NHL Rumor Mill – September 25, 2023
Could the Lightning and Steven Stamkos part ways following this season? Check out the latest speculation in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
SPORTSNET: Luke Fox weighed in on Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos’ disappointment with the lack of contract extension talks this summer with Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois. He believes the 33-year-old forward “dropped the biggest bombshell of training camp.”
Stamkos, 33, is slated to become an unrestricted free agent next July. He told reporters last week that he had preferred working out an extension before the start of the season. BriseBois, however, indicated that he preferred to wait until the end of the season to begin negotiations.
Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos (NHL Images).
Fox wonders if BriseBois is “truly this cutthroat” to be playing hardball with the Lightning star. He also mused over what effect Stamkos’ frustration could have on his play this season.
Elliotte Friedman considered Stamkos’ remarks last week “a big, big shot across the bow”. He added that some of the players close to the Lightning captain believe “that Tampa wouldn’t be crushed if he left.”
Friedman believes that the Lightning want Stamkos to finish his career with them. However, it won’t be at a salary number that they consider unreasonable.
The Stamkos standoff factored into Ryan Dixon pondering whether this is the beginning of the end for this version of the Lightning. He isn’t writing off the club this season given the depth of talent and the potential benefit of a longer-than-usual offseason. However, he believes “we’ve clearly entered a new phase of their arc.”
SPECTOR’S NOTE: It all comes down to salary cap space for the Lightning. They have over $12.3 million in projected cap room for 2024-25 with 16 players under contract. Zach Bogosian, Calvin de Haan, Tyler Motte, and Haydn Fleury are among their other notable UFAs but they can be easily re-signed or replaced.
Stamkos, however, will take up a big chunk of their cap room, leaving little space to bring in players to bolster their roster. The average annual value of his current contract is $8.5 million. Given his performance in recent years, he’d be justified in seeking the same amount again. Even with the cap projected to increase in the coming years significantly, BriseBois might not be comfortable investing that much for too long in an aging asset.
As I’ve stated before, it’s unlikely that BriseBois will trade Stamkos or that the latter will request a trade if they don’t have a contract extension in place by the March 8 trade deadline. The Lightning’s season would have to really go off the rails for either side to consider that option.
Defenseman Victor Hedman and winger Nikita Kucherov will likely be watching the outcome of Stamkos’ contract talks. Hedman is eligible for UFA status in 2025 and Kucherov in 2027. If the Lightning cut ties with Stamkos at the end of this season the clock could begin ticking on their tenures in Tampa Bay.
Hockey has always been a business and while some look back with nostalgia just look at the great Habs teams of the 70’s, arguably the best in history.
Lafleur, Shutt, Robinson, Lapointe, Savard, Mahovlich, among others finished their careers elsewhere after long productive careers in Montreal.
Yep HF30, just the way it works in sports and in life. Physical performance declines with age.
Stamkos will likely still be a productive player after this season, but the decline in his play is inevitable, whether this year, next or the one after. Long term injury risk seems to increase with age as well.
Seems totally reasonable to wait and see if that starts to happen this season.
Yes, Stamkos has been a good player. It’s also true that TB has been a good place to play. Both sides have done well for each other, and neither side owes the other anything other than the upcoming season.
My guess is they wait, and come to a fair deal based on Stamkos play, and where the team is at.
Turn-about-fair-play! Stammer waited till the last minute to negotiate his last deal. But he does’t like it when management puts him off till the last minute!😏
” Stammer waited till the last minute to negotiate his last deal.”
No, he didn’t. Negotiations on his previous contract began in January 2016.
https://www.sbnation.com/nhl/2016/2/15/11001722/steven-stamkos-trade-contract-tampa-bay-lightning-steve-yzerman-nhl-trade-deadline
Those talks picked up in May 2016 during the Eastern Conference Final.
https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/steven-stamkos-contract-update-steve-yzerman-ufa-answers-by-weekend-doing-all-we-can/
They continued through until Stamkos signed with them on June 29, 2016.
Well in that case, he can wait till January.
Thanks Lyle.
You are certainly correct. But its also correct that Stamkos toured teams the week before free agency started(something that was allowed at the time), and didnt sign until one day before FA started
That wasn’t what Johnny claimed, Kent. He said Stammer waited until the last minute to negotiate his previous contract. It doesn’t matter that he spent the week prior to the start of free agency speaking with other clubs. As you noted, that was his right at the time. It turns out it was the correct move on his part because it convinced him to stay in Tampa Bay despite signing for less than market value.
