Lightning's Steven Stamkos Ruled Out of East Final vs. Islanders with Injury

Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos will miss the Eastern Conference Final against the New York Islanders as he continues to rehab a core muscle injury.

The Lightning star underwent surgery to repair a core muscle in early March after not having played since February 25. Initially expected to miss the end of the season and possibly the playoffs, the NHL's hiatus because of the coronavirus pandemic allowed the forward to heal up without missing much ice time. 

"With the timing of all this, it was devastating at the beginning because I thought I would possibly be missing some playoff games," Stamkos said April 29, per Forbes' Justin Birnbaum. "And the stoppage happened, and we didn't know how long it was gonna be. So the silver lining in that was I'll be ready when we resume. So I've been able to still use this time to rehab. I've been going to the rink...about three times a week to skate and just start feeling normal again."

Stamkos hasn't always had the best luck when it comes to his health. The 30-year-old suffered a broken tibia in 2013 and then had thoracic outlet syndrome in 2016, requiring surgery. He went under the knife again only months later after tearing the meniscus in his knee.

Now he could miss even more time in the midst of a crucial run for Tampa Bay. Stamkos remains one of the most crucial players in the lineup for the Lightning.