Cirelli on Stamkos' exit from Lightning: 'It sucks to see him go'

The Tampa Bay Lightning are going to have a new look for the 2024-25 campaign.

Mainstays such as captain Steven Stamkos and Mikhail Sergachev have exited via free agency and trade, respectively. Coming in is highly-touted free agent Jake Guentzel, defenceman Ryan McDonaugh, and forwards Cam Atkinson and Zemgus Girgensons.

For players like Anthony Cirelli, training camp will have a different feel, but the seven-year veteran is looking forward to what the new complexion of the team will look like.

“It’s going to be weird not seeing Stamkos and Sergachev come back,” Cirelli told TSN1050’s First Up on Monday. “We brought in some skill and we know McDonaugh from his time here before with the leadership ability and game that he brings each and every night. We brought in some really good players and people to try to go for it again.”

Stamkos’ departure has been a major topic for the hockey world throughout the off-season. The 34-year-old centre is all over the Lightning’s record books after being drafted first overall in the 2008 NHL Draft.

The 6-foot-1 centre led the team to back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2020 and 2021 and is the team’s all-time leader in goals (555), points (1,137), games played (1,082), and goals in a season (60) during the 2011-12 campaign.

After a contentious negotiation period, Stamkos elected to leave the only NHL team he’s ever played for and signed a four-year, $42 million contract with the Nashville Predators.

“It sucks to see him go,” said Cirelli. “He’s a great teammate and good buddy of mine. He’s a guy I looked up to growing up and from my time here. As a teammate of his, I wanted to see him come back, but hockey is a business and I guess they couldn’t get something done.

“I learned a lot from him and I’m happy he’s moving on with a great team, but as a buddy it sucks to see him go.”

At the NHL Draft, the Lightning made a big splash by trading Sergachev to the Utah Hockey Club in exchange for top prospect Conor Geekie, defenceman J.J. Moser, and a pair of draft picks, which helped them clear cap space for free agency.

They took full advantage of that by signing one of the biggest fish out there in Guentzel, who finished the season with the Carolina Hurricanes.

Guentzel recorded 30 goals and 77 points in 67 games last season split between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Hurricanes. He was a key member of the Penguins’ 2017 Stanley Cup winning team and has produced a pair of 40-goal seasons in his eight-season career.

“I’m really excited to have him [with the team],” said Cirelli. “He’s a player that can kind of do it all. He can put the puck in the net, make plays, and drive the play. When you look at what he’s done in the playoffs, he’s won. I’m excited to have him, see him at training camp, and play with him.”

Tampa Bay has gotten used to being the kings of hockey in the state of Florida after making three straight Stanley Cup Finals appearances from 2020 to 2022 and winning back-to-back titles. However, the team has been eliminated in the opening round the last two seasons at the hands of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Florida Panthers, respectively.

The Panthers then took over the top of the NHL by winning the franchise’s first Stanley Cup last season, giving them a leg up on the Lightning for the first time in recent history.

While losing has never been ideal for the Lightning, it gives their players an opportunity to work on some skills they haven’t been able to earlier due to the long playoff runs.

“You obviously don’t want to lose but there’s a positive side to it” said Cirelli. “We had played a lot of hockey, so it was nice to get back to the gym. I think the biggest thing is on the ice you can go work on your skills and things that you need to get better at. You can also use the time to add things to your game and you can work on them.

“It sucks losing no matter what round it is, but especially the first round. The positive side is you get to work on your game a little more.”