Stamkos dealing with lower-body injury, won't be full participant to start camp

Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos won't be a full participant when the club's training camp opens Monday after he sustained a lower-body injury during Phase 2 of the league's return-to-play protocol, general manager Julien Brisbois said Saturday, according to team writer Bryan Burns.

There is no specific timeline for Stamkos' full return to training camp, but he's expected to be ready when the team takes the ice against the Washington Capitals on Aug. 3, Brisbois said.

Stamkos underwent core-muscle surgery in February and was expected to miss the remainder of the regular season before the league suspended play on March 12. The 30-year-old forward tallied 29 goals and 66 points through 57 games this season.

The Lightning are slated to compete in a round-robin tournament with the Capitals, Boston Bruins, and Philadelphia Flyers to establish the Eastern Conference's top four seeds for the 16-team playoff bracket.

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