End of an era as Steven Stamkos leaves Lightning, signs with Predators

TAMPA, Fla. — For the past 16 years, Steven Stamkos has been seen all over Tampa Bay. From the side of Amalie Arena, on billboards and benches, he’s been the face of the Lightning franchise since he was anointed the savior of the organization as an 18-year-old No. 1 draft pick.

He has lifted the Stanley Cup twice, worn the C on his chest with pride and humility, and been the leading figure in the most prolific decade of Lightning hockey. On the ice, he was an elite scorer; in the locker room, he was a consummate leader. He visited hospitals, he presented checks to the Ronald McDonald House, he gave a generation of Lightning fans a superstar they were proud to call their own.

But now Stamkos, the one player who many thought would wear a bolt on his chest for the entirety of his career, will play for the Predators, signing a four-year deal with Nashville for an average annual value of $8 million.

Until the past few days, fans had hope that the Lightning and their longest-tenured player would make amends and reach an agreement to keep their beloved captain in Tampa Bay.

And so did Stamkos.

“It’s been probably as crazy as you can think in terms of just a roller-coaster of emotions,” Stamkos said in an interview with TSN shortly after he signed with Nashville on Monday. “Clearly so much amazing history in Tampa for my family and I. And ultimately, trying to work something out there and fell short.”

Stamkos said he probably believed the window to return was open longer than the Lightning would say, but that when he woke up Monday, he knew he was going elsewhere.

Still, it’s clear that Stamkos felt disrespected by the process, from the point when general manager Julien BriseBois didn’t engage him in extension discussions last summer, like the organization had with so many of their other stars before their final seasons. And when BriseBois said that he wouldn’t offer Stamkos a contract until the 2023-24 season was over.

“At the end of the day, there was no question that I was willing to put all that stuff aside to remain a member of the Tampa Bay Lightning,” Stamkos said in an interview with SportsNet. “My family and I absolutely love playing for that city and playing for the players that are there. It just seemed like maybe not everyone thought that way.

“And listen, I’m a big, big boy. I can handle that. We went about doing our business. I thought I played extremely well this year, regardless of the contract distraction, and just told them at the beginning here that it wasn’t going to affect my play and that’s something that I was proud of.

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