What’s up with the Tampa Bay Lightning and Steven Stamkos and what could the numbers look like?
Kevin Weekes: with John Buccigross on ESPN Intermission Report – News of the Weekes, on Tampa Bay Lightning pending UFA and captain Steven Stamkos.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
Buccigross: “Let’s start with Steven Stamkos. He needs a contract. Our Tampa Bay sources down there told us that they’ve been talking. Our Stamkos sources said they haven’t been talking. What’s up?”
Weekes: “What’s up is, this is something that bears watching. For Steven Stamkos to come out of day 1 of camp and mention that, something has to be off.
And let’s hope just on how great he’s been, how productive he’s been, everything he’s meant to the community on and off the ice. The success. Hall of Fame lock. Let’s hope they can find a bridge and hopefully, that bridge is one they can both feel comfortable so he can finish his career in ‘Stampa Bay’ and not Tampa Bay. Stampa Bay.
NHL Rumors: Patrick Kane Drawing Interest From Several Teams
Buccigross: “He’ll be a 34-year-old UFA next summer. 16 years in Tampa. So what’s the numbers like? $5.5 (million)? Is it $6 (million)? Does he want like a Joe Pavelski seven number?”
Weekes: “Thank you.”
Buccigross: “Would you go four years or five? And that gets him to the finish line. He’s made over a $100 million. What’s the number?”
Weekes: “Maybe it’s a, not of $5 (million). It’s definitely north of five because you have to factor in two things.
One, tax benefits of being there. None tax State. And number two, the fact that he is Steven Stamkos.
Buccigross: “And get his statue.”
What’s up with the Tampa Bay Lightning and their goaltending situation
Buccigross: “Andrei Vasilevskiy. He’s going to be out for a couple of months. They say about 30 games. Could be less. He’s a stud.
Do they go get another guy? How long do they give (Jonas) Johansson rope here at the beginning of the year? He looked good in Game 1.”
Weekes: “He looked good in Game 1. We were there doing a… I think it’s gonna be a 10 to 12 games for the Tampa Bay Lightning to be able to kind of good evaluation of what they have in net in house.
NHL Rumors: Is There a Fractured Relationship between Steven Stamkos and the Lightning
Now, there are some teams that are carrying three. One of those teams happens to be Detroit. We did their game game here in New Jersey and could Alex Lyon be a potential target? Just putting it out there. Maybe a James Reimer.
But Tampa will continue to evaluate it. It’s a fluid situation.