Lightning Captain Feels Disrespected By The Franchise

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Matt Garland
September 20, 2023 (10:51)

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The Tampa Bay Lightning have been the blueprint example on how to run a franchise in the salary cap era. Since 2015 Tampa have won two Stanley Cups and have reached the final four times in that span.

The Lightning found themselves in an unfamiliar position when they were knocked out in round one of the playoffs last season by the Toronto Maple Leafs.

33 year old Steven Stamkos is currently set to play out the last of an eight-year, $68 million deal with a cap hit of $8.5 million. Stamkos was eligible to sign an extension on July 1st. The captain made it known he wanted to remain in Tampa but no deal has been signed.

Stamkos was back in Tampa to begin training camp today and showed his frustration with the lack of progress on a new deal.

h1>Stamkos comments via Erik Erlendsson

To be honest I've been disappointed in the lack of talk in that regard. So it was something that I expressed at the end of last year that I wanted to get something done before training camp.

I'm ready whenever so I guess that was something that that I didn't see see coming but it is what it is.

Like I stated at the end of last year, too. I would love to extend and play here and finish up my career here but that's out of my hands. I can't write a contract for myself.

General Manager Julien BriseBois has been signing his younger talent on the roster to large long-term tickets, with Stamkos turning 34 in February it appears BrisBois is hesitant to reward Stamkos again with all the success he brought to the franchise.

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How will the Stamkos situation play out?
He'll extend in Tampa	76	38.8 %
He'll test free agency after the season	70	35.7 %
He'll be traded	50	25.5 %
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