Steven Stamkos expressed his desire to win another Stanley Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The team captain, who could become a free agent soon, confirmed on Wednesday that he wishes to continue playing for the team he has been with for his entire remarkable 16-season career.
General manager Julien BriseBois also stated that the Lightning is eager to have him back, mentioning that discussions have already started with Stamkos and his agent after the team’s recent loss to the Florida Panthers in the NHL playoffs.
BriseBois praised Stamkos for his exceptional performance, especially in the months following the trade deadline, highlighting his significant contributions during a crucial period for the team.
As the Lightning’s all-time leader in points and goals, Stamkos has established himself as a standout player, earning multiple All-Star selections and winning the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy twice for being the league’s top goal-scorer.
Despite his frustration over not receiving a contract extension last year, Stamkos delivered an impressive performance, achieving his seventh 40-goal season.
The top pick from the 2008 draft, who was No. 1 overall, played well toward the end of the season, especially after March 8. He scored a total of 28 points, with 16 goals and 12 assists, helping the Lightning recover from a slow start and some important players getting injured, so they could make it to the playoffs.
“It was tough for us to get into the playoffs this year, but we managed to do it. From January 8 to April 5, when we secured our playoff spot, we had the third-best record in the NHL,” BriseBois mentioned.
“With the players we already have under contract, I believe we’ll be strong contenders again next year,” he added. “We want Stamkos to be a part of that team.”
Stamkos, who played a key role in the Lightning’s back-to-back Stanley Cup wins in 2020 and 2021, had a great season this year, scoring 40 goals and making 41 assists in 79 games.
In the first round of the playoffs against the Panthers, he scored five goals, becoming only the third player in the team’s history to reach 100 points in the postseason.
Even though they lost in the first round of the playoffs for the second year in a row, Stamkos believes the Lightning are very close to competing for another Stanley Cup.
