Victor Hedman speaks with media following 7-0 shutout win against the Flyers The Tampa Bay Lightning are one of the most talked about teams in the NHL right now. It is understandable, as Steven Stamkos remains without a contract, and his agent confirmed that the superstar forward will hit the market on July 1. That doesn’t mean, however, that he will automatically be leaving Tampa, as they are still interested in getting a deal done. While this is the case, the Lightning shockingly have another star forward on their radar. According to Elliotte Friedman [https://www.sportsnet.ca/podcasts/32-thoughts/], the Lightning are rumored to be interested in Carolina Hurricanes forward Jake Guentzel. This is surprising to hear, as the Lightning have only just over $5 million of cap space and still have not given up hope of bringing Stamkos back. Thus, they do not appear to be in a position to land another big-name talent like Guentzel, but apparently, they will try if he reaches free agency. While the Lightning would need to be incredibly creative to bring in a star like Guentzel in free agency, it is easy to see why they are interested. This is because he is a star sniper who is always a point-per-game threat. With this, he would be a remarkable addition to their top six. <font><font>Jake Guentzel</font></font> [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjA3NDgxOTIwODkwNjExMTQz/usatsi_22858229-1.jpg] <font><font>Jake Guentzel</font></font> While the Lightning are expected to be interested in Guentzel, I would be surprised if they managed to bring him to Tampa. Friedman also noted on the Pat McAfee Show that the Hurricanes are willing to give Guentzel the 8x8 deal he is looking for. However, Friedman notably said that the Lightning and Vancouver Canucks will make their runs at Guentzel if he does not agree to a new deal with Carolina. You have to love this time of year.
