Steven Stamkos re-signs with Lightning
- Thread starter mwfudge
- Start date
HUGE!!!! After seeing so many top players leave Tampa as a Rays and Bolts fan, it was so awesome to see some loyalty out of someone. Obviously Stammer wasn't lying when he said he wanted to stay in Tampa. And the deal that was done was the one the Yzerman proposed months ago. I can see Bishop being traded before season starts or during season, but I can live with that. Vasy is goalie of future and Bishop is due a contract after next year or we couldn't protect both in an expansion draft anyway. Now the next two things I would like to see are Carle to be bought out and Johnson to be traded. Trading Johnson could bring something good back and free up a C spot so Stamkos can play there instead of wing.
Looks like part one of my plan just hit. Matt Carle placed on waivers with Bolts intent to buy him out.
Reason #1 he stayed in Tampa Bay -> his heart was there. Other reasons didn't matter.
Once he had his meeting with Toronto and Canadian Tire execs were there to outline for him how much his sponsorship money would increase should he sign with a Canadian Team and it didn't shake him, it was over for all other teams. He knew that, so he went back to Tampa and made a deal that was good for both him and the team. He definitely left money on the table (report are upwards of $16M total in salary). He probably could've squeezed a bit more out of Tampa if he really wanted to (there were reports that Tampa was going to up to ~$9.1/yr). Clearly he didn't care at that point as that extra money can now be used to help the Lightening keep some of their other players who will be needed to be signed in the next year or 2.
TB still has one more huge piece of business this summer to help their team and that trading Bishop. (As nolealum talks about above as well). Can't keep both goalies at their respective prices, and more importantly, with next summers expansion, can't keep both then. Therefore, best to maximize their value now.
Will still be interested to see how much of the team they can keep for the future as a good chunk of their core has to be signed in the next 2 years.
Once he had his meeting with Toronto and Canadian Tire execs were there to outline for him how much his sponsorship money would increase should he sign with a Canadian Team and it didn't shake him, it was over for all other teams. He knew that, so he went back to Tampa and made a deal that was good for both him and the team. He definitely left money on the table (report are upwards of $16M total in salary). He probably could've squeezed a bit more out of Tampa if he really wanted to (there were reports that Tampa was going to up to ~$9.1/yr). Clearly he didn't care at that point as that extra money can now be used to help the Lightening keep some of their other players who will be needed to be signed in the next year or 2.
TB still has one more huge piece of business this summer to help their team and that trading Bishop. (As nolealum talks about above as well). Can't keep both goalies at their respective prices, and more importantly, with next summers expansion, can't keep both then. Therefore, best to maximize their value now.
Will still be interested to see how much of the team they can keep for the future as a good chunk of their core has to be signed in the next 2 years.
Glad to hear this, both for Bolts fans and the game that he stays.
Carle never worked out, not entirely sure why. Plenty of talent, sees things well just never fit or worked hard enough. Smart move by Tampa to cut ties. Their front office is outstanding. You can tell the Red Wings' influence on how they do business.
Carle never worked out, not entirely sure why. Plenty of talent, sees things well just never fit or worked hard enough. Smart move by Tampa to cut ties. Their front office is outstanding. You can tell the Red Wings' influence on how they do business.
I honestly didn't mind Carle the guy or even Carle the player, as a bottom end D-man. He was actually playing much better the second half of the season. The only problem was that when he was a free agent the going rate for D-men was pretty high. Bolts overpaid. If he was there for much less money it would not be a problem. And off course in the NHL the word "re-structure" is not in their vocabulary, so t was a move that had to be made. I think Carle would tell you he was not playing at a $5.5 million level, but that is not his fault for signing the deal that was laid in front of him.
Yes, definitely not his fault. He was an excellent college player and started at San Jose very well. He was really freakin' good his first couple years. It wasn't just he going rate for D was high, he was on an all-star trajectory. For flubbing that, he does deserve blame and it's a bit of a mystery how he fell off the map.
How about the Subban trade!? Weber is very solid but Montreal is losing a true creative force. I know many opposing fans hate him but the guy is really quite impressive, easily one of the top handful in the league. This coming just a couple days after Montreal announced Subban would stick around...Montreal also has Weber on the payroll for 10 more years, Subban is only 27. Methinks the coaches had a serious rift with him, which jives with Therien's MO an style of play.
The other huge puzzle piece that the Lightning had to make fit - signing Hedman to an extension - was just taken care of. That's really a bigger issue than dealing Bishop, they have plenty of time to resolve that issue. I'm very happy that they won't be dragging things out with Hedman.
Great couple of days for the Lightning.
Great couple of days for the Lightning.
Even bigger is the amount that he signed for. 8 years for $63 million. This is a great deal for the Lightning. Stamkos and Hedman have both let it be known that they want to be Bolts and they still want Yzerman to have the flexibility to make sure the pieces are in place for them to compete.
Dallas keeps coming up. This would be a great fit for Bishop and Dallas. The only problem is I do not know what we would get back for him. Dallas would more than likely want to send a goalie back as well. I wouldn't mind Lehtonen, but not at his current salary. If Dallas eats part of that then maybe. But there will obviously be something else too, so it should be interesting.
Congrats Bolts fans, you won over his heart, good to see a player put his team and community over wallet.
