Don Cherry: ‘Steven Stamkos Will Be Gone’ After Next Season

CBC Sports Analyst Don Cherry believes that tension in the post-season will lead to Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos finding a new home when his contract expires.

As the season comes to a close, the eyes of the hockey world turn from the magnificence that was the Stanley Cup Finals and redirects their attention to the NHL Draft followed by the Free Agency period. Every free agency period comes with its fair share of drama; especially when it comes to a team’s captain and especially when your name is Steven Stamkos.

Most of you will remember all-too-well the off-season of the 2010-11 season. The Tampa Bay Lightning had a very successful regular season, which led to a mostly-successful post season where the Lightning were just one game away from the Eastern Conference Championship.

Much like every season, once the post-season was over for the Lightning all eyes turned to the impending NHL Entry Draft and then the Free Agency period. This would be a particularly important Free Agency period for the Tampa Bay Lightning as Steven Stamkos’ contract was about to expire; hence, the beginning of “Stamkos-gate.”

As you can imagine, Steven Stamkos was hearing offers from other teams in the National Hockey League in order to make an informed decision on where he wanted his career to go. Of course, the rumors would continue to swirl (some people certain he was headed to Toronto,) but when all was said and done, he would remain in Lightning blue for another 5 years.

Here we are five years later; the Tampa Bay Lightning had a successful regular season and a largely successful run, complete with a spot in the Stanley Cup Finals. Once again, eyes of the organization and the fans have redirected to the Free Agency period and once again, Stamkos-gate is in full effect.

As if the rumors of what some would consider a groundbreaking trade that would see Stamkos leave the Tampa Bay Lightning and find a new home with the Toronto Maple Leafs weren’t making tidal waves around the internet, there is someone here who is more than happy to stir the pot a little.

CBC Sports Analyst and former hockey player and National Hockey League Head Coach Don Cherry has his opinions of what happened to Steven Stamkos during the post-season and why he is almost certain that the young Lightning captain will be on a new team after next season.

According to Cherry, his opinions have a lot to do with Tampa Bay Lightning Head Coach Jon Cooper and his treatment of Steven Stamkos during the post-season; more specifically the Stanley Cup Finals.

1) My thoughts on Stevie Stamkos in the finals where he remained goalless: I’ve been watching Stevie since he played for the Markham Waxers
— Don Cherry (@CoachsCornerDC) June 16, 2015

2) I think the world of him. I feel for coach Cooper who is up for candidate as coach of the year and when a team reaches the finals he must
— Don Cherry (@CoachsCornerDC) June 16, 2015

3) be doing something right. And I must say he did a great job to get Tampa to the finals. But I have to give my opinion.
— Don Cherry (@CoachsCornerDC) June 16, 2015

4) I know he feels lousy losing in the finals. I should know, I’ve done it twice after being so close. But I feel Stamkos was not handled
— Don Cherry (@CoachsCornerDC) June 16, 2015

5) the way a super star should be handled. It all started when the coach seemed to favour and fall in love with the little guys.
— Don Cherry (@CoachsCornerDC) June 16, 2015

6) And I guess rightly so because Johnson was terrific but at Stamkos’ expense. Stevie some games played around only 15 minutes.
— Don Cherry (@CoachsCornerDC) June 16, 2015

7) . He was not on the ice when the goalie was out with one goal down. Don’t give me he just finished a shift.. Stamkos tired is better than
— Don Cherry (@CoachsCornerDC) June 16, 2015

8) than anybody on the team. But I think the final insult came when he was send over to serve a team penalty. To see Stevie Stamkos sitting
— Don Cherry (@CoachsCornerDC) June 16, 2015

9) in the penalty box hurt. I know Stevie is going to protect his coach as that’s the type of guy he is. But the final game was ridiculous.
— Don Cherry (@CoachsCornerDC) June 16, 2015

10) Stevie led both teams with 8 hits. Now when you have your 60 goals scorer lead in hits it’s absolutely asinine. His job is to score.
— Don Cherry (@CoachsCornerDC) June 16, 2015

11) Also where was his patented slapshot from the left side? I never saw it. Yes, the combo of less ice time, not on when a goalie is out,
— Don Cherry (@CoachsCornerDC) June 16, 2015

12) serving a penalty, means trouble for the Lightning when free agency arrives for Stevie. I feel now Stevie will listen more closely to
— Don Cherry (@CoachsCornerDC) June 16, 2015

13) to offers that arrive. I am trying to put this as delicately as I can, but I feel unless this is straightened out, Stevie will be gone.
— Don Cherry (@CoachsCornerDC) June 16, 2015

There are many occasions where Don Cherry’s commentary is spot on. Unfortunately, from where we are sitting, this one couldn’t be any further off-base.

As far as Coach Cooper is concerned, we fully believe that Cooper absolutely made the right decision when it comes to Stamkos’ ice time, and it had nothing to do with Cooper “falling in love with the little guys.” The fact of the matter is that, as much as we were pulling for him, Stamkos was not performing.

At the same time, players like Tyler Johnson, Ondrej Palat, and Alex Killorn were performing at optimal capacity and therefore were awarded more ice time. It is really simple when you think about it.

Don’t get us wrong, we are trying to bash Steven Stamkos here. Even the most elite players to ever have stepped out on the ice have their bad patches; Stamkos’ just happened to come at a very inconvenient time.

We are fairly certain that Stamkos felt the sting of the Tampa Bay Lightning’s Game 6 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks more than any other player on the team, and has already began formatting his game plan for next season and how he can lead his team to victory.

Thankfully, Steven Stamkos doesn’t seem to share Don Cherry’s opinion. Stamkos went on the record as saying that there are no issues in this department.

"“Everyone is entitled to their opinion. Everyone in here knows what goes on. There’s no issues in here.” Stamkos went on to say “I want to win a championship with this group.” – Steven Stamkos via Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times"

While Stamkos has not said with 100% certainty that he plans on re-signing with the Tampa Bay Lightning, he does show a significant interest in making it happen.

Unfortunately, no matter how much one tries, there is no way to stop the rumor mill from turning and until Steven Stamkos has signed on the dotted line there are always going to be rumors of locker room discord and rumors that the captain has found a new home.

In other words, let Stamkos-gate commence. If we batten down the hatches it will all be over soon.

Do you think that there is a glimmer of truth in Don Cherry’s comments or do you think that he is just one of many people who are adding fuel to the fire in the Free Agency period? Do you think Steven Stamkos will be in a Lightning jersey after next season? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

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