TAMPA -- Steven Stamkos and the Tampa Bay Lightning have begun preliminary discussions on a new contract, and the captain is hopeful he will remain with the only NHL team he’s ever played for.
"I had a short conversation with [Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois] after [Game 5]; he reached out to my agent," Stamkos said at Tampa Bay’s locker cleanout day Wednesday. "That's all that we have right now, but for sure hopefully there's some discussions and you have to start somewhere, so I'm looking forward to that."
Stamkos can become an unrestricted free agent July 1. The 34-year-old forward signed an eight-year, $68 million contract ($8.5 million average annual value) on June 29, 2016. BriseBois and Stamkos met after they arrived back in Tampa following a season-ending 6-1 loss at the Florida Panthers in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference First Round on Monday.
BriseBois said signing Stamkos to a new contract is “obviously a priority” for the Lightning, who selected him with the No. 1 pick in the 2008 NHL Draft.
"Obviously, Steven Stamkos needs a contract and we want him part of that group,” BriseBois said. " … I am very hopeful.”
Following the loss at Amerant Bank Arena on Monday, Stamkos said he had not yet thought about his future, but Wednesday he said that he would like to continue his career with Tampa Bay, which he has helped win the Stanley Cup twice (2020, 2021).
"At the end of the day, winning is still what fuels me,” Stamkos said. “Being a big part of that culture fuels me. Obviously, certain things have changed now; I have an amazing young family that has put roots down in this city and really enjoy living here and playing here. From that perspective the decision is more than just me now, and that's something that is amazing for me to have that and be in that situation.
“There's different factors than there were last time, but nothing's really changed in terms of my mindset and where I wanted to be and play, and that was here. So, that certainly hasn't changed.”
Stamkos led the Lightning with five goals in the first-round series against the Panthers, and finished the regular season with 28 points (16 goals, 12 assists) in the final 18 games after the NHL Trade Deadline on March 8 to help Tampa Bay earn the first wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference.
He has 1,137 points (555 goals, 582 assists) in 1,082 games over 16 seasons, all with the Lightning. He twice won the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy for most goals in a season (51 in 2009-10, and 60 in 2011-12).
Stamkos has been Lightning captain since March 6, 2014.
“You all saw how from the trade deadline on ‘Stammer’ elevated his level of play, which was incredible to see,” BriseBois said. “For someone who you can say has already earned his Hall of Fame plaque, has accomplished so much already, and has accomplished so much for so long, for him to play arguably his best two months of hockey of his career ... for him to do that at the time when our team needed it most was incredible.”
Stamkos expressed frustration last offseason that a new contract hadn’t been reached, then responded with an 81-point season (40 goals, 41 assists) in 79 games. It was the seventh time he scored at least 40 goals.
"When you don't have control of the situation, you just have to come to terms with that," Stamkos said. "For sure, there were times throughout the year you think about those things in private conversations with friends and family and mentors and things like that, but for me, I tried to leave that at home and when I came to the rink it never crossed my mind.
"That was something that I told Julien at the beginning of the year when we said there was going to be no contract talks. You won't have to worry about that affecting how I prepare, how I play or that coming into the locker room. I said what I needed to say at the beginning of the year and that was kind of it."
BriseBois said Stamkos' leadership was on display all season, especially down the stretch when he helped the Lightning qualify for the playoffs for the seventh straight season.
"You were all able to see how he led on the ice, [but] what's harder to see is how he elevated his leadership game off the ice,” BriseBois said. “Last summer, for various reasons, a lot of leadership left our team and nobody in our group raised their leadership game more than Steven Stamkos did to fill that void. We have a saying in our organization, 'We strive for excellence with humility.' Steven Stamkos has always represented excellence with humility, and never more than these past few months.
“The aim is for him to continue to play on a contending Tampa Bay Lightning team going forward."
BriseBois said he’d also like to sign defenseman Victor Hedman to a new contract. The 33-year-old has one season remaining on the eight-year, $63 million contract ($7.85 million AAV) he signed July 1, 2016.
Hedman had 76 points (13 goals, 63 assists) in 78 games this season while averaging 24:48 of ice time. BriseBois said talks have started with Hedman and his agent.
"I talked to his agent yesterday, just very preliminary,” the GM said. “We're going to circle back once we've had time to debrief here, but obviously we'd love to keep Victor going forward. He's an elite, elite defenseman. He's one of those special all-time players, all-time great Tampa Bay Lightning bolt who's still super productive, and I have no reason to believe that's not going to be the case going forward."
Hedman, the No. 2 pick by the Lightning at the 2009 NHL Draft, has 728 points (156 goals, 572 assists) in 1,052 games, all with Tampa Bay.
"We've been here from Day One,” Hedman said. “I've been here for almost half my life, and I can't picture anything else. But it's a process, it's a business. Moving forward here, my thought process is on next season and hopefully I won't be in the same position as Steven, but you never know.
“Hopefully we can get something done in the summer. My plan is to retire as a Bolt, and I hope it can come true."