Someone remind Stammer that Wayne Gretzky and even Bobby Orr got traded!
Mario never did. Yzerman never did. 🤷♂️
Ya both Orr and Gretzky situations had issues tied to them.
Eagleson never told Orr what the B’s offer contained, which was an 18% ownership stake in the Bruins.
And in Edmonton the Oilers were bleeding cash as there was no cap, so almost all of the core from the dynasty years were traded eventually as they needed less expensive players.
But hey, in a cap world it makes sense that more older guys and teams will part ways.
Orr was not traded. His contract with the Bs expired and he went and signed with the Hawks. The Bruins received nothing in return. And Orr played only 26 games with the Hawks before his long standing knee injuries forced his retirement.
Regarding Stamkos, it’s a risk for both sides. Stamkos should concentrate on having a great season and if he does the ball is in his court as there will be a few suitors for him and his price will go up. Brisebois is taking a chance here and pissing off your captain may end up backfiring. Time will tell.
Re Stammer
Yes, 34 to start next season…..
But, still a PPG AND 35 G guy; great Leader
Noted…. Mid 30’s…. Expect a decline
As my st above agree…. Cap is the issue
Raw $’s not important to rich owners; IS important (especially take home) for players in their last contract of career
Certainly if it was a 2 -3 year contract…. He’s still worth $8 M to many teams
5 @ $7 M , I think a few teams would take
His next contract is NOT 35+, so make up of contract should not be confined
I thought the new CBA had year over year percentage differentials parameter ceilings… then I looked at MacK’s contract….. all over the place
Give stammer league min for 8 years; with $35 M in SB’s over first 5
Cap hit $5.15 M
Stammer effectively gets paid an AAV cash of $7.75 M for 5 years (NOTE, remaining with only NHL team he’s known; AND still getting yhe zero state tax advantage); AND then retires at 39….. and Bolts have the $5.15 M wiped from their books
Sneaky….. but doable
Pengy
Great cap work 👍
Pengy,
special news for you as a die hard Coyotes fan, 20,000 people were at the Bell Centre for the Red vs White scrimmage.
Both teams had a number of rookie and AHL payers dressed.
Pengy wrote: Give stammer league min for 8 years; with $35 M in SB’s over first 5
Sorry, not allowed by the CBA.
There is a maximum allowed percentage difference between highest and lowest years. Can’t recall the exact figure. No more than 40%, could be 20%.
Re: salary percentage differentials.
Going by Nathan MacKinnon’s contract, it appears the max differential is 40%
Minimum: $9.9 M
Maximum: $16.5 M
9.9/16.5 = 0.6
Stamkos: Could do 3 years @ $8 M, followed by 2 @ $4.8 M
Cap Hit = $6.72 M
Hi HOG
I thought the rule applies only to Sal and not SBs
The Stammer proposal I gave was same Sal for 8 years
Everywhere I look on web there seems to be a different interpretation of how the rule is applied…. Some say “salary”; others use “compensation”
Most say take first year, multiply sal (or some cases they use “compensation) by 25%…. That figure then becomes the max year to year differential in adjacent years; with a second codicil of lowest sal (or some refer to “compensation”) year can’t br below 60% of highest
If “Sal” is proper wording in the CBA; the Stammer proposal works ; if not ….. nyet
I like Stamkos, but it’s probably best for both to walk away.
He doesn’t really play center anymore, and having much younger Point and Cirelli makes it much easier to make the transition.
Trade Stamkos and maybe even Hedman this year or next retain salary on both and restock with a quickness!
They have Point , Cirelli, Kucherov, Vasilesky , Sergachev locked up. Continue to compete and leave sentiment at the door!
Captain Obvious, Stamkos has a NO movement Clause – Steven ain’t going anywhere unless the Lightning are out of the playoff picture at the trade deadline and he agrees to be moved to a legit Cup contender.
Good dialog today .
Bolts won a cup without Stamkos except a shift. He scored on it mind you.
Some wild preseason games. NHL vs AHL . I wonder how it is orchestrated .
Coyotes LA down under were pretty much starting night rosters. Some of the others yikes .