Steven Stamkos will not be traded at the deadline, those are Steve Yzerman’s words, not mine. Steve Yzerman went public with a statement on Monday, February 15th and announced that Steven Stamkos will not be traded by the February 29th trade deadline. It’s quite rare to see a star of Stamkos’ calibre go this deep into a season as a pending UFA, but here we are, and many don’t think he will re-sign with the Tampa Bay Lightning. We’ll be taking a look at five possible destinations for Steven Stamkos.
Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver lacks a true number one centre going forward. The Sedins are slowing down and the Canucks will have a ton of cap space to work with this summer. I can see the Canucks throwing the bank at him. Will Stamkos even entertain the offer? Probably not, but it doesn’t hurt to try.
Nashville Predators
Nashville has always lacked the game changer offensively. They picked up Johansen this season in the Seth Jones trade, but I see them making a significant offer for Stamkos. Nashville is an underrated American hockey market, and Stamkos as the number one centre with Johansen as the number two would fix their offensive problems.
Detroit Red Wings
Datsyuk and Zetterberg are nearing the end of their careers. If the Red Wings can get their hands on Stamkos, it fills the void that Datsyuk and Zetterberg will leave. Dylan Larkin is not suited to jump into a top centre role this early in his career. Stamkos would slide in and keep the Red Wings a contender while they build up Larkin behind him.
Toronto Maple Leafs
It’s hard to see Stamkos going to Toronto, but I wanted to address it. Toronto is four to five years away from even contending for a playoff spot. That exact reason is why Stamkos will not sign in Toronto. He’s entering his hockey prime and will want to win in the next four to five years, not just begin to battle for a playoff spot.
Tampa Bay Lightning
Stamkos staying with Tampa Bay seems quite probable. The team is poised to be a cup contender for the next five years. There are rumblings that Stamkos and coach Jon Cooper don’t see eye to eye, but winning fixes everything. If Tampa Bay can make a solid run and make it back to the Cup final, I see Stamkos re-signing without a doubt.
I hope you enjoyed the read, where do you think Stamkos will land?