No team that thinks he wants to go to Toronto is going to pay a big sum for him at the deadline. Tampa is stuck in a bad situation if they can't get a deal done.
- Michael_Stuart

Michael, if he is still not signed by the trade deadline and he agrees to be traded to a contending team to "help" the Lightning ease his loss into the next season then he would get a big return. You are looking at it wrong as its all or nothing in professional sports, if you are a contending team who need some offense to get you over the hump and into the SCF to possibly win it NOW you do what it takes to get him and win NOW. Even if that team knows he won't resign with them he still gives them the chance to make it to the promise land and that teams fans would be ecstatic thinking of a cup run that the GM would not be killed over mortgaging some of the farm. I don't know what a big return is but I guarantee he would bring back a pretty substantial sum if this scenario played out from a team that wants to win now.

But also if he is not resigned by the trade deadline and the Bolts are near the top of the division I could also see Yzerman keeping him and going for the Cup NOW. Another reason a trade at the deadline would get a big return the Bolts don't have to trade him if they are contending. If Yzerman keeps him in this scenario yes he walks for free in the end but you might not have a better chance to win the Cup then NOW with him still in a Bolts sweater.

Sometimes people put too much stock into how teams handle trades for the future but a Stamkos deadline trade would not be a case, you get a top 8 player (top 2 offensive threat) to win the cup now - GMs would jump all over that. Its the nature of sports.

Is there a rush to signing him? Has he commented on wanting to stay with the franchise or not?


I assume he hasnt said anything about wanting to test free agency... any real contender is likely to not have the cap space ready for him. He might be wanting too much right now, aiming high with a year to haggle. Org might be waiting for him to have a slump or such, to knock him down half a mil a year...

Really don't think this should be a worry until something bad is said from either side.

Michael Stuart: POLL: When will you be worried about the Stamkos situation?
- Michael_Stuart

Between Stamkos and Hedman you guys have 2 10 plus million per year players.... Stamkos will get 7 t 11-12 per on the open market.... the time to start worrying has long since past... Tampa has a cup team... They are by far the best team in the east going into the season with NYI, PITT and WASH at a distant second... GET IT DONE!!!!

There's zero % chance Tampa lets him walk for free. For one, Yzerman has shown he has a pretty good finger on the pulse of the team. But for two, I seem to think that Stamkos is a classy enough individual to let Stevie Y know that he has plans to go elsewhere and give him the chance to be traded. So if I were a Bolts fan, considering he hasn't been traded yet, I would definitely be a bit concerned, however if he does go elsewhere, it will be by trade and not by UFA. And a boatload will be coming back too.

There's a reason why no one in Tampa should be worried: Steve Yzerman.

he'll be signed, and I imagine it will be $ 72.8M for 8 years (9.1M a season)

Between Stamkos and Hedman you guys have 2 10 plus million per year players.... Stamkos will get 7 t 11-12 per on the open market.... the time to start worrying has long since past... Tampa has a cup team... They are by far the best team in the east going into the season with NYI, PITT and WASH at a distant second... GET IT DONE!!!!
- Brianandr1

Kane & Toews have 6 cup rings - no way either gets 10M a year (unless Stamkos really plays hardball)..... stevie y still has to build a team around him (something he will surely repeatedly remind Stamkos of)

How funny would it be though, Kessel spends year on the leafs with no number one center.



One year after he leaves they they sign Stamkos.

There's a reason why no one in Tampa should be worried: Steve Yzerman.

he'll be signed, and I imagine it will be $ 72.8M for 8 years (9.1M a season)
- AlfieisKing

Nope!

His next contract will be for $91M, not $9.1M per. No chance he makes less than Toews' and Kane's deals.

How funny would it be though, Kessel spends year on the leafs with no number one center.

One year after he leaves they they sign Stamkos.
- david22

Honestly, even thinking he's going to go there is pure fantasy. Management is one thing, but to attract star players......then elite superstar players, it doesn't happen. Even kessel is not in the same conversation as the Crosby, Toews, Stamkos, Karlssons of the world

Nope!

His next contract will be for $91M, not $9.1M per. No chance he makes less than Toews' and Kane's deals.
- As_I_See_It

ahh... I like it. 91M for #91.
that said, how is he worth toews and kane $$?? 1 cup finals? I think there's no way he gets more than 10M a season.

ahh... I like it. 91M for #91.
that said, how is he worth toews and kane $$?? 1 cup finals? I think there's no way he gets more than 10M a season.
- AlfieisKing

Haha... If he gets under 10 mil, I'd be beyond shocked. Every year the cap increases, might as well call that another half a mil minimum a top star gets on what they would have gotten the year prior. If you say hes a million less than Towes and Kane, then hes getting 10 mil the next year.

Never Get a life please

I hope he does eventually decide to go to Toronto. It is time local Canadian boys started taking pride in where they grew up in stead of what they can make. I liked and admired the decisions made by Parise, Suter and Vanek a couple years ago. Yes a lot of money was involved but the fact these boys and the Minnesota organization were able to make this work because these local boys wanted to be back home shows me that there still is heart in this sport.

I hope he does eventually decide to go to Toronto. It is time local Canadian boys started taking pride in where they grew up in stead of what they can make. I liked and admired the decisions made by Parise, Suter and Vanek a couple years ago. Yes a lot of money was involved but the fact these boys and the Minnesota organization were able to make this work because these local boys wanted to be back home shows me that there still is heart in this sport.
- HabFanInAlberta

good call

Stamkos for Kane straight up, if it gets to the point of no return in Chicago, wait till you see Kane go nuts on the Beach's of Tampa. Chicago will get Stamkos signed.

I hope he does eventually decide to go to Toronto. It is time local Canadian boys started taking pride in where they grew up in stead of what they can make. I liked and admired the decisions made by Parise, Suter and Vanek a couple years ago. Yes a lot of money was involved but the fact these boys and the Minnesota organization were able to make this work because these local boys wanted to be back home shows me that there still is heart in this sport.
- HabFanInAlberta

like David Clarkson?

never?

I'm not sure playing at home is the lynchpin of whether one still has their heart in the sport. Besides, in an era where the team is just as likely to turf the player, why not at least go to the one that will overpay you for the same level of work?

I hope he does eventually decide to go to Toronto. It is time local Canadian boys started taking pride in where they grew up in stead of what they can make. I liked and admired the decisions made by Parise, Suter and Vanek a couple years ago. Yes a lot of money was involved but the fact these boys and the Minnesota organization were able to make this work because these local boys wanted to be back home shows me that there still is heart in this sport.
- HabFanInAlberta

Indeed, Parise and Suter really took one for the team to head home and play for 13 year 98 million dollar contracts. True sacrifices.

not worried. happy. hope he doesnt sign with tampa. When he signs in the west every fan of east teams breathes a sigh of relief. only question is which western conference team gets him.....

June 30th of next season

I have it from a very reliable source that Stamkos is signing with Leafs.
You guys should trade him while you can still get a return.

It is possible that Yzerman has not made Stamkos a good enough offer yet. Why should Stamkos take a discount? MSL took a discount and remember how well that worked by alienating him later.

Indeed, Parise and Suter really took one for the team to head home and play for 13 year 98 million dollar contracts. True sacrifices.
- smellmyfinger

Kadri !! And/or Bozak or Holland