Moments after telling the media it would "have to wait and see" if the captain will suit up versus the Pittsburgh Penguins, Stamkos admitted he won't be in the lineup.
Stamkos also clarified comments he made Sunday, stating he's remained on the same injectable form of blood-thinning medication since his April 4 surgery. On Sunday, he told reporters he and the Lightning medical staff had been experimenting with an injectable treatment that's believed to have helped Kimmo Timonen return from the same condition last season.
It's unclear if the dosage has been altered.
He also cautioned there are no guarantees he'll return in these playoffs.
As reported earlier in the month, Florida Panthers executive vice president and general manager Dale Tallon has officially been promoted to president of hockey operations, the team announced Monday.
"This is a great day for the organization as it ensures continuity within the hockey operations department," Panthers owner Vincent Viola said. "I have the utmost confidence in Dale's vision and leadership and this group's ability to build on this year's playoff appearance and make the Panthers a Stanley Cup contender for years to come."
Tallon will continue to oversee all scouting, player acquisitions, and development, but all decisions on trades, signings, and draft picks will be done by committee.
This group will include three men who also received promotions Monday - general manager Tom Rowe and assistant GMs Eric Joyce and Steve Werier.
"I'm looking forward to continuing to work with Tom, Eric and Steve," Tallon said. "Our organization took a big step forward this season and these moves made in hockey operations continue to strengthen the future of our front office."
Tallon began serving as the team's general manager in 2010.
Steven Stamkos and the Tampa Bay Lightning's medical staff are testing a new method of treatment that could help spur on his return to the lineup.
The captain's switched to an injectable form of the blood-thinning medication he's been required to take after having surgery to repair a blood clot near his right collarbone in early April.
Using this method, Stamkos could return to the lineup while still receiving the assistance of blood thinners.
"There have been guys that have played in this league who are on it," Stamkos told Postmedia's Mike Zeisberger on Sunday.
Stamkos said that Kimmo Timonen, who went on to win a Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks, used this method last season with the Philadelphia Flyers when first returning from his bout with blood clots.
"I think for me, too, even just being able to read articles like that and know guys have done that puts your mind at ease a little bit," Stamkos said.
He isn't expected to be in the lineup Monday when the Lightning and Pittsburgh Penguins square off in Game 2.
The offensive outburst concluded a round that saw the 27-year-old set a franchise record with 11 points in one series.
However, while Couture has been one of the many players who've risen to the occasion by turning in monstrous playoff performances, the fact is many of the league's best have not.
Through two rounds, many of the clubs that have bowed out of the postseason did so with little pushback from their key contributors.
Here are five players who've turned in disappointing performances in the 2016 playoffs:
Filip Forsberg
While much of the talk following the Predators' Game 7 loss to the Sharks was directed toward captain Shea Weber, the fact is the team's regular-season points-leader was invisible in the playoffs.
After pacing the team with 33 goals and 64 points during the regular season, Forsberg managed just two goals and two assists in 14 games. He also recorded just two points at even strength.
Jaromir Jagr
While Jaromir Jagr mystified the hockey world this season, leading the Florida Panthers with 66 points, it appears his age caught up with him in the playoffs.
The 44-year-old could muster just two assists in his team's six-game series against the New York Islanders, bringing an end to a feel-good season.
What's more disappointing was that he extended his playoff goalless skid to 37 games, giving him just 20 points in his last 39 playoff games.
Kari Lehtonen/Antti Niemi
It's no secret what the Dallas Stars' biggest weakness was this postseason.
The team's two goaltenders both failed to rise to the occasion when it mattered most. The Stars gave up 3.23 goals per game - the third-worst mark of the postseason and worst of any team to make it past the first round.
Kari Lehtonen posted a 2.81 GAA and a .899 save percentage, while Antti Niemi was even worse with 3.29 and .865 marks.
Pavel Datsyuk
We may have seen the last of Pavel Datsyuk in the NHL.
The Magic Man has hinted at a return to Russia to play in the KHL and this postseason may have been our last look at the magician in a Detroit Red Wings uniform.
Unfortunately, he failed to marvel the hockey world one last time. As his team bowed out to the Tampa Bay Lightning in five games, Datsyuk went pointless.
Eric Staal
Eric Staal was arguably the most sought-after player at the trade deadline, and for what?
The 31-year-old managed just 10 goals and 33 points with the Carolina Hurricanes before being dealt to the New York Rangers. Upon joining the Blueshirts on Broadway, Staal managed just six points in 20 regular-season contests.
