ESNY

As the Tampa Bay Lightning prepare for the upcoming season nobody could blame the Lightning front office if some of their thoughts are focused on the 2016 off-season, more specifically the pending free agency of Steven Stamkos.

By Ernie DeFalco

The Tampa Bay Lightning are built to win now. They have a solid goaltender and a good young core. Part of that core is elite goal scoring center, turned winger, Steven Stamkos.

Stamkos will hit the 300 goal mark this season, before his 26th birthday. Stamkos is a goal scorer who can be a cornerstone player in any organization. There were indications last season that Stamkos was not happy with the new head coach in Tampa Bay.  His unhappiness stemmed from his move to the wing and his loss of ice time during the playoffs.  Don Cherry, as reported by Doug Harrison of CBC Sports. even weighed on the situation.

Stamkos  will become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2016. Because of his age and scoring prowess, he will be highly sought after in the off-season. Here is a list of some possible destinations.

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Administrator of New York Hockey Discussion Group, IT Professor by day, and lifelong Rangers, Mets and Jets fan by night. If he had to pick one, the Rangers would top the list. Second on the list would be the always loveable NY Mets. If he could spend all summer sitting by a pool, girly drink in hand, music playing and the Mets on TV, he would be a very happy man.