Will the Tampa Bay Lightning Keep Steven Stamkos Beyond This Season?

The Lightning face a major decision this summer whether they will be able to keep Stamkos or not.

The Tampa Bay Lightning arrive at the halfway mark of the 2023-2024 regular season with a laundry list of questions surrounding the team. As the Lightning currently sit three points out of the final wild card spot in the Eastern Conference, there are major questions surrounding a franchise that has been accustomed to regular season and postseason success over the past decade. One question looms large over the organization as the Lightning prepare for the second half of the regular season that begins tonight at home against the Los Angeles Kings.

Will the Lightning be able to keep captain Steven Stamkos with the core of Brayden Point, Victor Hedman, Andrei Vasilevskiy, and Nikita Kucherov together beyond this season?

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvhXruXszNM[/embed]

Stamkos, who turns 34 on February 7th, is set to become a free agent on July 1st. Stamkos had signed an eight year, $68 million contract extension with the Lightning on June 29th, 2016. Lightning General Manager Julien BriseBois did not sign Stamkos to a new contract extension prior to the start of the regular season, which lead to Stamkos sharing this candid response:

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8wmh2l24MY[/embed]

“To be honest, I’m disappointed in the lack of talk in that regard,” Stamkos said on September 20th as Lightning players reported for the start of training camp. “It was something that I expressed at the end of last year that I wanted to get something done before training camp started."

Stamkos' words was certainly felt and heard throughout the hockey world. It was shocking and surprising that the Lightning, the only organization that Stamkos has ever known, did not offer him a new contract prior to the final year of his current deal. Stamkos is still among the very best centers in the NHL and he has by and large part stayed healthy in his contract season. Stamkos has played in 38 of the teams' 41 games this season, scoring 16 goals with 23 assists for 38 points.

The biggest issue that faces General Manager BriseBois is the fact the Lightning have $6.686 million dollars in salary cap room for next season. Make no mistake that the core group of Kucherov, Stamkos, and Point have been among the very best forward groups in the NHL offensively. They have been a major reason why the Lightning were able to win back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 2020 & 2021 while reaching a third consecutive Stanley Cup Finals in 2022 before losing to the Colorado Avalanche in six games.

The Lightning have lost key players from the Stanley Cup runs due to salary cap restraints. Alex Killorn, Ross Colton, Pat Maroon, and Corey Perry were among the key players the Lightning parted ways after the 2022-2023 season. Now with Stamkos' future with the Lightning very much in question, it is fair to wonder if the Lightning will be able to retain him beyond this season.

The Lightning had to part ways with several key players that were vital to the team's successful championship era. If the Lightning are not able to keep Stamkos beyond this season, it will be a painful end to what has been the most successful championship era in the NHL during this decade. Stamkos importance to the franchise cannot be overstated, it will be up to General Manager BriseBois if he wants to keep Stamkos in Tampa Bay for the foreseeable future.

Related: 5 Players You Didn't Know the Lightning Drafted

Related: USA Wins Gold Thanks to Lightning Prospect

Related: Key Lightning Defenseman Returns to Practice