Stamkos is nearly back to full health after undergoing core-muscle surgery March 2, Diana C. Nearhos of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

EDGE Analysis

Before the NHL suspended its season March 12, Stamkos had been viewed as a candidate to return to action at some point in the first round of the playoffs, which would have been scheduled to begin during the upcoming week. The NHL's ongoing hiatus will ultimately result in Stamkos missing just seven games, with the break providing him with enough time to fully recover from his surgery before the league allows teams to resume training for whatever remains of the season. Before requiring the procedure, Stamkos had been averaging more than a point per game for the fourth straight season, tallying 29 goals and 37 assists across his 57 appearances.