The Nashville Predators have signed forward Steven Stamkos to a four-year deal worth $32 million, according to Pierre LeBrun. After 16 seasons and nearly 1,100 games with the Tampa Bay Lightning, the legendary centerman is on the move for the first time in his career.
Stamkos Already Has Decorated Career
Despite the fact he’s already 34 years old, Stamkos is still a phenomenal player. He’s no longer the 60-goal scorer we saw in his youth, but he still scores 40 on a regular basis while his playmaking ability has taken a major step over the past decade. Over the course of 16 seasons with the Lightning, he scored 555 goals and contributed 582 assists for a total of 1,137 points in 1,082 games. His leadership skills are also valuable, as he had been captain of the Lightning since the 2013-14 season and ultimately helped lead them to back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2020 and 2021.
During his time with Tampa Bay, Stamkos won the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy for most goals in a season twice, participated in the All-Star Game seven times, and won the Mark Messier Leadership Award once. He’ll undoubtedly go down as a legend for the Lightning organization despite the way things ended between him and the team. Now, he will get an opportunity to show his skill off to a new city and fan base.
Fit with the Predators
The Predators have been looking for a first-line center, and Stamkos fills that role. The seven-time 40-goal scorer will form an impressive one-two punch alongside 2019 Conn Smythe Award winner and 2023 free-agent signing Ryan O’Reilly. With O’Reilly’s linemates of Gustav Nyquist and Filip Forsberg set in stone, Stamkos’ linemates are yet to be determined.
One likely name is the 2019 Conn Smythe Award winner and reported 2024 free-agent signing Jonathan Marchessault. From there, their third linemate could be Tommy Novak or young forwards such as Luke Evangelista or Cody Glass. In two offseasons, general manager Barry Trotz has revamped Nashville’s forward core.
Related: 2024 NHL Free Agency Tracker
It’s always a risk to sign a player Stamkos’ age; however, he has shown time and time again that he can overcome the odds to perform at a high level regardless of what is thrown his way. Now, he’ll have an opportunity to do so with the Predators.
