Insider says some players believe Tampa Bay wouldn't be 'crushed' if Stamkos left

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Cooper Godin
September 22, 2023 (12:57)

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Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos raised the eyebrows of many in the hockey world on Wednesday when he said that he's disappointed in the lack of contract talks with team management.

Stamkos is set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1st, 2024 and while there's still plenty of time to get a deal done in the coming days, weeks and months, there's also a chance he could leave the team entirely, which no one would have thought to be a possibility.

On the most recent edition of the 32 Thoughts podcast, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman said that there's belief among some players that the Tampa Bay Lightning organization wouldn't be crushed if Stamkos left next summer.

"I know people who are around Stamkos, and I am talking other players, few of them told me that there is this underlying belief around them that Tampa wouldn't be crushed if he left." Friedman said.

Friedman went on to mention that in 2016 when many believed Stamkos was going to hit the open market on Canada Day, two teams that were interested in signing him were the Buffalo Sabres and Toronto Maple Leafs.

Stamkos, 33, has spent his entire career with the Lightning after they selected him with the first-overall pick in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft and has been a key piece to the franchise since entering the league. Stamkos has led the Lightning to two Stanley Cups, while scoring 515 goals in 1,003 games so far.

Given Stamkos' importance to the franchise, especially as their captain, it's a very strange to see that the Lightning have not discussed a new contract with him this summer.

Stamkos and the Lightning will open their 2023-24 schedule on October 10th against the Nashville Predators.