Is There Any Friction Between Steven Stamkos and the Tampa Bay Lightning?
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Donnie & Dhali: Tampa Bay Lightning TV Voice Dave Randorf when asked if there is any friction between pending UFA Steven Stamkos and the Lightning.

** NHLRumors.com transcription

Rick Dhaliwal: “Hey Dave, you mentioned Stamkos, the story a few weeks ago that it’s his final year of his deal. He’s kind of disappointed there hasn’t been any contract talks.

What do you make of that story Dave?”

Randorf: “Yeah. I was standing right there on opening day of media day when he came out and was asked about the contract situation.

And Steven, in a very calculated way, like he’s a future Hall of Famer, he didn’t say it any kind of vindictive, kind of angry way. He just said it matter of factly. He was asked, honestly, what do you think? And he answered honestly saying, ‘You know, I’m disappointed that there has basically been no talks during the summer on an extension.’

He’s an unrestricted free agent like you just said Rick, next summer. I think he, it’s very, very important to him that he’s hit all these milestones – 500 goals, 1,000 points. 500 goals against the Canucks last year in Vancouver. 1,000 games. Their all-time leading scorer. He’s done it all in one jersey and he wants it to stay that way as a lot of guys do.

And anyway he was, I think what also bothers him a bit is, is that all those other guys that I just mentioned, (Mikhail) Sergachev, (Erik) Cernak, (Brandon) Hagel, (Anthony) Cirelli, they all got extensions a year ahead of their contracts expiring. All got taken care of.”

Dhaliwal: “Yes. Yes.”

Randorf: “And he’s like going, ‘Hello. I’m the captain here and there’s going to be a statue of me out front eventually and my numbers going to be in the rafters.’ He didn’t say that of course but that’s all true.

So I think that’s probably not sitting to well with him but. So after Steven said that to the media, (Lightning GM) Julien BriseBois took to the podium on opening day of media day and said that, ‘Listen, we think the world of Stamkos on and off the ice. That’s obvious. And we want Steven to play his entire career here too, but it’s not just about that. It’s also him staying here and about us being competitive year-in and year-out. Meaning the salary cap. I’ve got to look at things. I’ve got to look who I brought in. How all those pieces are fitting in. Assess every bit of information before I make another long-term contract decision.’

So, he’s come right out and said there’s going to be no more talk during the season at all. And you what it’s going to be like. He’s gonna go to Toronto. he’s gonna go to Montreal.  He’s going to go to a Canadian market and he’s gonna be asked about these things.

So, I don’t think it will bother him. I don’t think it will become a distraction. He was off to a great start in the first couple of games before he got hurt. So, and it’s just a different level of media coverage here. I think we’ve talked about this before when I’ve been on with you guys before. It’s not Vancouver where you’re dissecting every single thing and this isn’t a topic every single day. So he can kind of go about his business here in a different manner than he would be able to in Vancouver.

But it’s a thing and it will be very interesting to see what Julien BriseBois decides once the season comes to an end.”