Don Cherry was adamant on Coach’s Corner Thursday night that Lightning captain Steven Stamkos shouldn’t be in Tampa Bay’s lineup for Game 7 of the Eastern Conference final against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Stamkos is playing his first game since late March after it was discovered that he had a blood clot near his right collarbone which required surgery. The Lightning were mum until right before puck drop as to whether the superstar centre would play.
“There’s no way Stamkos should be playing as far as I’m concerned,” Cherry said. “If he’s good enough to play today, why wasn’t he two days ago?
“You don’t fool around with stuff like that.”
Stamkos has been on blood-thinning medication since his April 4 surgery to treat the blood clot that has prevented him from playing in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Stamkos played 4:31 in the first period at Consol Energy Center and didn’t record a shot on net.
Cherry referenced a similar situation with Eric Lindros in 2000 when Cherry felt as though the former NHL power forward returned from injury too quickly and paid the price at the expense of Scott Stevens.
“I’m not saying this kid isn’t ready or whatever it is like that, I don’t think he should be playing,” Cherry said. “He probably won’t get hurt, but he could get hurt and I say again, why didn’t he play the sixth game?
“This is a superstar, this is the franchise, this is the guy that might not be back there next year. Are you asking me should he be playing? I don’t think he should be playing.”
