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Bolts Should Look at Backstrom-Type Deal for Stamkos / More on GM Search

May 19, 2010, 11:21 AM ET [ Comments]

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The first time I met new Tampa Bay Lightning owner, Jeff Vinik, was a very casual encounter prior to the last home game of this past season as we both stepped onto the elevator that ascends to the St. Pete Times Forum press box. After simple introductions, the conversation quickly turned to what was on everyone’s mind that night: Steven Stamkos’ pursuit of the 50-goal mark.

I proclaimed how nice it would be for the home fans to see him accomplish the feat to close out the home schedule after another dreadful season to alleviate even a little of the bitterness in the mouths of the Lightning faithful and Mr. Vinik agreed.

I added that I’d like to save a little gas money too, by not “having” to make the trip to Sunrise for the season finale the next day, as I said I would, were Stamkos still a goal or two shy.

It was that assertion about saving a couple of bucks that humorously shifted the conversation to just how much the Lightning superstar himself might cost down the road.

Of course, Stamkos scored goals 49 and 50 that night and went on to earn a share of the “Rocket” Richard Trophy a day later with his 51st of the season.

And, while I may not have had to dip into little man’s college fund to gas up the JJ-mobile for a Sunday trip to the other coast, there’s no getting around the fact that Steven Stamkos is going to cost Vinik and the Lightning a gargantuan chunk of change.

No one doubts that he’ll be worth every penny of that next contract (and beyond if this one doesn’t go 10, 12, 15 years, that is) but the Lightning would be wise to look for value in Stamkos’ forthcoming deal and a precedent was recently set that would provide just that.

Nicklas Backstrom’s 10-year, $67 million dollar contract extension with the Washington Capitals locks up Alex Ovechkin’s personal pivot for a decade at the reasonable cap hit of $6.7 million per season and, with the brilliance of Stamkos’ performance in 2009-10 as a leading indicator, the Lightning should be salivating at the chance to get their young superstar inked to a new deal at a similar price and term.

Backstrom’s numbers in his first three seasons average out to 23-63-86 per 82 games played and Stamkos’ 38-34-72. But with 51 goals in his sophomore season, there’s no telling where Stamkos might go from here and the Lightning surely have seen enough from their young superstar to show him Backstrom-like money. If they don’t extend him before or during the 2010-11 season and he so much as matches his offensive production from last year, that three-year, 82-game average swells to 42-37-79.

And what kind of cheddar does 42 goals per season get you?

38 tallies a year earned Sidney Crosby $43.5 million for five years in July of 2007 – an $8.7 million dollar cap hit for Pittsburgh – and Alex Ovechkin’s 13-year, $124 million dollar whopper of a deal came in January of 2008 – denting Washington’s cap number to the tune of $9 million and change – after two-and-a-half seasons at a consistent 50-goal clip.

Significant improvement on the 51 goals he posted last year, which no one can argue is impossible, would elevate Stamkos at least into the Crosby/Ovechkin ballpark, in terms of status as well as salary, the latter something the Bolts should look to avoid with an extension in the Backstrom neighborhood sooner rather than later.

There is the minor stumbling block of not having a CEO/GM tandem in place just yet to see to this business but that, we all assume, will be taken care of in short order.

Extending Stamkos long-term has to be high on the new duo’s list of priorities once they settle in here in Tampa.

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No News is Good News for Dark Horses
At the risk of repeating myself, the longer the GM search goes, the greater the odds become for more of an underdog candidate emerging as Tampa Bay’s choice to replace the ousted Brian Lawton.

Put it this way, were their top choice available (and interested), there’d be no reason to continue to play the waiting game. With the Cup Final nearly upon us already and off-season madness looming immediately thereafter, it’s high time to get your man in place.

All this tells me is that either their top choice still has a horse in the race, so to speak, as in one of the final four teams competing for the Cup or their top choice(s) gave a, “No thanks”, as a response already. I’m not seeing an obvious choice from the front office staffs of the respective conference finalists (though that doesn’t mean a true mystery candidate isn’t hiding in those bushes) so I’m thinking the Bolts are left weighing secondary options.

And there’s nothing wrong with that at all.

In that case, the active list of candidates surely includes several that have no direct NHL GM experience, which is fine, so long as they’ve been properly groomed for a shot at the big-time of their own.

Kings AGM Ron Hextall’s name has surfaced recently and some believe he has spoken with the club, as has former Flames and Wild GM Doug Risebrough and television analyst Pierre McGuire, according to Damian Cristodero of the St. Pete Times, who also lists Predators director of hockey operations, Mike Santos, as a potential candidate.

But the longer this goes, the longer I’m inclined to lean toward someone whose name has hardly been spoken during the search and someone who has made nary a peep publicly regarding the position themselves – like Hextall (who hasn’t commented) or Nashville AGM Paul Fenton (who told The Times he hasn’t had any contact) or Claude Loiselle, who served under both Jay Feaster and Lawton as Tampa Bay’s assistant GM in the past (and who has also repeatedly declined to comment).

Then again, maybe the choice is McGuire. After all, he is locked up with Cup coverage for the duration.

From the beginning, we knew the search would be thorough and, if the Lightning did not explore all options, they would be making a huge mistake.

But it’s been over a month now. Either their target isn’t yet available or they’re deciding between who’s left.

If it’s the latter, good. There’s plenty of valuable experience available among those presumed candidates. Besides, who wants a retread? History repeats itself and I’m not seeing any Stanley Cup-winning GMs banging down the Lightning’s door. The former? Then color me completely stumped.

Either way, it can’t be too long now.

JJ

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