Tampa Bay Lightning forward Steven Stamkos is human, after all.
The all-world talent was hopeful that he’d be able to represent Canada at the upcoming Winter Olympics, but the Lightning announced Wednesday that Stamkos will not be participating when the Games begin next week in Sochi. The young forward is still recovering from a broken tibia suffered on Nov. 11 against the Bruins.
“Today is obviously very disappointing for me,” Stamkos said in a story on the team’s website. Â “I honestly believe that we did everything possible in order to have my injured leg ready in time for the Olympics, but I realize you can’t force healing. I know, in the best interest of my long-term health, I cannot represent Canada in Sochi, as much as I would like to. I would like to thank the training staff for their dedication and hard work and I look forward to returning to the Lightning once cleared by the medical team.”
It’s unclear who will take Stamkos’ place on Team Canada. One option could be Stamkos’ teammate in Tampa Bay, Martin St. Louis, who was one of the notable snubs when the team was announced.
