Stamkos has not played in a game since he tore the lateral meniscus in his right knee against the Detroit Red Wings on Nov. 15. He had arthroscopic surgery two days later and was expected to need four months to recover.
Stamkos returned to practice March 17 with the hope he could help the Lightning push for a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. However, he didn't recover to the point where he could play and Tampa Bay finished one point behind the Toronto Maple Leafs for the second wild card from the Eastern Conference.
"Things are going well," Stamkos wrote to the newspaper. "Feeling much better than where I was at the end of the season."
The alumni game is being played in conjunction with the CHL Memorial Cup, which begins Friday and runs through May 28. The four-team tournament includes host Windsor of the Ontario Hockey League, OHL champion Erie, Quebec Major Junior Hockey League champion Saint John and Western Hockey League champion Seattle.
Also among those scheduled to play are Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad, Carolina Hurricanes forward Jeff Skinner, New York Islanders forward Josh Bailey, New Jersey Devils forwards Taylor Hall and Adam Henrique, and Hockey Hall of Fame member Doug Gilmour.
