Yeah, but the question is...now that he's a RFA, do you sign him to that role (and the salary that comes with it) long term ? Personally, I see him more as an 'luxury' third liner. And we already have someone assuming that role in Montreal with Shaw.
Personally I'd rather have Killorn and another $4-4.5M in cap space than Stamkos - he's that clutch in the playoffs. A top three goal scorer in both of the last two postseasons on an absolutely stacked team
and he plays a great two-way game. I don't consider him a third liner: he's really a top six wing who spent a lot of time on the third line because a) he can play that role well, and b) Stamkos hasn't had good chemistry with anybody since MSL left and Cooper kept rotating players in and out of Stammer's line in an effort to find a combination that would work consistently. But he's our best winger after Kucherov, Drouin, and Palat, and in the postseason he's been better than Drej.
That said since we're stuck with Stamkos we're going to have to lose a top six forward. Kucherov and Drouin are untouchable so it comes down to Johnson, Palat, or Killorn. Johnson plays the more valuable position, has fantastic chemistry with Kucherov, and is the best of the three offensively, but he also has durability concerns and oddly enough might be the most easily replaced of the three. Palat and Killorn are excellent two-way players; Palat in particular makes everybody he plays with better and is the better playmaker of the two but Killorn has been the better scorer in the playoffs. Honestly I'm not sure which of the three I'd move - I suppose Killorn simply because the Triplets have such fantastic chemistry that I'd hate to break them up, but we're really going to miss Killer and everything he brings to the team.