Stamkos out 1-3 months

[NerveDamage 4,176]

Maybe they are secretly trying to clone another Stamkos with the bone fragment.

get god all up in this b****

[NerveDamage 4,176]

Hedman sidelined with a day-to-day upper-body injury.

http://www.thehockeynews.com/blog/lightning-cant-catch-a-break-hedman-sidelined-day-to-day-with-upper-body-injury/

[AtlantaHotWings 1,135]

Sigh all the doctors in the article were from Toronto...so I guess we know where he is signing this summer.....I kid I kid.

[VM1138 1,921]

Honestly Babcock changes the situation in Toronto. Yes, they were really bad this year, but it's because they're rebuilding the team from scratch. But the new management and coaching will draw in decent talent, finally. It's one thing to be a bad team with no direction (Toronto the past...well...forty years?) but a bad team that is knowingly starting from scratch and is expected to make the right moves? Stamkos might be willing to forego a Cup for five years to be part of something like that.

But back to his injury and Tampa's hopes: I think Tampa is still a good team. They could still get out of the first round. The East is so weak this year, especially the Atlantic, that anything could happen.

[Jacksoni 418]

I would be shocked if Stamkos didn't sign with the Leafs come July 1st.

When Pat Quinn was coaching the Leafs they were consistently one of the better teams in the league.

Was just about to write what you did as a tidbit regarding Steven Stamkos.

If I was him, I'd choose between 2 options. Either stay in Tampa, or go home.

I'd weigh in chances of winning and how much I'm getting paid. That's it.

And to me it's more likely than not he's going home to Toronto.

[kliq 3,763]

The issue with Toronto is that while they are doing a complete rebuild, many teams have shown us over the years that this doesn't necessarily mean you will become an elite team. If this were the case, teams like Columbus, Atlanta/Winnipeg, etc would all be legit contenders now. LA and Chicago are just two teams of many that have gone down this road over the last 10 years.

With Babs it was a bit different in that he won his cup, and in coaching you know you have x amount of years left baring personal tragedy (ie. cancer diagnosis etc.) With Stamkos, he has never won a cup and being a hockey player you are always one bad hit away from having your career end (maybe this blood clot scared the kid, and showed him that things can happen at any moment). Does he want to spend his prime years playing for a team that may never even become a playoff team in the next 5 years.

Secondly, many players have gone on record in saying Toronto is a horrible city to play it. The media scrutiny is unlike any other city.

On the flip side, to win a cup and be the center piece of a team you grew up watching rooting for as a kid would probably be the ultimate dream for any hockey player. (Assuming TO was his fav).

It will be a very interesting summer, and this injury definitely adds an element.

[frankgrimes 1,836]

I think there will be more teams than just TB and TO waiting in line for his services. Yzerman and Meehan haven't been able to reach an agreement so I think it's safe to say that Stamkos is going to sign somewhere else in the summer. As far as I know the guy grew up as a Leafs fan and is spending his summers back home but I really really hope, he is going to phone Phil Kessel and Dion Phaneuf before signing a contract with Toronto. The media scurinty there is unlike everything for every respectable insider (Dreger, Lebrun, Mckenzie) there will be a Feschuk, Simmons, Cox waiting for him to have a bit of a slump and then unload.

Add to that the unbelievable large fanbase with a ton of questionable fans, who think players should just "have to deal with ridiculous expectations and no privacy" and the potential of signing there backfiring for him is huge.This is probably the biggest contract Stammer will ever sign in his career it will have implications for himself, his girlfriend and all his friends so wherever he is going to sign I really hope it's the right decision for him. Sure winning the cup with Toronto would make him a living legend in his hometown but man the Leafs aren't anywhere near close to that and they won't be for at least another 4 years and by then Stammer will be 31.

Obviously the Leafs did the right thing by starting a rebuild but they still have a lot of work to do and will need to hit some homeruns outside of the top 5 because this has really been Edmonton's downfall, almost every non first round pick sucked.

I also believe the Buffalo Sabres could make a big splash for him, it's a 90 minute drive for him to get home he would play without all the pressure and media scrutiny that comes with signing in Toronto and would have Jack Eichel as his center for years to come.

[amato 3,210]

If the Sabres won the lottery and got Matthews then signed stamkos, they could be a goalie and a top two d man away from being a playoff team. Maybe closer; I don't know how their prospect pool looks. Probably good?

[amato 3,210]

I have that feeling too. But honestly, I'd rather them than Toronto

But they're a close second.

It'd be kind of cool to see Matthews play in Arizona with all their young guys.

[MrazekFanBoy 223]

That's Matthews hometown I hope that happens, Toronto will get Stamkos they don't need him

[frankgrimes 1,836]

We can only hope any other franchise not named the Edmonton Oilers will win the 1st overall pick...Personally I have the gut feeling that those jerks in Alberta will once again get the 1st overall pick

Well nobody controlls the balls but when it comes down who "deserves" Matthews teams like Calgary, Arizona (of course) and Columbus would come to mind. They didn't try to tank and a core of Duclair - Matthews - Domi + OEL would be very solid to build around it doesn't even matter if the Yotes stay or move...even a relocation team would be very happy with such young studs.

Very interesting point Frank.

And to think the Sabres are also looking at possibly getting a top 3 pick in this years draft.

Yeah I think it's a bit shocking that nobody has them as a potential candidate. Man if Buffalo gets another top 5 pick they could add one of the finnish monsters or get Chychrun to play with Bogosian...then they would be another top 4 guy away from being an annual playoff contender. Stamkos, RoR, Bogosian, Eichel, top 5 pick + Risto Ristoleinen that's a very very good core going forward with the potential of winning the cup. If it pans out like this the Sabres would have rebuilt their whole organization in freaking 3 years that's just insane. I don't know why but I really have a softspot for their team, their fans are one of the most loyal and best fans in the NHL they deserve a winning product and by all accounts Pegula seems like their version of our own Mr. I.

Edited April 7, 2016 by frankgrimes