The silence surrounding Steven Stamkos has finally been broken. When asked, Tampa Bay Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois stated that Stamkos will not be traded at the deadline, per Lightning reporters Chris Krenn and Gabby Shirley. BriseBois made it clear that this would not change “under any circumstances.”
BriseBois also gave an update on Stamkos’s future with the team. He said that he sees Stamkos returning after this season. However, he made it clear that negotiations will not occur until after the campaign is over.
This is an auspicious update for those hoping that Stamkos, the all-time leader in goals, points and games played, will spend the remainder of his career with the Lightning, especially after earlier reports. Stamkos went on record to say that he wanted contract negotiations taken care of before training camp. That didn’t happen, and he expressed his frustrations over it.
“To be honest, I’ve been disappointed in the lack of talk in that regard. It was something that I expressed at the end of last year — that I wanted to get something done before training camp started. There haven’t been any conversations,” Stamkos said on Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023. “I’m ready whenever. I guess that was something that I didn’t see coming. But it is what it is” (from ‘Steven Stamkos frustrated that Lightning won’t negotiate,’ ESPN, Sept. 20, 2023).
There were no further comments from Stamkos at the time of writing. Regardless, at least we now know that the Lightning have an interest in keeping their core intact for as long as possible.
This season, Stamkos has had 18 goals and 23 assists in 41 games. He is coming off a three-point game against the Anaheim Ducks, including two goals in a 5-1 win on Saturday night (Jan. 13).
When asked how the Lightning would handle the upcoming trade deadline, BriseBois said he was going to look for ways to improve his team’s chances this season.
The Lightning return to action on Thursday when they host the Minnesota Wild.
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