Stamkos: Time running out for return in 'frustrating season' for Lightning

Tampa Bay could really use its captain right about now.

Instead, Steven Stamkos remains sidelined with a knee injury suffered in November while the Lightning's playoff hopes are sinking.

"I hope I'm on the right path. But time is kind of running out," he conceded, according to Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times. "I hope there's enough time I can help out or we can get back in the mix and get in the playoffs, and (I) hope to be ready then. I'll continue to take it day by day."

Stamkos has been able to resume practicing with the club, but won't return to game action until his knee is not only deemed 100 percent healthy by team doctors, but also until he's comfortable with how it feels.

The nature of the injury makes it hard to assess when exactly he'll be in game shape, and the uncertainty - exacerbated by injuries suffered by other key teammates - leaves Stamkos with a feeling of helplessness.

"It's been a frustrating season. Obviously, the expectations of ourselves, just in this (locker) room, never mind what the media had to say about us before the year. A lot of them picked us to go deep. We felt like we were capable."

Tampa Bay sits three points behind Boston in the race for the second wild-card spot with nine games remaining on its schedule.