Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos is among the top players eligible for UFA status. Meanwhile, should Montreal Canadiens D-man Mike Matheson be trade bait?
The Tampa Bay Lightning are preparing to meet the Florida Panthers in the opening round of the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs. That hasn't prevented some pundits from speculating over Steven Stamkos' future with the Lightning.
And in Montreal, the Canadiens may need to use a player as trade bait to upgrade their offense. Mike Matheson might be that player.
Here's a closer look at both players.
Potential Destination for Steven Stamkos
Stamkos, 34, is among the top players eligible for UFA status on July 1. The long-time Lightning captain wants to finish his career in Tampa Bay, and the feeling is mutual in the club's front office.
Nevertheless, The Athletic's Chris Johnston and Joe Smith pondered some possible destinations for Stamkos if he tests the market. They noted the Panthers have a well-earning reputation for making big moves. Landing the captain of their close rival would be a shocker.
The Nashville Predators could be another destination, partly because Stamkos' former teammates Ryan McDonagh and Luke Schenn are on their roster. Speaking of former teammates, Anaheim Ducks winger Alex Killorn told Johnston and Smith his club has lots of cap space, and he'll start recruiting Stamkos if he doesn't re-sign with the Lightning.
The Lightning have $11.69 million in projected cap space next season with 17 of 23 players signed on their active roster, according to PuckPedia.
Will the Canadiens Trade Mike Matheson?
Earlier this month, we noted speculation about which forwards the Montreal Canadiens might target this summer to bolster their scoring. That's prompted conjecture over which players GM Kent Hughes could use as trade bait to address that issue.
Before the trade deadline, The Hockey News Montreal's Amy Johnson said fans should expect Matheson to be an important part of the rebuild, but he could fetch some decent returns if he gets offered up.
In a recent mailbag segment, Montreal Gazette columnist Stu Cowan was asked what the return would be on a potential Matheson trade. He doubted Hughes would part with the 30-year-old defenseman, who's coming off a career-best 62-point performance. He's also the sixth defenseman in franchise history to reach 50 assists in a season.
Cowan acknowledged the Canadiens need to add more scoring forwards. However, he believes they need Matheson's veteran presence on their blueline. He can generate offense and also plays a leadership role on this young roster.
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