Steven Stamkos, who has been with the Tampa Bay Lightning since 2008, appears to be a name to watch in trade talks, according to a report.
Stamkos, the 1st Overall Pick in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, could be a potential player out of Tampa depending on their future. According to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, teams are looking at Stamkos, making calls for the Center.
The key thing for Stamkos to be on the move appears to relate to Tampa's playoff hopes. The Lightning sit 10th in the Eastern Conference this season with a 10-10-5 record and 25 Points, 12th in Point Percentage. Fellow former First Overall Pick
Patrick Kane, taken the year prior in 2007, was moved from the Chicago Blackhawks after 16 seasons to the New York Rangers last season following a disappointing year for Chicago ending in a restructuring that landed
Connor Bedard.
It's unclear what teams would be on Stamkos, but what is clear is there is still a talented player. Stamkos, at 33, is still a premiere offensive star, with 10 Goals and 24 Points in 23 Games for the Lightning this season. In 1,026 career NHL games in 16 seasons, all with the Lightning Stamkos had a productive 525 goals, 555 assists & 1080 points.
An elite scorer early in his career, Stamkos was a 2x Richard trophy winner, once in 2010 and 2012, the latter a 60 goal effort, before injuries transformed him into a top playmaker, helping to lead Tampa Bay to 3 consecutive Stanley Cup appearances between 2020-2022, with 2 Cup titles in 2020 and 2021. On his own, Stamkos is a 7x NHL All-Star and a World Cup of Hockey Gold Medalist.