Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos was pretty clear when asked about the status of his recovery and when he would retake the ice with his teammates.

The Tampa Bay Lightning has dealt with a lot of ups and downs this season. A lot of the aforementioned downs were in some way, shape or form connected to the insane amount of injuries the team has been forced to compensate for over the course of the season.

It was a rocky road in the beginning, but as the season has progressed things definitely seem to be headed in the right direction. Unfortunately, there are a few matters many people here in the Bolts Nation would like to see cleaned up. Regrettably, the solution to this particular issue is not as simple as some would believe.

The most notable injury storyline for the Tampa Bay Lightning this season would be that of Lightning captain Steven Stamkos. As almost every fan here in the Bolts Nation is painstakingly aware of, the 27-year-old Lightning captain’s season came to a screeching halt on Nov. 15 when an awkward fall caused Stamkos to leave the game against the Detroit Red Wings in the first period.

It was a mere 24 hours later when the team announced the captain would be out indefinitely as the team worked with medical personnel to ascertain just how severe Stammer’s injury was and how long it would realistically take for him to fully recover from said injury.

Much to the dismay of everyone here in the Bolts Nation, it was just another 24 hours before the team announced Stamkos would be out at least 4-6 months after undergoing surgery to repair a lateral tear in his right meniscus. As one could easily imagine, this is not the news Lightning fans were waiting for.

Here we are, at the four-month mark in Steven Stamkos’ recovery and there is still no definitive date on when he will be able to make his return to the ice. Unfortunately for Stamkos, it’s the one question he receives more than anything else in the world.

Now, this is not completely a story of doom and gloom. There are many silver linings to the latest developments in Stamkos’ recovery. One simply has to be able to cut through the sea of emotions to see things clearly. Allow us to elaborate.

Yesterday, as the team took the ice to prepare to face off with captain Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals on Saturday night at the Amalie Arena, there was a new face in the crowd on the ice…captain Steven Stamkos. Now, this may not sound like the biggest accomplishment in the world but stay with us here.

Unlike previously, when Stamkos was off to the side working one-on-one with coaches to build his strength on the ice, there was something much different about Stamkos’ presence on the ice. This would be the first time since sustaining his injury back on Nov. 15 in which Steven Stamkos would take the ice with the team and participate in a full practice with the team.

“When I feel 100 percent, I’ll be back playing.” – Steven Stamkos

Now, does this mean he’s ready to return to the ice against the Capitals? Absolutely not. (We know…we’re disappointed as well.) However, what it does mean is he has taken another giant step in his recovery.

As one could easily imagine, after practice was concluded, everyone and their mother (and a couple of aunties as well) wanted to have a few moments of the captain’s time to see how he felt being back on the ice and to see if they could get him to answer the burning question…when he would be ready to return to the ice.

While things are definitely headed in the right direction, don’t expect the captain to put a date on his return. In his experience, this only leads to disappointments. However, he was very clear on one thing.

“When I feel 100 percent, I’ll be back playing,” Steven Stamkos said.

As we have mentioned all along, there is one thing the Tampa Bay Lightning are sure to want to avoid, and this is forcing Steven Stamkos back out onto the ice before he’s one hundred percent ready to return. Hopefully, they have learned from their experiences with Ryan Callahan and Vladislav Namestnikov and know just how detrimental this can be; not only for the players’ return time but their overall recovery as well.

Unlike some players, Stamkos was a little more giving in terms of his thoughts on his recovery and when he thought he’d be able to make it back out on the ice. Unsurprisingly, his logic makes perfect sense.

“Yeah, when I feel one-hundred percent. Obviously, that’s not the case yet, and that’s in all honesty,” Stamkos said. “I can’t pick a date because I may not feel one-hundred percent on that date. I’ve gone through stuff like this before. You start setting dates, that’s when, sometimes, you set unrealistic goals. So, when I feel one-hundred percent, I’ll be back playing. Obviously, we’d like that to be sooner rather than later, but that’s the way these injuries go.”

Over the course of the interview, Stamkos does mention the team’s ability to overcome adversity and dig themselves out of the rut they found themselves in early on in the season has been a tremendous help in his recovery. Obviously, no player of Stamkos’ caliber wants to sit on the sidelines and watch their team suffer. At the same time, they also want to be a part of the team’s success. That’s why these situations are so difficult.

Considering there are still 12 games left in the season, including Saturday’s contest against the Washington Capitals, there is still a very slim chance fans may see Stamkos rejoin the team on the ice during the regular season. However, if fans were to look at the situation from a more realistic view, the chances of a Stamkos return are much more likely during a potential postseason run.

More From Bolts By The Bay: Steven Stamkos Making Strides Towards Return

If the Lightning is able to make it to the first, or even second, round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the probability of a return to the ice for Steven Stamkos becomes much more plausible. Not only would this allow him the opportunity to ensure he is at one-hundred percent, but it would give him a chance to get his legs under him before being expected to perform like his old self.

As we have said a million times before, as much as we would like to see Steven Stamkos return to the ice this season and be the driving force behind the team, we would much rather he remain on the sidelines until he is one-hundred percent sure he is ready to take the ice.

Confidence is a rather addicting drug, and until Stamkos has the confidence in his repaired knee and his ability to compete at the level needed to be successful in the NHL (and prevent any further injury to himself) we would much rather he remain right where he is.

This being said, we here at Bolts By The Bay continue to send our thoughts and prayers to Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos. May your return be expedient, your recovery is full, and your confidence restored to its full capacity. Only then, can we expect the captain back in full form.