The Tampa Bay Lightning cleared loads of cap house Saturday, however apparently to not re-sign captain Steven Stamkos.
Normal supervisor Julien BriseBois stated the workforce and Stamkos have determined to let the Lightning star hit unrestricted free company on Monday. That is after two trades on Saturday on the NHL draft that opened up vital wage cap house, because the Lightning despatched defenseman Mikhail Sergachev ($8.5 million common annual worth) to Utah and ahead Tanner Jeannot ($2.665 million AAV) to the Los Angeles Kings.
CapFriendly now tasks the Lightning to have $16.5 million in obtainable cap house. There was loads of hypothesis that the elevated cap house was earmarked for a brand new contract for Stamkos, however that wasn’t the case.
BriseBois stated he spoke with Stamkos’ agent, Don Meehan, on Saturday after the trades have been made however didn’t enhance the workforce’s supply to its star ahead. A number of reviews declare that the Lightning have made a long-term supply to Stamkos however with a median annual worth of solely $3 million.
“The plan is for Steven to check the free agent market. Our respective positions have not modified following right now’s trades. I perceive that if you get this near free company it may be tempting to see what the market has to supply to you. That was a threat I used to be taking after I did not go to Steven a yr early to attempt to lock him up and get a contract accomplished,” BriseBois stated.
The overall supervisor additionally advised Meehan that “it is the very best curiosity of our group to discover all choices within the coming days, whether or not or not it’s by way of trades or by moving into free company.”
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There was heavy hypothesis on the draft in Las Vegas on Saturday that the Lightning may goal Carolina Hurricanes winger Jake Guentzel in free company, who’s 5 years youthful than Stamkos. The Hurricanes have been trying to retain Guentzel however have but to ink him to a brand new contract.
“We have now this cover house. We will allocate it in several methods by both getting quantity or high quality. I do not know but how we will try this. I do know the precedence goes to be to deal with our ahead group,” BriseBois stated.
Stamkos, 34, had been a key a part of that ahead group for the reason that Lightning chosen him No. 1 total within the 2008 draft.
Stamkos has spent 16 seasons with the Lightning and is the membership’s profession chief in targets (555), factors (1,137) and video games (1,082). He has received two Stanley Cups (2020, 2021) with the franchise and has 50 targets and 51 assists in 128 playoff video games.
This previous season, Stamkos had 40 targets and 41 assists in 79 video games. It marked the seventh time he has scored 40 or extra targets. A seven-time All-Star, Stamkos additionally authored his first profession four-goal recreation this previous December.
Stamkos got here near turning into a free agent in 2016 earlier than signing an eight-year, $68 million deal simply earlier than the beginning of free company. However this time, he is headed to the market.
“We have now to see what’s greatest for the Lightning group and Steven has to do what’s greatest for him, his profession and his household,” BriseBois stated. “So except one thing adjustments between now and July 1 — and it does not appear to be it should — then we are going to get to July 1.”
The Lightning are also hopeful of understanding a contract extension with defenseman Victor Hedman, who has one season left on an eight-year, $63 million contract. Hedman, 33, had 13 targets and 76 factors in 78 video games this season, his fifteenth with the membership.
“We have had discussions with Victor’s brokers about an extension,” BriseBois stated. “In his case, we now have extra runway earlier than we now have to get a deal accomplished, as he nonetheless has one yr left on his present settlement. That being stated, the plan stays to be ready to announce an settlement on a brand new contract for Victor within the coming days.”
Info from Subject Degree Media was used on this report.
