NHL Rumors: Philadelphia Flyers, and the Tampa Bay Lightning
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SKA not ruling out allowing Matvei Michkov to join the Philadelphia Flyers

Alexander Appleyard: (from a Matchtv.ru article) SKA Chairman Medvedev said that the Philadelphia Flyers would like to have Matvei Michkov in the NHL. SKA has a good relationship with the Flyers front office, who won’t violate Michkov’s KHL contract.

The sides will talk and SKA won’t “rule out” allowing Michkov to go to the NHL. A decision will be made by no later than the end of June.

  • Alexander Appleyard: Now, (Appleyard) would say that SKA holds all the cards in this and would add: “If they do let him go early? Might be 25-26+not 24-25. I think SKA leadership “want” Michkov to be an SKA player next year… and maybe the Michkov-Rotenberg relationship is the thing that throws spanner in that.”
  • Anthony Mingioni: “My thoughts were that SKA wanted at least one season from Michkov & then perhaps next summer would be the time for an exit discussion. I’ll guess we’ll see, won’t we?”

Will Steven Stamkos be a Bolt for life?

Sportsnet: Tampa Bay Lightning forward Steven Stamkos and head coach Jon Cooper on if the pending UFA has played his final game in Lightning uniform.

** NHLRumors.com transcription

Reporter: “As the clock was winding down, were you’re thinking about sort of the uncertainty of what’s now to come with you?”

Stamkos: “No, that never crossed my mind. So I’m out there battling to try to help our team win regardless. At the end of the game we’re trying to score. Some pride on the line for our group. So, no.”

Reporter: “Jon (Cooper) there’s gonna be a lot of conversation about the future of Steven Stamkos. What can you say about your captain and if you can imagine him not wearing a Lightning …?”

Cooper: “I don’t know if there’ll be much conversation, I hope not anyway. You know, he’s, he belongs here. We know it, he knows it. So, but again, this is two seconds after game but I’ve you know, he and I have grown up together and he’s a heck of a player.

But he’s also you know, I mean, I suppose in control of his own destiny, but I you know, he’s, I don’t know what’s gonna happen, but I mean, he’s, he feels like a Bolt for life, but only like he and Julian (BriseBois) can answer that one.”