Steven Stamkos returned to Tampa as a member of the Nashville Predators on Monday evening, October twenty ninth. It was an emotional return for Stamkos, who spent the primary 16 years of his profession with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Stamkos introduced the Stanley Cup again to Tampa Bay in 2020 and 2021, scoring over 500 targets and recording over 1000 factors with the Lightning. He wished to stay with the Lightning. Sadly, as documented, the Lightning and Stamkos couldn’t agree on an extension.
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Lightning GM Julien BriseBois valued him at ‘X’, and Stamkos valued himself at ‘Y’. Thus, the Lightning and Stamkos went in numerous instructions. Stamkos signed with the Predators on July 1st, whereas the Lightning traded for after which signed Jake Guentzel to an extension.
When Stamkos returned Monday evening, there was no in poor health will towards him. A lot of the fan base knew he didn’t need to go away. The overall supervisor made a enterprise choice to not deliver him again, as there have been no negotiations in the summertime of 2023.
The followers, his former teammates, and coach Jon Cooper knew what Steven Stamkos meant to that group. His coronary heart will all the time be in Tampa, however he’s a Nashville Predator now, displaying that he nonetheless has rather a lot left within the tank.
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After the good video tribute and a standing ovation to Steven Stamkos have been over, Stamkos may settle in and play his sport. Although the Predators trailed 2-0, Stamkos sparked the cost with two assists as Nashville tied the sport and compelled additional time.
Nice Video Tribute to Steven Stamkos and the Lightning gamers and Jon Cooper watched it and he will get to take a number of laps. What a second. Crowd chanted Steven Stamkos. Superior #smashville #gobolts pic.twitter.com/uA4ve5yZSz
— Jim Biringer (@JimBiringer) October 28, 2024
It was virtually a storybook ending, just like the 2020 Stanley Cup Remaining, the place he took one shift, scored a objective, and was achieved for the remainder of the sequence. Stamkos had an opportunity to be the hero in additional time, rating a objective towards his former group, and win it for Nashville.
That didn’t occur for Stamkos and the Predators, who fell 3-2 in additional time to the Lightning. However taking part in in Tampa gave him the spark he wanted to search out what was lacking in his sport to begin the season.
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The Predators underachieved to start the season, however you would inform Stamkos was off. Getting this sport out of the way in which early within the season permits the participant to maneuver on and get it over. Possibly he was specializing in this reunion an excessive amount of, however Stamkos solely had one objective in his first eight video games.
You possibly can see his coronary heart and head have been nonetheless in Tampa. It’s a arduous adjustment for gamers to maneuver on. It isn’t a Jonathan Huberdeau state of affairs, nevertheless it was getting near that. You understand Steven Stamkos didn’t need to go away Tampa, however that’s the nature of the enterprise.
However one thing about his sport on Monday evening allowed him to play extra freely and seem like the participant from a yr in the past with the Lightning. Once more, Steven Stamkos continues to be adjusting to a brand new system and a brand new coach, nevertheless it seems like now he can take off and be the participant the Predators hoped he can be after they signed him to that four-year deal.
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