By Taylor Landau
Last Monday, long-time captain of the Lightning, Steven Stamkos, signed with the Nashville Predators after spending 16 years with Tampa Bay. He finished his tenure in Tampa with 555 goals, 582 assists, 1082 games, seven NHL All-Star appearances, two Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy wins, and two Stanley Cups. He’s been the captain of the team since 2014, which leaves big shoes to fill for the remaining members of the Lightning. The city of Tampa has been with Stamkos through it all, and the team and the city will feel the void he leaves behind this coming season.
The entire ordeal regarding Stamkos’ future with the team started last year around training camp when Stamkos revealed he hadn’t been approached about an extension. General Manager Julien Brisebois told reporters he wanted to see how the season panned out before making any decisions. Stamkos finished the season with 40 goals, 41 assists, 81 points, and -21, which he thought would be enough to earn him an extension. Not quite, according to Brisebois.
It’s rumored that Brisebois offered Stamkos an eight-year contract with about $3-3.5M AAV per year while Stamkos was asking for somewhere between $4-5M AAV. According to insiders, Brisebois was unwilling to move off his initial number and did not present Stamkos with another deal before the start of free agency. Stamkos eventually signed a four-year, $32M contract with the Nashville Predators, where he’ll reunite with former teammate Jonathan Marchesseault.
There’s an argument to be made for all sides of the situation.
Letting Him Walk
Letting him walk has its benefits. Lots of fans, while they like Stamkos, argue that he is 34 years old, and his five-on-five game declined this past season. Most of his points came on the power-play and were heavily reliant on Nikita Kucherov. Aside from that, his offensive prowess took a hit. He still has an insane shot and he's a big threat on the powerplay, but his numbers definitely show a decline from previous seasons. Similarly, Stamkos' defensive game is not great. He doesn't hit very often, and he gets involved with the forecheck even less. He finished the year with a -21, the lowest on the team. On a team where defense hasn't been its strong suit in a couple of years, moving on from a defensive liability may have been the best option.
Some fans believe that getting younger is the best solution going forward. Sticking with the core can cause the Lightning to face the same fate as the Pittsburgh Penguins or Washington Capitals, who have locked themselves into mediocrity while keeping their stars, Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin, respectively, for as long as they play. Lots of fans are also frustrated that after making $100M in his career, Stamkos seemingly opted to make more money in Nashville than finish his career in Tampa.
The Ugly Breakup
Still, the manner in which the situation supposedly went down isn’t going to leave fans’ minds for a while. Stamkos was, far and away, one of the team's most (if not the most) beloved members. He went on record numerous times to say he wanted to retire in a Bolts sweater and continue playing for the city and fans he grew up with. While he’s not the first to say this, fans expected more priority would be given to the long-time captain. Not only that, but throughout the process, Brisebois insisted one of his top priorities was re-signing Stamkos and keeping him in the plans for the future.
"The fact he had to wait so close to free-agency twice while so many teammates were taken care of in advance ultimately ruptured the relationship." - Elliotte Friedman, 32 Thoughts Blog
It’s hard to blame fans who now look back on everything and question if keeping the captain was ever truly in the cards.
Losing a Captain
Leadership is one of the most important aspects of having a cohesive team, and that starts at the top with the captain. Stamkos was the captain for nearly ten years, and that's not an easily replaceable position. He was with the team through every up and down and led the team to several Stanley Cup Finals alongside their two championship wins. The respect he has around the league is unmatched. A captain like Stamkos isn't easy to come by either. Aside from his on-ice leadership, he sacrificed time and time again for the team often putting aside family matters and medical conditions/injuries to get back on the ice and be with his team. It will be a challenge for the Lightning to fill that gap this season, if they can manage it at all.
Community Hero
Regardless of people’s opinions on contract negotiations, losing Stamkos is a big loss for fans. After such a long tenure, he’s become the face of the franchise. The turnout for Stamkos’ 500th goal, 1000th game, and 1000th point pregame ceremonies were immense. He often stopped after practices and games to sign autographs and take pictures with fans, and he’s become a household name around Tampa Bay and the hockey community at large. Aside from his on-ice accomplishments, Stamkos was a prominent figure in the community, often visiting families at the Ronald McDonald House and spending time with Honorary and Junior Captains. The community's reaction, such as the fans' decision to come together and donate $9.10 each to the Ronald McDonald House in his honor, reflects the deep connection and empathy they feel towards Stamkos.
The Heartbreak
Long-time fans of the Lightning practically watched Stamkos grow up from draft day to his very last game with the team. They watched him from the time he was 18 to now that he’s 34, and it’s heartbreaking for a lot of fans to think of a Lightning team without him.
The departure of Stamkos evokes a sense of nostalgia and emotional attachment among long-time fans, who have seen him grow and evolve over the years.
Not having Stamkos around next year is going to be strange. Lots of fans consider him the heart and soul of Tampa, and consider it a massive mistake to let him walk. Similarly, fans agree that Stamkos holds one of, if not the most, iconic moments in Tampa Bay sports history when he returned for one of his only shifts in the series in game 3 of the 2020 Stanley Cup Final and scored a massive goal against the Dallas Stars. That kind of game and leadership is going to be sorely missed in the locker room, on the ice, and around Tampa Bay.
Shortly after the news of his departure broke, Stamkos took to X/Twitter to thank the fans for their support over the last sixteen years.
The comments on his post are reflective of the general feelings of the fanbase: supportive of his next steps in his career, but sad it ended the way it did. Fans will miss number 91 this coming season, and there’s no doubt the turnout on October 28th for his return to Tampa will be massive to thank Stamkos for everything he did for their beloved city.
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