TAMPA — C Steven Stamkos and G Ben Bishop said they'll have no restrictions as they take the ice today for the team's first practice of training camp.
It's encouraging news for the Lightning, considering its two most important players are coming off serious injuries.
Stamkos said his surgically repaired right leg has felt great, with "no issues" in Thursday's testing. He missed 45 games last season after breaking the tibia in November.
"I'm just excited heading into this year knowing how much better it feels now than at the end of the year last year," he said. "I didn't know what to expect heading into the summer. It feels great now. Probably around the year mark (of the surgery) is when it's going to feel back to normal."
Bishop, who had right wrist surgery in April, said today's full practice will be a good test.
"The range of motion, everything is good," Bishop said. "Strength still needs to get a little stronger, but I'm able to practice with the guys. That's good. By the time the season starts, hopefully it'll be closer to 100 percent. I don't know if it'll ever be close to 100 percent, but it's getting better every day."
HOT TOPIC: Coach Jon Cooper can see a pronounced difference in touted prospect RW Jonathan Drouin from the beginning of last year's camp to now. "He's leaner, he's quicker, he's faster, he seems more mature out on the ice," Cooper said Thursday.
Though Cooper called Drouin, 19, the No. 3 overall draft pick in 2013, an investment and said "there's no rush" for him to play for the Lightning, it would be surprising if he didn't land on the roster for opening night.
"I think he's nestling into the spot he should be at the time he should be," Cooper said. "And I'm looking for big things from him, but not necessarily (today in the first practice). But I think, just in watching him, you can see he's got some special qualities to him."
STEPPING UP: Stamkos is joined by three former captains on the Lightning, RW Ryan Callahan (Rangers), LW Brenden Morrow (Stars) and D Eric Brewer (Blues). "I'm a big believer you can't have enough of those guys," Cooper said.
Whether Callahan gets named alternate captain, replacing traded C Nate Thompson, remains to be seen. But Callahan, who signed a six-year, $34.8 million deal in June after coming over in a trade last season, said he feels more comfortable taking a larger leadership role in his first full season in Tampa Bay. "It's part of the reason why I felt they brought me back, to be a leader," Callahan said. "And I'll continue to do that."
NO WORRIES: C Valtteri Filppula suffered an undisclosed injury at the end of the regular season last year that clearly impacted him in the playoffs. But Filppula said that injury is behind him. "Everything is good," he said. "I feel fine. Everything seems to be right."
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Explore all your optionsmisc.: D Dylan Blujus (sore shoulder) is the only player who might not be able to fully participate in today's practice. … Today's practice at Amalie Arena is not open to the public. The first public practice is Sunday at the Brandon Ice Sports Forum. See the camp schedule at tampabay.com/blogs/lightning.