Photo by Nicole Abbett
Steven Stamkos hoists the Stanley Cup during the Tampa Bay Lightning's boat parade on Sept, 30, 2020.
The news arrived today, the first day of free agency in the NHL, care of The Tennessean, which says that the 1998 No. 1 draft pick has earned a four-year deal worth $8 million per season.
The 34-year-old captain, who spent 16 years in Tampa Bay and led the Lightning to hoisting two Stanley Cups, thanked Tampa on Twitter, and said he still does not have the words to fully express how he feels.
“It’s still too early to process. Just wanted everyone to know how thankful we are for 16 years as a bolt,” he wrote. “My family and I are excited for the next chapter….”
In his 1,802 games with the Lightning, Stammer recorded 555 goals and 582 assists. Last season he scored 40 goals and 41 assists in 79 games. In the Bolts’ first-round exit to the eventual 2024 Stanley Cup champ Florida Panthers, Stamkos led the team with five goals.
Tampa Bay fans and the front office really wanted Stamkos to only play for one team. But unlike in 2016, when the Bolts and Stammer agreed to a long-term deal before free agency, Lightning GM Julien BriseBois—who just landed some fantastic roster additions for Tampa Bay in the last last few days—was not able to come to terms with Stamkos’ agent, who told reporters that the Toronto-native would be hitting the market today.
I’m gonna miss seeing Stammer at the Greenwise Publix where he looked and acted like a regular guy when he was really one of the greatest to ever play the game—and certainly the greatest to ever wear a Lightning jersey (sorry, Vinny, I love you, too).
Please enjoy perhaps the most dramatic of Stamkos' 555 goals below (IYKYK). Subscribe to Creative Loafing newsletters.
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