Cooper on pending UFA Stamkos: 'He belongs here'
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Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos is slated for unrestricted free agency this summer, which could spell the end of his 16-year run with the franchise.
Head coach Jon Cooper made it clear after the Lightning were eliminated from the first round with a 6-1 loss to the Florida Panthers in Game 5 Monday that he wants the 34-year-old to stay put.
“I don’t know if there will be much conversation. I hope not anyway,” Cooper said. “He belongs here. We know it, he knows it.
“We’ve grown up together. He’s a heck of a player, but he’s also, you know, I mean, he controls his own destiny, but I don’t know what’s going to happen. But he feels like a Bolt for life, but only he and [general manager Julien BriseBois] can answer that one.”
Despite the quick exit, Stamkos was a key contributor for the Lightning in the first round, finishing with five goals and an assist in five games. After being outspoken on his contract situation earlier in the season, he insisted it did not weigh on him as the seconds ticked down on Monday.
“No, that never crossed my mind,” Stamkos said. “I’m out there battling to try to help our team win regardless at the end of the game. We’re trying to score and there’s some pride on the line for our group, so no."
A two-time Stanley Cup winner with the Lightning, Stamkos had 40 goals and 81 points in 79 games during the regular season as he played out the last of an eight-year, $68 million deal signed in 2016.
Stamkos spoke out on the lack of contract talks with Tampa Bay at the start of training camp, while BriseBois remained steadfast that he would wait until after the season to decide the team's course of action.
"Steven and I share a common goal of bringing the Cup back to Tampa — that’s our objective," BriseBois said in September. “In order for us to do that in future years, we’re going to need to spend our cap dollars as wisely as possible. In order for me to do that, I feel like I need to gather more information."
“I need to see how the pieces of the puzzle fit this year,” he added. "After the season, once I’ve gathered that information, I can work with Steven and his agent on a contract structure that would be in the best interest of both sides.”
Drafted first overall by the Lightning in the 2008 draft, Stamkos is a seven-time all-star, won the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy in 2010 and 2012, and was named as a second-team all-star in 2011 and 2012.
Over the course of his career, he has 555 goals and 1,137 points in 1,082 games. He is the Lightning’s all-time leader in goals and points and games played.