Rumor: Steven Stamkos Wants Out of Tampa Bay

Steven Stamkos was not happy with the ice time Lightning head coach John Cooper was giving him during the Stanley Cup playoffs. Stamkos appeared off his game in the playoffs as if something was troubling him. Hockey analyst, Don Cherry, feels that Cooper mishandled his star player, costing the Bolts a Stanley Cup.

Cherry went further on the matter, suggesting that Stamkos will wait to become an unrestricted free agent and then choose to sign with another team.

Cherry said via Twitter:

Stevie will listen more closely to 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.

Stamkos is set to become a free agent at the end of next season, and there is speculation that he wants to play out the rest of his NHL career with the Toronto Maple Leafs. If the Tampa Bay Lightning do not get an extension done, many teams will line up to sign Steven Stamkos.