Lightning C Steven Stamkos is "staying put" after signing an eight-year, $68M deal with the Lightning yesterday, "spurning a sweepstakes" when free agency begins tomorrow, according to a front-page piece by Joe Smith of the TAMPA BAY TIMES. Stamkos had been "talking with other teams through a five-day interview window." The Maple Leafs, Red Wings and Sabres were "among many teams interested." Stamkos' hometown Maple Leafs "reportedly brought in Toronto's mayor and an executive from Canadian Tire to meet with Stamkos on Tuesday." Lightning VP & GM Steve Yzerman said that Stamkos' choice to accept their offer "could help them remain competitive and keep the 'necessary pieces.'" He added that he is "'100 percent' confident the Lightning will be under the salary cap entering next season" (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 6/30). ESPN.com's Craig Custance wrote Stamkos was the "rare franchise player set to hit free agency after contract talks with the Lightning extended into this week's interview window." The Bruins, Canucks and Canadiens were also "expected to be in on Stamkos" when he hit free agency, but his "desire to win a Stanley Cup with the team that drafted him won out" (ESPN.com, 6/29). In Buffalo, Mike Harrington writes the Lightning had "three big advantages over the Sabres and Leafs: They're a winning team right now, there's no state income tax in Florida and they were the only team allowed by the CBA to offer an eight-year deal" (BUFFALO NEWS, 6/30). The Maple Leafs "would have had to pay Stamkos $12.37M AAV ovr 7 yrs to NET same(after taxes)as TB $8.5M over 8 yrs" (TWITTER.com, 6/29).
LIKE A BOSS: SPORTSNET.ca's Chris Johnston wrote Yzerman is "as exemplary in his front-office role for the Lightning as he once was as a player." He "draws a line and doesn’t blink in the face of whatever pressure arrives afterward," as evidenced by has handling of LW Jonathan Drouin's holdout earlier this season (SPORTSNET.ca, 6/29). THE HOCKEY NEWS' Ken Campbell wrote, "Don’t ever, ever get into a stare down with Lightning GM Steve Yzerman because he’ll squash you like the insignificant bug that you are." First, he "calls Jonathan Drouin’s bluff, now this." Yzerman "has a cast-iron constitution" (THEHOCKEYNEWS.com, 6/29). In N.Y., Larry Brooks reports the offer that Stamkos accepted "had been on the table for months," and he "certainly left some money on the table to remain" in Tampa. Yzerman "held firm" on Drouin and he "held firm on Stamkos, and he was rewarded for each decision." Brooks: "On a day of big names in the NHL, it is worthwhile to suggest Yzerman’s is the biggest of all of them" (N.Y. POST, 6/30). Toronto Star's Bruce Arthur wrote on his Twitter feed, "So Steve Yzerman, after everything, keeps Stamkos AND Drouin. Not bad. ... PK is gone, Taylor Hall's gone, Stamkos stayed, and it was another bad day for hockey in Canada." ESPN.com's Joe McDonald: "After a year of negotiations, both Stamkos and Yzerman emerge from their holes, see their shadows, which means eight more years in Tampa." Vancouver Sun's Harrison Mooney: "Yzerman didn’t blink all year, and managed to keep both Stamkos and Drouin. Dude is an instant legend."
BLOCKBUSTER DEAL: ESPN.com's Scott Burnside noted the Predators yesterday acquired D P.K. Subban from the Canadiens in exchange for D Shea Weber. Subban is 27, under contract through '21-22 and has a $9M annual salary cap hit. Burnside: "So much for Nashville being a small-market team." Given the personality of the Predators and the city, it is "hard not imagining Subban being an instant fit in the Music City and that the love affair will be a strong two-way street" (ESPN.com, 6/29). In Nashville, Joe Rexrode in a front-page piece writes Subban will be "big in Nashville before he ever takes a shift," as he is "brimming with talent and personality" (Nashville TENNESSEAN, 6/30). SPORTS ON EARTH's Joe Delessio writes Subban is "a marketer's dream: not just tremendously talented on the ice, but charismatic off it" (SPORTSONEARTH.com, 6/30). USA TODAY's Kevin Allen writes the acquisition of Subban is "further evidence" that Predators President of Hockey Operations and GM David Poile is "not afraid to pull the trigger" (USA TODAY, 6/30). The NATIONAL POST's Scott Stinson writes where the Subban trade "becomes sad" for the Canadiens is that he was "beloved in Montreal" and donated C$10M to the local children’s hospital (NATIONAL POST, 6/30). NHL.com's Dave Stubbs tweeted, "If P.K. is named Predators captain, I might fall down. Wow, that's some day in Montreal. Poor Steven Stamkos is 'meanwhile...' up here." Hockey writer Adam Proteau: "P.K. Subban will do a lot for hockey in the U.S. and in the south. He epitomizes class and dignity & represented Montreal as well as anyone." Toronto-based Hockey blogger Greg Brady: "Cannot recall a Leafs trade in my lifetime that enraged fanbase like Subban/Habs here. MAYBE Lanny to Colorado for Paiement. Only maybe."
