Steven Stamkos returned to Tampa as a member of the Nashville Predators on Monday night time, 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 objectives and recording over 1000 factors with the Lightning. He needed 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 night time, there was no in poor health will towards him. A lot of the fan base knew he didn’t wish to go away. The final supervisor made a enterprise determination to not carry 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 neighborhood. His coronary heart will all the time be in Tampa, however he’s a Nashville Predator now, displaying that he nonetheless has quite a bit 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 couple of laps. What a second. Crowd chanted Steven Stamkos. Superior #smashville #gobolts pic.twitter.com/uA4ve5yZSz
— Jim Biringer (@JimBiringer) October 28, 2024
It was nearly a storybook ending, just like the 2020 Stanley Cup Ultimate, the place he took one shift, scored a aim, and was achieved for the remainder of the sequence. Stamkos had an opportunity to be the hero in additional time, rating a aim in opposition to 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 start out the season.
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The Predators underachieved to start the season, however you may 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. Perhaps he was specializing in this reunion an excessive amount of, however Stamkos solely had one aim in his first eight video games.
You may see his coronary heart and head have been nonetheless in Tampa. It’s a onerous adjustment for gamers to maneuver on. It’s not a Jonathan Huberdeau situation, nevertheless it was getting close to that. You already know Steven Stamkos didn’t wish to go away Tampa, however that’s the nature of the enterprise.
However one thing about his sport on Monday night time allowed him to play extra freely and appear to be 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 looks like now he can take off and be the participant the Predators hoped he could be once they signed him to that four-year deal.
