Tampa Bay Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois said that he’s “very hopeful” the team can re-sign captain Steven Stamkos, as the Lightning star approaches unrestricted free agency this offseason.
“Obviously Steven Stamkos needs a contract, and we want him part of that group,” BriseBois said, two days after the Lightning were eliminated by the Florida Panthers in five games.
The general manager indicated he has started “very preliminary” talks with Stamkos and his agent, calling it a priority to get the deal done.
Stamkos’ future with the Lightning has earned leaguewide attention ever since he expressed frustration about his contract status in September. This was the final year of his eight-year, $68 million contract. Stamkos, 34, said he had been “disappointed in the lack of talk” about an extension, having expressed a desire to get something done before the regular season started.
BriseBois said before the season that it wasn’t just a matter of bringing Stamkos back but making sure the Lightning remain “a legitimate Stanley Cup contender year in and year out for the remainder of his tenure” if they did.
After winning back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2020 and 2021 and losing in the Stanley Cup Final in 2022, the Lightning have been eliminated in the first round in consecutive seasons.
The noise around Stamkos grew so loud that BriseBois had to declare that Tampa Bay wasn’t trading him months before the NHL trade deadline on March 8.
Stamkos had 40 goals and 41 assists for the Lightning this season in 79 games. He had five goals in five games against the Panthers.
“From the trade deadline on, Stammer elevated his level of play, which was incredible to see,” BriseBois said. “For someone who has already earned his Hall of Fame plaque and has accomplished so much for so long, for him to play arguably his best two months of hockey of his career, at the time when our team needed it most, was incredible.”
BriseBois especially praised his captain’s leadership this season, after the Lightning saw veteran voices such as Alex Killorn and Pat Maroon leave the team last offseason. “You were all able to see how he led on the ice, what’s hard to see is how he elevated his leadership game off the ice,” BriseBois said. “Nobody in our group raised their leadership game more than Steven Stamkos did to fill that void.”
Stamkos said Wednesday that he was excited to begin contract talks but cautioned that the process was early. He reiterated his love for the city.
“I’m in my 16th season here. It’s crazy when you think about it. It certainly doesn’t feel that way from a physical or mental perspective, because I still love coming to the rink every day and interacting with the fans,” he said. “Everything that is hockey in this city is amazing and I love it.”
The Lightning players and coach Jon Cooper said they can’t imagine Stamkos leaving.
“I don’t think there’s going to be too much conversation. I hope not, anyway,” Cooper said after Game 5. “He belongs here. We know it. He knows it. He and I have grown up together. He’s in control of his own destiny so I don’t know what’s going to happen. But he feels like a Bolt for life.”
Forward Brandon Hagel praised Stamkos for handling the pressure of the season and his very public contract situation.
“Just the way he played this year, with everything going on. We had a lot of adversity. A lot of times when maybe things were a little dark. He rallied us together. His performance speaks for itself,” Hagel said. “When I look at Stammer, I believe he’s a Bolt for life. That’s just the vibe I get from him.”
TOKYO — For two days in Japan, it’s the Hanshin Tigers who have looked like the class of the National League.
In another sign that Japanese baseball has never been better, the Tigers capped a two-game sweep over MLB clubs with a 3-0 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday at the Tokyo Dome.
Even more impressive, the Tigers didn’t give up a run in either game. Daichi Ishii recorded the final out, freezing James Outman for strike three on a 95 mph fastball to cap 18 scoreless innings in a row.
“These two days were priceless,” Hanshin manager Kyuji Fujikawa said through an interpreter.
Hanshin tagged two-time Cy Young award winner Blake Snell for three runs in the fourth inning when the first two batters reached base before Teruaki Sato smoked a three-run homer into the right-field seats, where a jubilant Tigers fan club erupted in celebration.
On the mound, right-hander Hiroto Saiki threw five dominant innings, giving up just one hit and one walk while striking out seven. Saiki struck out Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani to start the game and coaxed a harmless popup from the slugger in the fourth.
“Really good ballclub,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “I thought they played really good defense. They can handle velocity, good with the fastball. The starter [Saiki] had major league stuff. Good command, good split. And then Sato, he looks the part. He’s a really impressive baseball player.”
Saiki was one of the best pitchers in Japan last season, finishing with a 13-3 record and a 1.88 ERA over 167⅔ innings. The Tigers had a 74-63 record last season, which was good for second place in Japan’s Central League.
The Tigers started the two-game sweep with a 3-0 win over the Chicago Cubs on Saturday after 20-year-old lefty Keito Mombetsu threw five perfect innings. No Cubs player reached base until Miguel Amaya smacked a single through the infield in the sixth that just got past the shortstop.
Hanshin also dominated on the basepaths against the Cubs, going 3-for-3 on stolen base attempts.
“They clearly showed they can play at the top level,” Roberts said.
Japanese players have made a huge mark on MLB, particularly over the past three decades. Former Mariners star Ichiro Suzuki was recently elected to the Hall of Fame, and this week’s Tokyo Series features five Japanese players, including three on the Dodgers with Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki.
Skenes is coming off a dominant performance in his first season in the majors. The 22-year-old right-hander went 11-3 with a 1.96 ERA in 23 starts for Pittsburgh in 2024, winning the NL Rookie of the Year Award.
The Pirates posted a video on social media on Saturday that showed Shelton informing Skenes of his decision.
In the video, Skenes walks into Shelton’s office and answers a couple questions about how his bullpen went and how he was feeling. Shelton later got up from behind his desk and informed Skenes he would be starting March 27 at Miami. He shook hands with Skenes and gave him a hug.
“Congrats, brother,” Shelton said to the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 draft.
“Appreciate it,” Skenes responded.
The 22-year-old Skenes has been working on incorporating a cutter and a running two-seam fastball to go along with his blazing four-seam fastball.
The Ottawa Senators have opened up a nice gap as the first wild card, with 75 points and 26 regulation wins in 65 games. Beyond them, things get interesting.
If it comes down to the regulation-wins tiebreaker at season’s end, the Rangers have an upper hand over all the rest, with 29 in that column, compared with 23 for the Jackets, Red Wings and Bruins, and just 22 for the Habs.
The Canadiens host the Panthers also at 7 p.m. (NHL Network)
The Blue Jackets face the visiting Rangers also at 7 p.m. (ESPN+)
And if they have their sights set on catching the Senators, these clubs are all rooting for the Maple Leafs, who host Ottawa (7 p.m., ESPN+). It’s a great night for multiple streaming devices!
There is a lot of runway left until April 17, the final day of the regular season, and we’ll help you track it all with the NHL playoff watch. As we traverse the final stretch, we’ll provide details on all the playoff races, along with the teams jockeying for position in the 2025 NHL draft lottery.
Points: 62 Regulation wins: 23 Playoff position: N/A Games left: 15 Points pace: 75.9 Next game: vs. WPG (Sunday) Playoff chances: ~0% Tragic number: 22
Points: 45 Regulation wins: 13 Playoff position: N/A Games left: 15 Points pace: 55.1 Next game: vs. WSH (Saturday) Playoff chances: ~0% Tragic number: 5
Race for the No. 1 pick
The NHL uses a draft lottery to determine the order of the first round, so the team that finishes in last place is not guaranteed the No. 1 selection. As of 2021, a team can move up a maximum of 10 spots if it wins the lottery, so only 11 teams are eligible for the No. 1 pick. Full details on the process are here. Matthew Schaefer, a defenseman for the OHL’s Erie Otters, is No. 1 on the draft board.