The Tampa Bay Lightning are battling for a wild card spot in the Eastern Conference and that could lead general manager Steve Yzerman to make some moves at the trade deadline. Jonathan Drouin has been mentioned in trade rumors for months and could get dealt, but star Steven Stamkos is reportedly not going anywhere.
Stamkos has come up in trade rumors due to the fact that he is set to be a free agent this offseason, but the team has announced that they will not be trading the center. According to the official Tampa Bay Lightning website, the team released a statement saying that Stamkos will not be traded at the deadline this year. Yzerman said in the statement that the team hopes "to reach an agreement with Steven on a new contract at some point" and that the main focus for the team is on "making the playoffs."
Stamkos spoke about the statement to Sportsnet, saying that he is "looking forward to not having to deal with all the questions for the remainder of the season and just focus on hockey." The team is right outside of a wild card spot for the moment and they have Pittsburgh and New Jersey ahead of them in the standings.
With Stamkos not being traded at the deadline, the focus will be on whether the Lightning sign him to an extension before free agency. The Tampa Bay Tribune reports that Stamkos could be in line for a deal that would pay him around $70 million over eight years. Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reports that Stamkos could make over $8 million per season, putting his salary in line with players like Sidney Crosby and Corey Perry.
The Lightning will not be trading Stamkos at the deadline, but the team could end up dealing Drouin, who previously requested a trade from the team. According to the St. Petersburg Times, the Lightning were "actively seeking" a trade for Drouin heading into February, but so far a deal has not happened. TSN's Frank Seravalli reports that it's possible that Drouin could still return to the team, writing that "there aren't any hard feelings lingering within" the locker room and that "players would welcome Jonathan Drouin back with open arms." The deadline for trades is February 29.
