The Tampa Bay Lightning are not the powerhouse they once were but remain a contending team in an ever-changing NHL landscape. The Lightning face an intriguing offseason this summer as the roster continues to age and contracts to key players diminish.
Most notably, captain Steven Stamkos is set to become a free agent on July 1 and there is no imminent progress on a new contract. Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois spoke to Stamkos' agents on Thursday but didn’t sound optimistic about a deal getting done before the 34-year-old hits the open market.
“I don’t know if we’ll be able to reach an agreement (by Monday),” BriseBois said, per Eduardo A. Encina. “Both sides are interested in getting a deal done, but we haven’t been able to agree to terms that are satisfactory for both sides.”
While the Stamkos situation is pressing, the Lightning are also in contract talks with defenseman Victor Hedman. Hedman has one year remaining on the current deal he signed in July 2016.
He'll be eligible for an extension on July 1 and Tampa Bay seems confident it'll announce a deal shortly thereafter.
“We've had discussions with Victor's agent about an extension,” BriseBois said, according to Lightning reporter Gabby Shirley. “In his case, we have more runway before we have to get a deal done. He still has one year left on his current agreement. That being said, the plan remains to be in a position to announce an agreement or a new contract with Victor in the coming days”
Hedman and Stamkos are great friends having spent the entirety of their respective careers in Tampa. The Lightning selected Hedman second overall in 2009 a year after drafting Stamkos with the first overall pick.
Lightning, Stamkos nearing an impasse
The business side of sports comes into play a lot during contract negotiations, even when it involves a franchise icon. This is likely the case with Steven Stamkos and the Lightning as the sides approach a potential breakup.
Tampa isn’t necessarily strapped for cash but doesn’t have much room to work with. If Stamkos doesn’t budge on his asking price – and he's certainly entitled to have one – the Lightning would have to move a few pieces to make his next contract work. That might not be something BriseBois is interested in.
Despite his age, Stamkos is undoubtedly still a productive player as evidenced by his 40 goals last season and 1.12 points per game over the last three seasons. He arguably outplayed his previous contract as he set numerous franchise records and captained the Lightning to consecutive Stanley Cups in 2020 and 2021.
If he had become a free agent earlier in his career, Stamkos probably would have commanded more than the $8.5 million average annual value he had in his last contract. With that in mind, Stamkos can use his taking a lighter contract before as a bargaining chip.
It would be a strange sight to see Steven Stamkos in a different uniform other than the Lightning. That becomes more of a reality each day without a new contract.
There's no guarantee Stamkos will leave even if he hits free agency. Few players of his caliber have re-signed after touching the open market, but the Lightning are the only team Stamkos has known. It wouldn’t feel real to Tampa fans and followers of the NHL if he played for another team.
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