The Tampa Bay Lightning have reportedly offered Steven Stamkos an eight year extension worth $68 million
The Tampa Bay Lightning are currently fighting their way back into the playoff picture. A large part of that has been the recent play of Steven Stamkos. Stamkos has finally begun to look like the elite, dominant center that hockey fans have known him to be. The Lightning and Stamkos have been discussing an extension for quite some time. Finally, a contract offer has been reportedly made.
From the Tampa Tribune:
"Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman Friedman reported during the second intermission of Hockey Night in Canada that Tampa Bay made an eight-year offer worth $68 million which would carry an annual salary cap hit of $8.5 million, which is $1 million more per season than Stamkos makes in his current deal."
Obviously there’s a bit more work that needs to be done on both sides to make the extension work. However, it’s a very good sign that the Lightning have made an official offer. Stamkos and his agent can now made their counter offer. It is quite likely that a Steven Stamkos extension could be even more lucrative than Anze Kopitar’s recent extension that will reportedly pay him $80,000,000 over the next eight years.
Stamkos is set to become a free agent after this season so the Lightning and Stamkos would probably like to get the extension done before free agency begins on July 1st. It remains to be seen if the Lightning will meet his demands or if they will realize that they have too many players to give raises to and walk away from Stamkos if he won’t sign a team-friendly extension.