Here are plans for Steven Stamkos' skills under Nashville Predators coach Andrew Brunette

When the Nashville Predators added star forward Steven Stamkos this summer, coach Andrew Brunette was understandably ecstatic.

Not only about Stamkos' elite shooting ability and his power-play scoring talent, but about the impact he would bring to the locker room.

"My original thought was just adding his leadership," Brunette told The Tennessean. "What he brings, his pedigree of winning. He has such a great reputation."

A two-time Stanley Cup champion who left Tampa Bay after 16 seasons, Stamkos signed a four-year deal in Nashville on July 1. It came during a franchise-record spending spree by general manager Barry Trotz, who sought to improve the team's offense and power play.

"Of course, you think of the power play and the shooting," Brunette said. "But we're bringing in another guy that knows how to win."

As the Predators open training camp this week, Stamkos' presence will draw everyone's attention — and how Brunette chooses to deploy his newest weapon will be the primary focus.

Where does Andrew Brunette plan to play Steven Stamkos in the lineup?

For the majority of his career, Stamkos has played center. But in recent years, he has played more on the wing, which was part of Lightning coach Jon Cooper's plan to extend the Stamkos' career. Letting younger skaters take center allowed Stamkos, now 34, to focus on creating offense from the outside.

The position change didn't hinder Stamkos' output. He has scored 116 goals the past three seasons, including 40 goals last season.

Now the focus will be on whether he plays center or wing for the Predators.

According to Brunette, Stamkos probably will play both at various points, but it's not something he's overly concerned about.

"Positionally, it's never even crossed my mind," Brunette said. "For him, it doesn't bother me. Guys can play different positions. Not saying that anybody can play center, not everyone can do that. But he can play both center and wing."

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Of more concern for Brunette is who Stamkos should play with, who he might find chemistry with and which line mates complement his skills the best.

A player Stamkos has familiarity with is Jonathan Marchessault . One of Trotz's other big signings this summer, Marchessault played with Stamkos during the 2015-16 season in Tampa.

Other options could include 26-year-old Tommy Novak and 22-year-old Luke Evangelista, two forwards who could benefit greatly from Stamkos' skill. The idea of allowing younger players to grow their game in the shadow of a likely Hall of Famer is intriguing, especially given Brunette's emphasis on Stamkos' leadership as his best quality.

The situation will remain fluid throughout training camp and the preseason. Brunette said he likely will pair Stamkos with many players early on, just to see how things unfold.

"We're just trying to get the best version of [Stamkos] that we can," Brunette said.

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This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Here are plans for Steven Stamkos' skills under Nashville Predators coach Andrew Brunette