Training camp notebook: Stamkos takes next step in his recovery

Steven Stamkos took another positive step Friday toward his return to full participation at Tampa Bay Lightning training camp.

Stamkos joined his teammates on the first power-play unit when the Lightning ran through power-play combinations before the official start of Friday's session, taking up residence in his familiar spot in the left circle.

Prior to the power-play work, Stamkos skated on his own under the guidance of Lightning assistance athletic trainer Mike Poirier as he did during the first two days of camp.

When the rest of the team came out for the start of Friday's practice, however, Stamkos went back to the locker room, his on-ice activity finished for the day.

Stamkos is recovering from a lower-body injury sustained during Phase 2 of the National Hockey League's Return to Play Plan, an injury Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois said before the start of camp was unrelated to the surgery he had March 2 to repair a core muscle injury.

"He's inching his way," Tampa Bay head coach Jon Cooper said. "We've got a few more days of practice here in a row. I hope we can start putting him into a few more drills with the team, more than power play. I expect that to happen, but I just can't tell you win. It could be as early as tomorrow or a couple practices from now, but we'll slowly start working him in."

The top power-play unit Friday remained unchanged from the one that finished the regular season connecting at a 23.1 percent clip during the regular season, tied for fifth overall in the NHL, Stamkos skating alongside Victor Hedman, Brayden Point, Nikita Kucherov and Alex Killorn. The second unit had Mikhail Sergachev quarterbacking Ondrej Palat, Patrick Maroon, Yanni Gourde and Tyler Johnson.

Kevin Shattenkirk had been skating with the second power-play unit during the regular season as part of a two-defensemen look, but the Lightning opted for a four forward, one defenseman alignment their first time this camp running through power-play drills.

"We dove into it pretty well today, but it goes down to the basics," Cooper said of the extended power-play work. "It's our fundamentals, entering the zone, but you want these guys to play with confidence too. When they're playing with that confidence, usually good things happen. Try to put the guys into the right positions to succeed, and that's what we're trying to do now."

The Lightning worked power play versus penalty kill drills during the first 15 minutes of practice once the full team was on the ice. Shattenkirk took Stamkos' spot on the first unit with the captain unavailable.

JOHNNY ON THE DOT: Through the first four days of training camp, Tyler Johnson has been centering a line alongside newcomers Blake Coleman and Barclay Goodrow.

Johnson has moved back and forth between center and wing and up and down the lineup from the first line to the fourth throughout his career in Tampa Bay. This season he's mostly lined up at wing, but Cooper said putting him in the middle gives the team the best chance to create scoring punch throughout all four lines.

"He's a natural center," Cooper said. "Whether it was depth situations or injuries or guys moving up and down the lineup, Johnny's been pretty versatile for us. We like him in the middle though, and we're trying to create a little depth on our team."

Coleman scored 21 goals for New Jersey this season after posting a career high 22 in 2018-19 but has yet to light the lamp in nine games with the Lightning. Johnson posted 14 goals this season. In four of his seven full seasons in the league, he's notched 20 or more goals, including last year's career high-tying tally of 29.

The defensive-minded Goodrow is less of a scoring threat but has increased his offensive production in each of his first three full seasons in the league, putting up 14 points in 2017-18, 17 points in 2018-19 and 26 points this season between San Jose and Tampa Bay.

"Can't really consider those guys depth players because two guys on that line have scored north of 20 goals on numerous occasions, so kind of a good luxury to have," Cooper said. "Going to need some balanced scoring. You need some scoring from other lines, and those guys can do it."

CAMP STARS: Yanni Gourde was asked who he's been most impressed with over the first four days of training camp.

"Ondrej Palat," he answered with little hesitation. "He seems so confident with the puck. He's making great plays from the little I've seen him in those few practices. He looks pretty good out there, and I'm quite impressed by him."

The same question was posed to Cooper, and his answer was a bit of a departure from the expected.
"You know what, the training staff. I would call them my MVPs, from (head athletic trainer) Tom (Mulligan) to (assistant athletic trainer) Mikey (Poirier) and (massage therapist Christian Rivas)," he said. "All the equipment managers, Ray (Thill) and (Rob Kennedy) and (Jason) Berger, they're on it. With all this stuff, the testing, the daily monitoring that has to go on and making sure everybody's wearing masks, making sure everything is sanitized, making sure guys show up for everything they have to do outside of our normal, everyday things, they have by far been our MVPs. It's why our camp has been running so smoothly."

NUTS AND BOLTS: Cedric Paquette did not skate Friday, the team saying he was "unable to practice"…Erik Cernak was asked if he'll be adding the knuckle puck to his repertoire, a nod to his role in Alex Killorn's "The Boys are Back" video released by the Lightning forward before the start of Phase 2 of the NHL's Return to Play. "We'll see," he answered laughing.