Post by rainmanrh on Jun 29, 2016 15:59:04 GMT -6
www.nhl.com/news/steven-stamkos-re-signs-with-tampa-bay/c-281083510
Steven Stamkos ultimately decided he didn't want to go anywhere.
The 26-year-old, who could have become an unrestricted free agent Friday, ended a year of speculation about his NHL future Wednesday when he agreed to an eight-year contract to stay with the Tampa Bay Lighting. The deal is worth $68 million for a salary-cap charge of $8.5 million through the 2023-24 season, according to TSN.
The questions about where Stamkos would continue his career began on July 1, 2015, when he was able to sign a new contract with the Lightning but didn't. He waited to see what else was out there before signing a contract that gives him a chance to stay with the team that drafted him for another eight seasons at least.
Tampa Bay selected Stamkos with the No. 1 pick in the 2008 NHL Draft. He has scored 562 points (312 goals, 250 assists) in 569 games over eight seasons with the Lightning. He has been Tampa Bay's captain since March 6, 2014.
Stamkos was able to discuss his potential future with teams around the League starting Saturday. He reportedly visited with the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday. Stamkos is from Markham, Ontario, located in the Greater Toronto Area.
General managers from the Detroit Red Wings, Buffalo Sabres, Vancouver Canucks and Boston Bruins publicly stated interest in signing Stamkos.
Unlike those teams, the Lightning have gone deep in the Stanley Cup Playoffs the past two seasons. They reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2015 and got to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final before losing to the Pittsburgh Penguins this season.
Stamkos returned for Game 7 of the conference final after having surgery on April 4 because of a blood clot near his right collarbone.
With Stamkos staying, the Lightning turn their attention to re-signing right wing Nikita Kucherov and defenseman Victor Hedman. Kucherov is a restricted free agent, and Hedman has one year left on his contract before he can become an unrestricted free agent next summer.
The Lightning have goalies Ben Bishop and Andrei Vasilevskiy going into the final seasons of their contracts. Bishop can become an unrestricted free agent next summer; Vasilevskiy would become a restricted free agent.
The Lightning, though, should remain a Stanley Cup contender based on their current roster.
That Stamkos chose to re-sign with the Lightning shouldn't come as a shock, based on the language he and Tampa Bay general manager Steve Yzerman had been using throughout the year-long saga about his next contract.
Last summer and throughout this season, Stamkos often attempted to cut off the debate about where he would continue his career by saying he was hopeful of re-signing with the Lightning.
There was talk about him potentially being traded before the 2016 NHL Trade Deadline on Feb. 29, but Stamkos, who had a no-movement clause, stated his desire to remain in Tampa Bay, and Yzerman released a statement on Feb. 15 saying he was not trading him. Yzerman said at the time he remained hopeful of re-signing Stamkos.
Stamkos said "I hope to be back" with the Lightning as recently as May 27, the day after Tampa Bay was eliminated from the playoffs by the Penguins. Yzerman also said at the time his preference was for Stamkos to return to Tampa Bay.
Yzerman said he wasn't ruling anything out last Friday following the first day of the 2016 NHL Draft. The next day, Yzerman said Stamkos and the Lightning were "both very clear on our positions."
Among active players, Stamkos ranks second in goals per game (0.548) and sixth in points per game at 0.988. He is 18th among active players in goals and tied for 12th in power play goals (108).
Stamkos scored 36 goals in 77 games last season before he was forced out of the lineup because of the blood clot. He scored a career-high 60 goals in 2011-12, when he won the Rocket Richard Trophy for the second time. He shared the Richard Trophy with Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby in 2009-10, when they tied with 51 goals.
Stamkos scored 45 goals in the 2010-11 season and 43 goals in the 2014-15 season. He had 25 goals in 37 games in the 2013-14 season but missed 45 games with a broken right leg that also cost him a chance to play for Canada in the 2014 Sochi Olympics.
Steven Stamkos ultimately decided he didn't want to go anywhere.
The 26-year-old, who could have become an unrestricted free agent Friday, ended a year of speculation about his NHL future Wednesday when he agreed to an eight-year contract to stay with the Tampa Bay Lighting. The deal is worth $68 million for a salary-cap charge of $8.5 million through the 2023-24 season, according to TSN.
The questions about where Stamkos would continue his career began on July 1, 2015, when he was able to sign a new contract with the Lightning but didn't. He waited to see what else was out there before signing a contract that gives him a chance to stay with the team that drafted him for another eight seasons at least.
Tampa Bay selected Stamkos with the No. 1 pick in the 2008 NHL Draft. He has scored 562 points (312 goals, 250 assists) in 569 games over eight seasons with the Lightning. He has been Tampa Bay's captain since March 6, 2014.
Stamkos was able to discuss his potential future with teams around the League starting Saturday. He reportedly visited with the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday. Stamkos is from Markham, Ontario, located in the Greater Toronto Area.
General managers from the Detroit Red Wings, Buffalo Sabres, Vancouver Canucks and Boston Bruins publicly stated interest in signing Stamkos.
Unlike those teams, the Lightning have gone deep in the Stanley Cup Playoffs the past two seasons. They reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2015 and got to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final before losing to the Pittsburgh Penguins this season.
Stamkos returned for Game 7 of the conference final after having surgery on April 4 because of a blood clot near his right collarbone.
With Stamkos staying, the Lightning turn their attention to re-signing right wing Nikita Kucherov and defenseman Victor Hedman. Kucherov is a restricted free agent, and Hedman has one year left on his contract before he can become an unrestricted free agent next summer.
The Lightning have goalies Ben Bishop and Andrei Vasilevskiy going into the final seasons of their contracts. Bishop can become an unrestricted free agent next summer; Vasilevskiy would become a restricted free agent.
The Lightning, though, should remain a Stanley Cup contender based on their current roster.
That Stamkos chose to re-sign with the Lightning shouldn't come as a shock, based on the language he and Tampa Bay general manager Steve Yzerman had been using throughout the year-long saga about his next contract.
Last summer and throughout this season, Stamkos often attempted to cut off the debate about where he would continue his career by saying he was hopeful of re-signing with the Lightning.
There was talk about him potentially being traded before the 2016 NHL Trade Deadline on Feb. 29, but Stamkos, who had a no-movement clause, stated his desire to remain in Tampa Bay, and Yzerman released a statement on Feb. 15 saying he was not trading him. Yzerman said at the time he remained hopeful of re-signing Stamkos.
Stamkos said "I hope to be back" with the Lightning as recently as May 27, the day after Tampa Bay was eliminated from the playoffs by the Penguins. Yzerman also said at the time his preference was for Stamkos to return to Tampa Bay.
Yzerman said he wasn't ruling anything out last Friday following the first day of the 2016 NHL Draft. The next day, Yzerman said Stamkos and the Lightning were "both very clear on our positions."
Among active players, Stamkos ranks second in goals per game (0.548) and sixth in points per game at 0.988. He is 18th among active players in goals and tied for 12th in power play goals (108).
Stamkos scored 36 goals in 77 games last season before he was forced out of the lineup because of the blood clot. He scored a career-high 60 goals in 2011-12, when he won the Rocket Richard Trophy for the second time. He shared the Richard Trophy with Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby in 2009-10, when they tied with 51 goals.
Stamkos scored 45 goals in the 2010-11 season and 43 goals in the 2014-15 season. He had 25 goals in 37 games in the 2013-14 season but missed 45 games with a broken right leg that also cost him a chance to play for Canada in the 2014 Sochi Olympics.
