Steven Stamkos must regret his public criticism of Tampa Bay Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois.
While Tampa is having a great start to the season, the Predators are getting bogged down.
“The biggest difference between today’s Lightning and the one that won the championship is the defense”hammered Stamkos.
This statement, coupled with his dissatisfaction with the lack of a contract extension, creates a growing gap between him and BriseBois.
The captain expressed his frustration:
“After everything I’ve done for this team, I didn’t expect to be treated like this. »
“To be honest, I’m extremely disappointed. I was clear with the organization. I wanted to have my contract extension before the start of training camp.”
“I never thought I would be shown such little respect after all I have done for the organization.”
“I’ve always said that I want to finish my career here. But I can’t offer myself a contract. I can’t sign a contract that doesn’t exist. Right now, I’m in shock. I don’t understand not.”
Stamkos chose to sign with the Nashville Predators this summer, lured by a tempting 4-year offer at $8 million per season.
Unfortunately, this union does not go as planned. The Predators have lost their first four games, and Stamkos has yet to record a single point, an unacceptable performance for such a salary.
Journalist Alex Daugherty, who specializes in covering the Predators, detailed the team’s flaws: blocked shots by opponents, an ineffective offense, and a dysfunctional power play with a success rate of only 14.3%.
On top of that, Juuse Saros, the star goalkeeper, is performing horribly. Stamkos is not the only one responsible, but he is the one who receives the tomatoes.
The Predators still have time to get their act together, but concerns are growing around Stamkos. His signing was supposed to mark a turning point for Nashville, but the results were slow to come.
In this saga, time is running out for Stamkos, who will have to prove that he can still be an elite player, whether in Nashville or elsewhere.
For BriseBois and the Lightning, they are already proving that they can move forward without their captain.
The Quebecer won his duel all the way.
