Prior to the draft tonight Tampa Bay Lightning general manager, Julien BriseBois, met with the local media over a zoom call. Unsurprisingly, the first question he was asked did not involve the draft. Instead it focused on the free agent situation that has lingered like a thunderstorm over the bay for the last year. Like a storm on a day when you planned on going to the beach the answer he provided in regards to the status of the negotiations with Steven Stamkos isn’t likely to make any Lightning fan’s weekend better. Per Gabby Shirley his response was,
“As we stand here right now, we haven’t been able to reach an agreement yet. I don’t know if we will be able to reach an agreement but we met with Steven’s agent again yesterday and both sides are still interested in getting a deal done but we have not been able to agree to terms that are satisfactory for both sides. I think, at this time, it’s probably best if I leave my comments to that for the time being.”
So, there is a bit to unpack in that statement. First and foremost, it’s not a hard “no” in regards to Stamkos re-signing with the Lightning. Would it have been nice for Mr. BriseBois to say that they were just waiting to dot the I’s and cross the T’s on a new deal? Of course, but the fact that they are still talking is a positive sign.
There is no doubt that both sides want to get the deal done, but with the way things currently stand, the cap space just isn’t there for a fair Stamkos deal and to fill out the rest of the roster. That could change this weekend if the Lightning general manager is able to move some players on the roster for draft picks and free up some salary cap. He was able to iron out a deal last year at this time to trade Ross Colton to help out with that mess, so it wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility for him to do it a second time.
Stamkos may indeed go to free agency on Monday and test the waters. If he finds the demand isn’t quite there, perhaps he re-thinks his value and comes back into the fold with a lower demand. Or, he finds a team willing to offer him a deal he can’t turn down and signs with a different franchise.
Update Pierre LeBrun is reporting that, per Stamkos’ agent, the Lightning captain will be going to free agency.
This all could have been avoided last summer. Yes, signing Brandon Hagel to an extension was important, but at least laying out the framework of a possible new deal with the franchise icon should have been started. We all know that there was little communication between the camps over last summer, and that seems to have fractured the relationship a little.
Make no mistake, if Steven Stamkos walks, that will be the defining legacy of Julien BriseBois’ tenure with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Not the two Stanley Cups or keeping the Lightning among the elite of the league during the flat cap era. He will be known around town as the guy who let Steven Stamkos leave town.
Lightning fans have been down this road before with Marty St. Louis and Vincent Lecavalier. However, there were circumstances in those two situations that made the departures more palpable. St. Louis wanted out and so Steve Yzerman obliged him. Lecavalier just happened to have a bloated contract that could be bought out without any cap penalty. While neither departure was particularly fantastic, the moves could be justified.
That’s not the case with Stamkos. This mess is of Mr. BriseBois’ own making and unless he figures a way out of it will tarnish an otherwise impressive legacy with the Lightning. Perhaps those storm clouds continue to linger off the coast and it ends up being a sunny day after all. There are still roughly 72 hours to figure it all out and make it work. Hopefully, he can come up with a solution.
