Every time an elimination occurs for the Tampa Bay Lightning, the question is raised as to whether the window of opportunity is closing for the team that was crowned with Lord Stanley’s prized trophy in 2020 and 2021.
For this elimination, the question could take on its full meaning since in the coming weeks, it is the future of captain Steven Stamkos who will be on everyone’s lips in Tampa.
At the end of this 6-1 loss in Game 5 against the Florida Panthers, the Lightning saw their run come to an end. Stamkos waited until his last teammate left the ice to follow him into the locker room. It is now to be seen whether he will leave a locker room next season to return to the ice with a jersey other than that of the Lightning on his back.
The Canadian forward could become an unrestricted free agent on July 1 after completing the final year of an 8-year contract that paid him $8.5 million per season.
The captain did everything in his power in this series to keep his team in the game. He scored in each of the first four games to finish ahead of his Florida rivals with five goals and an assist. In the locker room after the loss, Stamkos didn’t elaborate on his contract situation, unsurprisingly, and he made sure to mention that his entire focus was on beating the Panthers.
“It never crossed my mind. I was on the ice and I wanted to do my best to help the team win,” he told reporters in the locker room about what was next for him.
His coach Jon Cooper was also questioned on the issue and the latter expects to see his captain again next season, but the decision is not his.
“I don’t know if there’s going to be much discussion on the issue. I hope not, he said about Stamkos’ contract. He belongs here. We know it, he knows it. I’m telling you this only a few seconds after the match. I feel like I grew up with him. He’s quite a player. »
“He is in control of his future. I don’t know what’s going to happen, but he seems to be a ‘Bolt’ for life,” he added.
The Lightning had quite a challenge ahead of them in the first round with the Atlantic Division champions. Tampa punched a ticket among the teams drafted in the East. An unusual position for this formation and even if it did not have the striking force that we have seen during other editions, the captain believed in his group.
“There is another team on the ice too. I said we could have done better, but it didn’t happen. »
“Maybe it wasn’t a team like the ones we’ve had in the past, but that didn’t matter. We showed up in this series, it was close, but we didn’t have that extra, whatever you want to call it, to have the upper hand,” said the 34-year-old striker.
Having just arrived with the Lightning during the season following a trade, Anthony Duclair quickly had the opportunity to notice the impact of a player like Stamkos in the locker room.
“He was incredible from the first game. He has led this team to championships in the past. To have had the chance to meet him, it was incredible. I wanted to learn by watching him every day. He prepared us every time for the battle and it was impressive,” mentioned Anthony Duclair who will also be looking for a new contract.
Arriving with the Lightning for the 2008 season after being the organization’s first pick in the draft, Stamkos participated in five Stanley Cup Finals, triumphing on two occasions. The Lightning won 20 playoff games and during his career, he collected 50 goals and 51 assists in 128 games.
It remains to be seen if the man who twice finished the campaign as the circuit’s scoring champion will sign a new pact to stay with the Lightning in the coming weeks or if he will test the free agent market.
In 1,082 regular season games with the Lightning, he scored 555 goals and amassed 1,137 points, two highs in the history of the organization.
