Speculation: Stamkos

[More 2004]

As a question for Lightning fans and people intrigued by the Stamkos situation:

How confident are you that the Lightning will get something done, even if he hits the open market and gets more than market value from other teams, and if they can, who do you think is most likely to be a casualty on TBL roster to make it happen?

I am about 8 out of 10 on the Stamkos returns to Tampa confidence scale.

 

[Aoko]

Stamkos will look around the league, remember that he can take less with Tampa and still come out ahead due to taxes, and resign there.

Bingo.

We've already had the Stammer UFA sweepstakes, and he resigned at a sweetheart of a deal over Toronto's offers.

History has a habit of repeating itself. He isn't going anywhere.

 

[herzausstein]

Tampa has $5.3M in cap space and still needs to sign 1 defenseman and 2 forwards in addition to Stamkos.

Those 3 players at league minimum will bring the cap space down to ~$3M. I imagine he'll be able to get substantially more than the tax difference of that elsewhere.

That and there are other teams play in states with no state tax. Florida isnt entirely unique in that fashion

 

[DesertPenguin]

It's directly contradictory to the intent to get younger, but if it's a short term, high dollar deal I wonder if Pittsburgh makes an offer. PIT has cap space to burn in the near term but doesn't want to commit to super long contracts that would go rotten after the rebuild, and they need a trigger man on the PP. Stammer for 2 years would fit their needs.

 

[Wallet Inspector]

Can Stamkos still play centre? If so, the Bruins may make a big push for him.

 

[RogerRoger]

He might be Utah's splash or maybe the Preds to get over the hump.
Anything to get him in the West really.

 

[CowbellConray]

Sabres could offer high dollar low term and plant him on PP2. Gives them a top 6 winger who can take draws as well.

 

[Flat Ronnie]

Sabres could offer high dollar low term and plant him on PP2. Gives them a top 6 winger who can take draws as well.

Lol what?

He's one of, if the most valuable PP assets in the league.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

The Ryan McDonough move was also really odd to me from an outside perspective, especially with zero retention.

I just wonder why they would willingly put themselves in that situation of bringing back at 30 something year old D with a big cap hit that could have been used to keep Stamkos to begin with instead of now being in a tight spot where they have to dump Jeannot, and/or Sheary, and maybe something else to make it happen and fill the roster out, unless they believe he will sign for much less.

Folks need to ask themselves: would they have even picked up Ryan McDonagh if they thought it jeopardized keeping Stamkos in any way? Of course they wouldn't have. It's not like they picked up McDonagh, THEN ran their Cap numbers, and said "oopsie!!! omg now we have no room for Stammer!". Nope. They already knew whatever it is they needed in order to keep Stamkos. Whether that's the manner they'd dump Jeannot, Sheary, Cirelli or whoever, or whether they have other LTIR options coming, whatever it is... they already knew it BEFORE they added McDonagh.

I mean, it's slightly possible that what they knew was that Stamkos wanted out... or wanted a ridiculously large contract that they weren't going to agree to even when they had room for it... but those seem like highly unlikely cases. It makes more sense that they simply have another Cap solution and they're fully planning to keep their 40-goal scoring Captain around.

 

[Dog]

He really more of a winger at this point. So anybody who thought hey we need a center highly unlikely.

 

[Petes2424]

Think this comes down to Tampa, Dallas and Detroit, in that order.. If they move Cirelli, Cernak or Sergachev before July 1, then he’s staying. Dallas would have to decide if the money is just too much of a luxury or not, and Detroit is likely sitting with open arms.

 

[CowbellConray]

Lol what?

He's one of, if the most valuable PP assets in the league.

Thompson on PP1 and Stamkos on PP2

Split time between the units equally

 

[jamienwalker]

I agree with CowbellConray, I hope Buffalo puts an offer in, and he signs. It'll be an expensive 2, probably have to be 3 year deal. Stamkos is an extremely valuable player, that's available for no assets. I think every team will be offering him a contract.

 

[Bouboumaster]

To Montréal

Let him play under St-Louis

 

[Voight]

he's coming home to Detroit

Noted Detroit resident Steven Stamkos.

To Montréal

Let him play under St-Louis

Probably doesn't want to toil in mediocrity the rest of his career.

 

[lwvs84]

Ducks need RHS and PP help. Verbeek might make an offer. He wouldn't need to play C, play with a good playmaker, and be the go to guy on the power play.

 

[Bouboumaster]

Probably doesn't want to toil in mediocrity the rest of his career.

Habs are competitive in two years at worst

With Stamkos, we try our luck with the playoffs as soon as next season

 

[SeanMoneyHands]

Vegas will sign him.

 

[DFC]

Can Stamkos still play centre? If so, the Bruins may make a big push for him.

He can. If he walks, I think Boston is probably the most likely destination.

I still think he stays. I just hope we make a major move to clear the money while bringing in assets, rather than a bunch of minor moves that will structure us more like the Leafs (top heavy, no depth).