It is the top of an period for the Tampa Bay Lightning, as Steven Stamkos headed to free company and signed a four-year contract with the Nashville Predators. Stamkos’ new deal carries an AAV of $8 million.
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Steven Stamkos’ relationship with the Lightning grew to become strained final offseason. Stamkos was eligible for an extension on July 1, as he entered the ultimate 12 months of his contract. Nevertheless, there have been no discussions between him and Lightning GM Julien BriseBois.
Stamkos expressed his frustration initially of coaching camp, saying he was upset that there had been no contract talks, as he noticed Brandon Hagel, Anthony Cirelli and Erik Cernak get contract extensions earlier than he did.
All due respect to these gamers, they don’t seem to be Steven Stamkos. When he met with the media on Monday, July 1, Stamkos knew he would doubtless depart final summer season, though he wished to remain in Tampa.
“Once I wasn’t approached to signal an extension final summer season, it took me without warning and I confirmed that in coaching camp,” Stamkos mentioned. “That was most likely the start, the start of the writing on the wall.”
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This was an extended negotiation course of and Stamkos didn’t let it have an effect on his play. However because the season progressed, it grew to become much less and fewer clear that he would stick with the Lightning. He hoped {that a} deal would occur, however in the end he needed to do what was finest for him.
“The toughest half is holding on to one thing that possibly is not making an attempt to carry on to you, and that was undoubtedly the toughest half,” Stamkos mentioned. “However like I mentioned, the reminiscences that I had in Tampa will all the time outweigh any in poor health will or emotions that I had throughout this course of. These are momentary, these are emotional selections and you already know that as time goes on, these often go away.”
Lots of people are questioning what occurred between the Lightning and Stamkos. We all know BriseBois has a historical past of enjoying heel along with his gamers. He makes robust selections. He took Ryan McDonagh out after which introduced him again. Then he introduced in Mikhail Sergachev and Tanner Jeannot. Ondrej Palat wasn’t introduced again, nor was Alex Killorn or Tyler Johnson.
However this felt totally different, and Stamkos requested himself this query all through the method. Colby Armstrong on Sportsnet requested him about it.
“Yeah, to be sincere, Military, I ended up asking myself the identical query and the extra folks I talked to, you already know, all people appeared to share the identical sentiment, which is complicated and unusual and in the end there was no query that I used to be prepared to place all of these issues apart to stay a member of the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Like I mentioned, my household and I like enjoying for that metropolis and the gamers which can be there. It appeared like possibly not everybody felt that means, and pay attention; I am a giant man; I can deal with that. We simply went about our enterprise. I assumed I performed extraordinarily nicely this 12 months, whatever the contractual distractions and, and I simply advised them on the finish that it wasn’t going to have an effect on my recreation. And I used to be pleased with that.”
Lightning GM Julien BriseBois was upset that he was unable to get Stamkos to signal a contract extension. Nevertheless, BriseBois acknowledged that he had gone so far as he may with the supply and that he needed to do what was finest for the crew.
“He completely wished to remain in Tampa, however on the similar time, it was clear all through our course of that he additionally had monetary expectations that he anticipated from us and in the end I discovered and determined that if I agreed to the phrases that he wished to make a deal, I might not be placing ourselves in the most effective place to pursue championships. In the end, now we have to make selections which can be in the most effective curiosity of the crew’s success,” BriseBois mentioned.
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The most important query you must ask your self is how bringing again McDonagh along with his full $6.75 million cap hit will enhance the Lightning. It did not. It may need made them worse.
Whereas signing Jake Guentzel is an efficient backup plan, he isn’t Steven Stamkos. It makes you surprise how it will shake up the locker room initially of the season.
It’s going to be an emotional recreation as Steven Stamkos returns to Tampa as a member of the Nashville Predators. This might have been prevented, however as an alternative right here we’re, Stamkos is gone and so are the Lightning.