Getty Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos could be a free agent target for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
We could enter uncharted NHL territory if the Tampa Bay Lightning and Steven Stamkos cannot find common ground and sign a contract extension. That could turn him into a potential Toronto Maple Leafs target.
That’s because Stamkos has only played for Tampa Bay since the Lightning drafted him in 2008, but he is scheduled to enter July 2024 as an undrafted free agent with his contract running through June 30. Is a zip code change coming?
The Athletic’s Jonas Siegel listed Stamkos as one of his 10 “Best Fits at Forward” for the Leafs to target in the 2024 free agency, assuming he gets there. Siegel ranked Stamkos as the No. 8 best potential target but started the segment about the Lightning captain with two questions.
“Will he actually leave Tampa? Or rather, will Tampa actually let him leave?” Siegel wondered. “If he does leave, what kind of deal will he seek as a free agent? How long and how pricey?”
For context, Stamkos (34 years old) has consistently earned at least $7.5 million annually since the 2011-12 season. He is projected to command around $8.5 million AAV on the open market, according to Evolving Hockey.
Steven Stamkos Fit With the Maple Leafs
Siegel thinks Stamkos’ skill set doesn’t perfectly align with the Leafs’ current lineup. However, the analyst believes his addition could bring significant value to the organization in multiple ways.
“The Leafs could simply roll with a 1-2-3 of Matthews, Stamkos, and Tavares down the middle, though two aging centres in key roles is a dicey proposition,” Siegel explains. “And yet, if Stamkos wants to try to bring a Stanley Cup home to Toronto, and, crucially, is willing to take less to do so, the Leafs can find a way to make it work.”
Interestingly, the Leafs convinced John Tavares to sign a contract with his hometown team in July 2018. Although now much older than Tavares was when he signed with Toronto at 27, Stamkos could follow his steps.
Stamkos is a native of Markham, Ontario, but he’s always played hockey in Florida. He captained Tampa Bay to back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2020 and 2021.
Even though Stamkos’ positional fit might not be as smooth as other players, Siegel thinks his skill set is too good to pass on the possibility of signing him if he becomes available, and it would potentially boost the Leafs power-play unit.
“The addition of Stamkos’ one-timer would be hugely helpful to a power play that’s slumped again and again when it matters,” Siegel wrote. “Stick Stamkos on the left flank and Matthews on the right flank and PP1 for the Leafs would become a lot harder to stop.”
Steven Stamkos’s Future in Limbo Following Tampa Bay Trade
Stamkos and the Lightning aim to extend their relationship until he retires as the Tampa Bay captain. That, however, might not be possible, and the franchise isn’t making negotiations any easier.
Tampa Bay’s trade for Ryan McDonagh has further complicated these negotiations. McDonagh’s $6.75 million cap hit leaves the Lightning with approximately $5 million in cap space for the next season, per CapFriendly.
Considering Stamkos’ projection to sign a deal in the $8.5-million range, the Lightning simply don’t have enough room to re-sign their captain. That is unless he gives the franchise a massive home discount.
Speaking on May 21 (via Chris Krenn), Lightning General Manager Julien BriseBois expressed confidence that they will retain Stamkos.
“We still have some cap space. Steven Stamkos isn’t signed yet. That’s ongoing,” BriseBois stated. “We’re still able, in my mind, to get something done that makes sense for the organization with Steven even after acquiring Ryan McDonagh.”
However, BriseBois acknowledged the difficulty of fitting Stamkos’ contract within the cap space.
“[Negotiations] are ongoing,” BriseBois said. “It would be unfair to characterize. I don’t think anything’s changed. Steven was upfront saying he wanted to stay. That’s his strong preference. I’ve mentioned that’s our strong preference as well. Now, we’re still working on how do we make this happen for it to make sense for both sides.”
During his exit interview on May 3, Stamkos sounded optimistic about continuing his career in Tampa Bay.
“We’ll have to have those discussions, but I’m certainly excited that we’re going to have those. Then we can go from there,” Stamkos said. “At the end of the day, winning is still what fuels me. Being a big part of that culture fuels me.”