WATCH: Steven Stamkos disappointed and surprised that he won’t be ready to play in Sochi
TAMPA, Fla. – Star forward Steven Stamkos will not play for Team Canada at the Sochi Olympics.
Doctors say he has not recovered enough from a broken right leg.
The Tampa Bay Lightning star underwent a CT scan today.
It revealed his tibia is not completely healed.
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Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman, who is also Team Canada’s executive director, says Stamkos “should not be participating in game action at any time in the near future.”
The decision to keep Stamkos on the sidelines was made by Lightning doctor Ira Gutentag.
“Although the doctor was very pleased to this point with the healing process, he explained that the callus surrounding the fracture site is not 100 per cent consolidated, and Steven will not be cleared to play in a game until that happens,” said Yzerman. “It was a pretty clear-cut decision, no grey areas at all.”
Stamkos will continue to rehab the injury in Tampa and be re-evaluated in two to three weeks.
It was not immediately clear who would replace Stamkos on the 25-man roster. NHL players are set to leave Sunday and arrive in Sochi on Monday.
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Stamkos suffered the injury Nov. 11 and hasn’t played since. He underwent surgery to have a titanium rod inserted into the tibia.
Stamkos, who had hoped to get a game in before the NHL break and then travel to Sochi, has missed 39 regular-season games to this point.
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