Tampa Bay Lightning C Steven Stamkos Happy To Be In Tampa

The Tampa Bay Lightning re-signed Steven Stamkos yesterday and the captain is excited to play in Tampa for eight more years.

After agreeing to an eight-year, $68 million dollar contract on Wednesday, Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos expressed his excitement in staying with the organization and playing on a team that has come so close to a championship.

The long-awaited deal came after months of speculation and back and forth talks with his agent Don Meehan and Tampa Bay Lightning General Manager Steve Yzerman, but despite tremendous pressure from the outside, especially from the hometown Toronto Maple Leafs, the two sides agreed on a reasonable contract that would be best for both.

For a while, it seemed as if it were certain that Stamkos would leave town and the 26-year-old Markham, Ontario native even met with the mayor of Toronto, John Tory, and the CEO of the Canadian Tire company on Wednesday. The mayor even presented him with a “Home is Toronto” hat.

Desperate move, huh? Stamkos properly declined.

In addition to Toronto, there was much speculation that the two-time Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy winner would also land with the Buffalo Sabres, Detroit Red Wings, and even the New York Rangers. However, Stamkos would go to none of those places and now he remains with the team that drafted him number one overall in 2008.

It’s almost a perfect fit, money-wise, and the numbers would agree. Because of the lack of a state income tax in Florida and the high tax rates elsewhere, taking the so-called “hometown discount” with the Lightning will actually net him more many than if he signed with the Maple Leafs, for example. Take a look at the tweets below.

Plus, I’m sure Stamkos doesn’t mind the fantastic weather down here and the winning mindset of this organization, in addition to the money. But, money isn’t everything, and you know what they say, “It’s not about how much you make, it’s how much you take to the bank!”

Take that, hockey elitists saying he would rather play for the Maple Leafs and enjoy more attention in a “hockey mecca.” We think he would say otherwise and Tampa Bay is a little hockey mecca in itself.

During a conference call today with the media, Stamkos expressed that he is extremely happy with his decision and wanted to stay true to the team that drafted and developed him from the start.

He also praised Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeff Vinik for giving the team the best opportunity to perform and paid his respects to Yzerman, citing their great relationship and mutual respect between the two.

After all the “sleepless nights” and uneasiness throughout the season, Stamkos is relieved to have a deal done and explained that he wanted to be here all along. Ultimately, the decision was best for him and his family and the Lightning organization.

The year-long Steven Stamkos sweepstakes is finally over and the competition for the most coveted free agent in a while has ended in favor of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Throughout this seemingly endless saga, Lightning fans everywhere were confident that their captain would remain in Tampa and as of yesterday, that couldn’t be truer.

The tweet below by the team’s official Twitter account pretty much sums it up.

Even some of Stamkos’s teammates chipped in on the conversation/celebration on social media.

And best of all, the captain himself even confirmed the deal himself, sparking the overwhelming excitement in Bolts Nation and the complete despair from his highest bidders.

At the end of the day, the re-signing of the face of the franchise to a long-term contract is refreshing, especially in a sports market that has seen its fair share of big name players leave for another team.

Next: Tampa Bay Lightning Re-Sign Captain Steven Stamkos

Overall, Wednesday, June 29th was a great day for the franchise and this deal couldn’t have happened without General Manager Steve Yzerman’s mastery and Stamkos’s loyalty to his current team. We hope that this signing, among others, will one day culminate in a championship or two. Now we wait for what should be a very interesting and exciting regular season.