TSN's Bob McKenzie is reporting that Steven Stamkos is not untouchable on the trade market, as Tampa Bay Lightning GM Julien BriseBois seeks to clear his team's cap crunch:
A big reason for moving 💵 is to be able to sign those young RFAs. Notably absent from untouchable list is captain Steven Stamkos. That doesn’t guarantee Stamkos will be dealt but it’s within realm of possibility though his health could obviously be a factor.
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) October 6, 2020
To state the obvious: The Stanley Cup triumph makes these conversations a lot easier than they otherwise might have been. Selling the fan base and team on even the possibility of a move like this would be nearly impossible without the ongoing euphoria that comes with being a champion. Of course, the flip side is that it's also a lot easier to get away with a move that would be looked at a whole lot more unfavourably in a vacuum.
My personal preference is that the team find a way to make the numbers work without shipping Stamkos elsewhere, unless it's the player's preference; his no-move clause should help to facilitate that result. While his health is obviously a concern, the fact remains that he was named Captain of the franchise for a reason. Beyond the impact that his 2:47 of playoff ice time had on the team's Cup run, his words and actions during the celebration quite clearly suggest that he cares and believes deeply in Tampa as a hockey market. Trading him to keep Erik Cernak in the fold just strikes me as an underwhelming trade off.
Regardless of what happens, we'll always have this memory:
Its a good day for the captain when.....sunsets, hockey and the #StanleyCup @TBLightning @nhl@HockeyHallFame pic.twitter.com/O3awLixB4x
— Philip Pritchard (@keeperofthecup) October 5, 2020