2024-05-02 16:47:18
Forward Steven Stamkos has spent all 16 seasons of his professional career in the National Hockey League of the United States and Canada (NHL) with the Tampa Bay Lightning and is interested in staying for a 17th, the AP reports. His contract expires on July 1, but he has already held preliminary talks with the team’s general manager Julien Brisbois.
Tampa Bay was eliminated from the NHL playoffs on Monday night.
“I had a short conversation with him (Brisboa – BC) after the match and he contacted my agent. That’s all for now, but I hope we can start wider discussions. We’ve only made the beginning and I’m waiting for the continuation,” he said Stamkos.
Stamkos had five goals in the series against Florida, which Tama Bay lost in five games after a 6-1 loss on Monday. Stamkos spoke on the matter 48 hours after his team was eliminated.
“Winning gives me energy. We all fight for it. Our team is built with this goal and the environment gives me strength. Some things have changed for me and I have a family, but it just means that I am settled in the city and enjoying life here. The decision is not just for me,” he continued.
“There are different factors now that didn’t exist in the previous contract talks. In terms of my desire, though, nothing has changed. I’m still where I want to be. That certainly hasn’t changed.”
Stamkos signed his current contract in 2016 for eight years and $68 million. He won two Stanley Cups with the team in 2020 and 2021, and also increased his 40-or-more goal seasons to seven. The forward now has 555 career goals and 1,137 points in 1,082 games.
Stamkos, the Lightning’s captain since March 204, is the team’s undisputed leader, according to Brisboa.
“We all saw that somewhere around the end of the free agent market he raised his level of play. Steven has already earned a spot in the ‘Hall of Fame,’ but he still had two of the best months of his career. It’s incredible, because that’s when the team needed him the most,” the Lightning general manager said.
Brisbois added that Tampa Bay will also try to commit to defenseman Victor Hedman, who has just one year left on his contract. It was similar to that of Stamkos – eight seasons for $63 million.