If you've been following hockey over the last two years or so, then you've heard all the rumours of highly touted 2016 UFA Steven Stamkos and where he will sign at the end of the 2015-16 season. Many believe he'll sign back in Tampa Bay and win a cup with the team that officially drafted him, and some people have dreamt up scenarios that he'll sign with his hometown team, the Toronto Maple Leafs, in the offseason. It seems as though signing with either Tampa or Toronto are the two most likely scenarios, so with that, this article will be revolved around discussing the pros of signing with both teams. Without further ado, let's get into it.
TAMPA BAY
If you're Steven Stamkos at this point, you have to make a decision on whether or not you want to keep going with the team that drafted you and quarterback them to a Stanley Cup, or abandon them and head home to Toronto. Stamkos has a lot laid out on the table for him if he decides to remain in Tampa. They are without a doubt the closest team to being a model franchise, cup winning team at this point.
The Lightning have a very talented and exciting young core consisting of Tyler Johnson, Ondrej Palat, Nikita Kucherov, and Victor Hedman, all of whom are under the age of 26, and they also have a relatively young mammoth of a goalie in Ben Bishop. They've shown that they have the talent by making the Stanley Cup finals in 2015, they just lack experience, and their younger players can gain tons of that if they keep performing the way they do. He's their star player, their captain, the face of not only the franchise, but the face of hockey in the state of Florida. He's leaving a huge hole in the organization if he leaves, and that's not neccessarily a bad thing, but it's a fact. Stamkos was developed and groomed into one of the top players in the NHL by this franchise, and he might want to finish the job he was drafted to do back in 2008.
TORONTO
Now we get to the real speculation side of this case. Think back to last year when there were tons of rumours circulating on where highly touted free agent coach Mike Babcock would sign. At one point, the two most likely options were him returning to Detroit, or signing with the Buffalo Sabres. Whenever any Leafs fan dreamt up the idea of Babcock coaching the Maple Leafs, they were always laughed at. No one thought he would sign there, and look what happened. Babcock was announced as head coach in May 2015.
Now I'm not saying this exact situation is going to take place, but what is Stamkos getting himself into by joining the Maple Leafs? He has the opportunity to play for the team he grew up cheering for, to play under one of the league's best coaches, and to work with the team to compete for a Stanley Cup alongside of a future core of Morgan Rielly, Mitch Marner, and William Nylander. He really has the chance to be a game changer for his childhood team, and he also has the chance to make a ton of money through not only pay, but through endorsements as well. He really has it made for himself if he decides to leave Tampa Bay and join an up-and-coming Maple Leafs team.
WHERE DOES HE GO?
At this point, I'm not going to comment on whether or not Stamkos will join the Leafs or whether he'll stay in Tampa Bay. Anything could happen at this point and it's really hard to judge at this point. For all we know, a team like the Montreal Canadiens or the Arizona Coyotes could spring out of nowhere and snag him up on a ten year contract. Like I said, free agency isn't for another five months, so it's very hard to imagine what Stamkos will do.
Where do you think he'll end up for the 2016-17 season?
Thanks for reading.
