Boy, how the hockey world went abuzz Friday morning all about the man in blue.
When the Tampa Bay Lightning hit the ice for an optional morning skate ahead of Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals, Steven Stamkos emerged from the locker room and stepped on to the ice and immediately drew the attention of everybody in attendance.
Instead of wearing a red jersey, which indicates a player is not cleared for contact, Stamkos wore a blue jersey, blending right in with the other forwards that took part in the 17-player optional skate.
For more than 35 minutes, Stamkos took part in drills, skating hard, taking shots on goal and doing some light contact along the boards. And with each stride he took, each puck he fired on goal, it seemed like six tweets were sent out speculation that Stamkos might make a surprise appearance for the opening game of the series.
That speculation hit a feverish pitch a short time later when a tweet from the Tampa Bay Lightning official - and verified - account that stated "Steven Stamkos will play tonight''.
Could it be? Might a miracle have actually occurred and the Lightning captain, out since being diagnosed with a blood clot on April 1, be ready well before anybody expected?
Tampa Bay fans wanted to think so, hope was alive. That is until sharp eyes noticed the date at the bottom of the update that showed that particular tweet came from Dec. 11, 2009.
Talk about a buzz kill.
And to be quite honest, the presence of Stamkos in a blue jersey should not have created such a stir. The Lightning captain has frequently worn a regular colored jersey during optional practices or skates. He wears the red in full squad practices when there are drills that will require contact.
So, sorry for bursting so many bubbles, but Stamkos is not ready to return. Yet, he may not be far off.
During his session with the media at his locker stall after coming off the ice, he again stressed that nothing has changed in his status. He remains on blood thinners and nothing will change until he has clearance to stop taking the pills, or at least changes the type of medication he takes.
A return to action at some point in the Eastern Conference finals has not been ruled out.
"There's a chance," Stamkos said. "That's why I'm putting in the hard work. If there wasn't a chance, I'd have pom poms out and be a cheerleader.''
In the meantime, he remains status quo as the most famous Lightning cheerleader, continuing to put himself in the best possible shape just in case he gets the clearance he so desperately wants to receive.
"I'm just giving myself a chance to be ready if that time comes, that I'm up to game shape,'' Stamkos said. "That's been the plan all along. Each day I skate, each day I handle the puck, shoot the puck. Things feel better and better. I'm just giving myself a chance that if that time comes, I'll be ready."
Now that would create quite the buzz.