Tampa Bay’s captain wants a new contract
He has been loyal to the Tampa Bay Lightning throughout his NHL career.
But just weeks before the NHL premiere, team captain Steven Stamkos, 33, expressed his disappointment.
The club did not hold any talks about a new contract.
The pre-season camp for NHL clubs is just around the corner, and the series premiere is just a few weeks away.
Steven Stamkos only has one season left on his contract worth $8.5 million, which is roughly 95 million Swedish krona per season. If he had his way, he would have entered the season with a new contract ready.
“No talk about it”
When Tampa Bay’s captain met with the media on Wednesday, he expressed his disappointment with the club’s actions.
Frankly, I’m disappointed by the lack of talk about this topic. This was something I expressed after last season, as I wanted to have something ready before the start of pre-season camp. But it wasn’t talked about, he says.
He says he is ready to begin contract talks as soon as possible.
– I am ready at any time. It was something I never expected to happen, but it is what it is, he says.
The general manager answers
The club’s general manager, Julien Brisebois, has no doubt that Steven Stamkos will be a productive player for years to come. He also says that the club wants to keep Stamkos, but at the same time they must be competitive for several years to come.
Most things point to the fact that the contract situation will be discussed more widely after the season.
– In order to continue the challenge, we have to spend money as much as possible. To do this, I need to get more information. I have to see how the season is going, I have to see how the pieces of the puzzle fit and how the team is performing. “After the season, I will have gathered that information and will have a clearer picture of what the team needs and how to manage salary cap space to build the best team possible — both for Stephen to stay here and for us to be competitive,” he says. Brisebois.
Steven Stamkos was selected by Tampa Bay with the number one pick in the 2008 NHL Draft. Since then, he has become one of the most dangerous scorers in the NHL and has been a vital part of Tampa Bay’s success in recent years by winning two Stanley Cup titles. The crowning glory of the work.
Last season, the 33-year-old scored 84 points (34 goals, 50 assists) in 81 games.