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Tampa Bay Lightning on The Hockey News
Lightning's Steven Stamkos Connected to Division Rival
By Michael DeRosa,
2024-06-29
Victor Hedman speaks with media following 7-0 shutout win against the Flyers (0:49)
Barring any sudden changes, Steven Stamkos will become a free agent on July 1. His agent, Don Meehan, confirmed this to NHL insider Pierre LeBrun. While this does not automatically mean the door is closed with the Lightning, Stamkos is set to receive offers from other clubs on Monday.
Stamkos will receive a lot of interest, as he is still a star at this juncture of his career. The 34-year-old had an excellent 2023-24 season, recording 40 goals and 81 points in 79 games. He followed that up with a solid but short postseason, posting five goals and one helper in five contests against the Florida Panthers.
Here is what Johnston said on the Red Wings' potential interest in Stamkos: "One I would keep an eye on is the Detroit Red Wings, who have freed up money with the Jake Walman trade they made this week. The belief is they are one of the ones lining up to take a run at (Stamkos) if he hits the open market."
It would not be too surprising to see the Red Wings make a serious push for Stamkos. The Original Six club is on the cusp of taking that next step and becoming a true playoff team. Adding a star like Stamkos to their top six could be the boost that they need to do that. He would also give them a proven winner, which also should be appealing to Detroit.
In addition, Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman and Stamkos obviously know each other well because of their many years together in Tampa Bay. This naturally makes Detroit an even more intriguing club to pay attention to in the sweepstakes.
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