With Mark Scheifele now off the market, the Boston Bruins need to find a new solution to fill the No. 1 center spot, and Steven Stamkos could be an interesting candidate.
It’s no secret: the captain of the Tampa Bay Lightning is not doing well. The 33-year-old veteran is disappointed by the lack of negotiations on a next contract and the Bolts give the impression that they want to go in a different direction.
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With him becoming a free agent next summer, Stamkos might be tempted to look elsewhere. The Bruins would welcome him with open arms as general manager Don Sweeney has tried to sign him in the past, the Boston Hockey Now website recently recalled.
In 2016, the underdog agreed to an eight-year, $68 million contract with the Lightning, but he was minus-one. The two sides found common ground on June 29, two days before the player gained independence.
The Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs were among the destinations mentioned in the rumors at the time, except Sweeney was also pretty persistent.
In an interview with website The Athletic last week, Lightning CEO Julien BriseBois pleaded for patience on the matter, first wanting to see how his team’s campaign would begin. Stamkos stood out with four points in two games, but missed Saturday’s game against the Ottawa Senators due to injury.
For the Bruins, the retirements of Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci have left a gaping hole on offense. Pavel Zacha and Charlie Coyle have held their own so far, but Boston is rumored to be looking to add a big name.
Elias Lindholm of the Calgary Flames and Mark Scheifele were identified as potential targets, but the latter signed with the Winnipeg Jets for seven more years in early October.