Staal's play didn't improve in the postseason, as he went pointless in five games, managing just five shots on goal and a minus-7 rating.
King Henrik subsequently had his worst playoff outing since his rookie campaign in 2006, posting a playoff-worst 4.39 GAA and .867 save percentage as the Rangers lost in the opening round for the first time since 2011.
Following his beard-pulling battle with San Jose Sharks forward Joe Thornton during Game 1 of the Western Conference finals, David Backes gave an entertaining explanation as to what happened during the first period.
"Just seeing whose is real and making sure that they were glued on well," the St. Louis Blues captain joked, per NHL.com's Lou Korac. "It seemed like both checked out and we moved on with life."
In the end, Backes said this is all part of what will be a tough, competitive series.
"We love the competition and get the emotions running high," he continued. "Both guys are trying to establish themselves in this series and here's a couple big bodies going at it and you love that competition."
After the Blues went on to take the series opener 2-1, Thornton and his beard will look for revenge in Game 2 on Tuesday.
Latest speculation on the Red Wings and Islanders plus updates on Brayden Schenn and Andrew Ference. Islanders and Red Wings NEWSDAY: Arthur Staple recently reported on the state of the New York Islanders three goaltenders. Oft-injured starter Jaroslav Halak missed considerable time this past season and could face offseason sports hernia surgery. He’s also […]
Blues defeat Sharks, Conn Smythe Trophy candidates and more in today’s collection of notable NHL morning headlines. STLTODAY.COM/THE MERCURY NEWS: Brian Elliott made 31 saves (16 in the second period) to backstop the St. Louis Blues to a 2-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks in Game 1 of the Western Conference Final. David Backes […]
The St. Louis Blues netminder was nearly perfect in his team's 2-1 victory in Game 1 of the Western Conference Final and in doing so extended his unbeaten streak against the Sharks in postseason play.
Elliott has been stellar for the Blues in their pursuit of their first Stanley Cup. The 31-year-old currently holds the sixth best goals-against average - of goalies with at least five games played this posteason - with a 2.20, and the fifth-best save percentage with a .932 mark.
The St. Louis Blues head coach made a questionable decision to use a coach's challenge after a goal scored by Patrik Berglund in the first period was waved off due to goaltender interference, but it was all with the league in mind - or so he says.
Tomas Hertl scored on a first-period deflection for the Sharks, who outshot St. Louis 32-23 but couldn't quite solve Elliott.
The Sharks were the best road team in the NHL in the regular season at 28-10-3, but have dropped four in a row on the road in these playoffs, including all three in the second round against Nashville. They had seven goals in three road losses to the Predators and were 0 for 5 on the power play, which had been a major plus. San Jose had been converting on 33 percent of its power plays in the postseason.
The Blues made good on their first chance with home ice advantage in the playoffs, although they're just 4-4 at the Scottrade Center heading into Game 2 on Tuesday night.
Elliott was at his best - and got some luck - in the second period when the Blues were outshot 16-5, but got the lone goal when Lehtera scored unassisted. The goalie benefited from a quick whistle with 1:14 left when he unsuccessfully tried to smother the puck on a long dump-in by Melker Karlsson, and it slowly slid between his pads and off his stick into the net, just after play had been ruled dead.
Backes opened the scoring with a deflection and is tied with sharpshooter Vladimir Tarasenko for the team lead with seven goals in the playoffs. The team captain had 21 goals in the regular season.
Lehtera's second of the playoffs came off an errant clearing attempt by Brent Burns for a 2-1 lead. He powered through on his shot after Chris Tierney got a piece of the stick.
Just 34 seconds elapsed between the opening goal by Backes and Hertl's answering goal redirected a shot by Joe Pavelski with the puck bouncing past Elliott.
The Blues had just enough despite a third disallowed goal in the playoffs. Patrik Berglund's deflection was waved off because of incidental contact with goalie Martin Jones, a call confirmed after video review.
NOTES: The Sharks totaled nine goals in Game 1 the first two rounds and were 2-0. The Blues had two, one in each game, and were 1-1. ... Burns earned his 16th point of the postseason, second-most on the team, on the Sharks' first goal. ... There were no surprises in the scratches. ... Lehtera's other goal this playoffs came in Game 7 of the first round against the Blackhawks. ... The Sharks are 0-5 in series after winning the previous series in seven games.
