Dreger: "Hearing whispers" on the future of Stamkos in Tampa

[HawksDub89]

They barely beat an average Islanders team and he was 2nd leading goal scorer with fewest minutes.

This is the same team that got swept by Columbus. They aren't anything special just played all crap teams to win. Next year they won't.

They are a fantastic team. I don’t know how you can deny that.

However they were incredibly fortunate with who they played in the SCF both years. Both things can be true.

I’ll be interested to see who ages poorly on their roster. I don’t think a third cup will be nearly as easy as the first two were.

 

[cwede]

...
There's going to be a number of exiting things happening over the next four weeks.

Yep many many guys 'exiting' their most recent teams...

 

[leeroggy]

The whispers are that he is undergoing season-ending surgery on his finger but is likely to return in early April . . .

 

[Extra Texture]

Imagine being so good that you could theoretically part with your PPG+ career captain and probably not miss a beat.

Damn you, Tampa.

They'd miss a beat, for sure, you dont get over losing a player like that without seeing it somewhere. But the bottom line is they would still be a cup contender, IMO, with Kucherov and Point clearly already having stepped up to the mantle of "star". That, with their supporting cast mostly intact, would keep them in the conversation for a threepeat for sure.

It's funny, this is kind of like the move I thought they might make in the summer of 2016 when they first signed him to that deal. Not trading him I mean, but letting him walk: They were loaded with top young talent, and (while it would've been madness) they could've let a 26 year old franchise pillar walk as a free agent, and still remained competitive. Obviously that would've been awful asset management though, and while they might still have a cup without him there is no way they'd be the steamroller they've been the last two years.

Parting with him now though? It would still be a crazy move after B2B cups, but looking at it purely in an "on paper" sense, clearing that much cap and getting a good return via trade all in one move would be mighty tempting. Not saying they should do it, but imagine getting a boatload of picks or futures for Stammer from a team like Arizona or LA, and then having the cap space to keep Savard, Goodrow and/or Coleman? They solve their financial problems and leave the team almost whole in return for some pretty good assets.

But of course its no good keeping the whole band together if you lose the frontman

 

[YayHockeysBack]

They barely beat an average Islanders team and he was 2nd leading goal scorer with fewest minutes.

This is the same team that got swept by Columbus. They aren't anything special just played all crap teams to win. Next year they won't.

LOL, need a drink to wash some of that salty out of your mouth?

 

[The Macho King]

They barely beat an average Islanders team and he was 2nd leading goal scorer with fewest minutes.

This is the same team that got swept by Columbus. They aren't anything special just played all crap teams to win. Next year they won't.

Put this comment IN MY VEINS.

 

[beowulf]

So 31 now, $8.5M cap hit for 3 more seasons. Some injury issues. Still roughly a p/g player. Could be interesting to see who can make room for him and what Tampa would expect back.

 

[SI90]

They barely beat an average Islanders team and he was 2nd leading goal scorer with fewest minutes.

This is the same team that got swept by Columbus. They aren't anything special just played all crap teams to win. Next year they won't.

An average isles team? How can an average team make the conference finals in back to back years?


Bolts aren’t anything special? They just won back to back cups. Geez you must be a miserable person lol

 

[Vasilevskiy]

An average isles team? How can an average team make the conference finals in back to back years?


Bolts aren’t anything special? They just won back to back cups. Geez you must be a miserable person lol

Nevermind that troll, salt running in his veins

 

[HanSolo]

While a juicy trade idea for a fantasy league the thought should be dismissed as quickly as it's entertained. Full NMC and the captain of the Cup winning team.

Obviously this could help Tampa tremendously with their cap, he's still a productive but unnecessary piece. This shouldn't be taken seriously yet, more of a musing than a rumor.

This tweet is a lot funnier if you take out "of the future of their captain Steven Stamkos in Tampa Bay"

 

[AvroArrow]

It would actually help them. That cap space would go a long way for them. No disrespect to stamkos but IMO they still win back to back cups if he didn’t play at all.

I dunno if they would've beat the Islanders in 7 without him. It's certainly possible, they'd still be a favorite but no Stamkos would definitely have hurt them this year.

 

[Cup or Bust]

I think a lot of Dregers's rumors are based on whispers only he hears.

 

[SFKingshomer]

Doubt teams are lining up to take that contract or help TB at all. Stamkos and McDonagh make the most sense for them but their contracts would be tough to move.

 

[r0bert8841]

What contender could even take on this contract besides the Kraken?

 

[Five Alarm Fire]

Doubt teams are lining up to take that contract or help TB at all. Stamkos and McDonagh make the most sense for them but their contracts would be tough to move.

A lot of teams would take McDonagh in a heartbeat. He isn't going anywhere. Stamkos will be very difficult to move, I don't see us being able to trade him.

 

[SFKingshomer]

A lot of teams would take McDonagh in a heartbeat. He isn't going anywhere. Stamkos will be very difficult to move, I don't see us being able to trade him.

With 5 years left and doesn't he have a NMC?

 

[txpd]

He must have really good hearing to hear whispers all the way from Tampa.

You can hear whispers on a telephone. Sometimes you have to turn up the volume, but you can hear them

 

[YP44]

What contender could even take on this contract besides the Kraken?

did you just call the Kraken a contender?

 

[Five Alarm Fire]

With 5 years left and doesn't he have a NMC?

He's a #1 defenseman with a cap hit of only 6.75M, if you're a contender it's hard to find that. You would pay more in free agency at a similar term. He only has a NTC, so he can be exposed in the expansion draft. If he was left unexposed Seattle would claim him without hesitation and then work to find a trade partner or keep him.

As a Lightning fan I'd rather keep him to extend our window. He's too good to just let him leave for nothing.

 

[Mats26]

Ok there Lord Varys, where are the whispers that saw the Suter and Parise buyout.

 

[GIN ANTONIC]

Waive to Carolina and we can send Trochek back to fill in as 2C. Only 1 year at $4.75.

I want to see a pp of this.

Stamkos - Aho - TT
Svech - Dougie

Also, Dougie please come back

 

[bigbabybuda]

This is the stupidest rumor ever. It diesnt matter if it would help the team, therebus no GM in the league who would have the balls to ask him to waive his no trade clause after back to back cups. He wears the C on his chest. Its not happening

 

[Big Muddy]

Makes sense from an age and TBL cap situation to move Stamkos.

But, I can't see Stamkos waiving his NMC, so highly/extremely unlikely this happens.

 

[DudeWhereIsMakar]

I think Tampa should keep him considering he's the heart and soul of the team. Unless the plan is to have another team buyout his contract so he can return to Tampa.

 

[Five Alarm Fire]

The furthest I see this going is we ask Stamkos to waive his NMC for the expansion draft, and he says no.

How many teams have cap space and are willing to pay his signing bonus every summer? Probably not a lot, but that's what it would take to move him. Could probably take $3-4M back in salary to make it work as that results in the same cap savings as trading Palat/Killorn/Johnson/Gourde.