much stress on your bones.”

Now Stamkos is spending between three to four hours a day doing both on and off ice workouts – in early January he skated in full gear for the first time – while also working with the Lightning medical staff and physiotherapist, the key obviously being to continue progressing and avoid any kind of setback.

“I wouldn’t say there are two days that are the same, but we have gotten into a routine here. It’s getting in before the guys every morning and leaving after the guys every day,” he said. “You’re definitely at the rink a lot and I’m making sure to give myself a chance to get back.”

Away from the rink January has been a busy month for Stamkos as well. He recently signed a multi-year partnership with Sport Check that will see him play a key role in the company's future advertising campaigns.

While no official date has been set for his return to the Lightning lineup, the hope is Stamkos can get a few games with the Lightning under his belt – should all go according to plan – before joining Canada’s Olympic team in Sochi.

“That’s been the goal since day one and I’m still working toward that,” he said of a pre-Olympic return.

Stamkos is no stranger to playing on the international stage. He won gold at the world junior championships in 2008 and has also represented Canada at the world under-18 tournament and the world championships.

However, the Olympics are a new challenge. Stamkos was in his second season in the NHL and amidst a Maurice Richard Trophy winning season when Hockey Canada decided to leave his name off the roster for the 2010 Games.

That said, Stamkos remembers watching from his home in Tampa Bay as Sidney Crosby scored the winning goal in overtime of the gold medal game against Team USA.

“Obviously I would have loved to be there, but I remember how excited I was for those guys and hoping to be on that next Olympic team,” he said. “I think the dream begins then, knowing how close you were to being on that last team [and] knowing if you keep progressing you’ll be on the next one.”