NHL Rumors: Steven Stamkos to Buffalo Sabres

The Buffalo Sabres are rumored to be all-in on Steven Stamkos. According to sources, the Sabres are prepared to offer as much as $12 million per season to get him in free agency on July 1st.

Stamkos has a choice to make. He can either take less money, $8.5 million annually, and sign with a Stanley Cup contender, the Tampa Lightning. Or he can go after the big bucks and sign with the Sabres or the Maple Leafs. By signing with a rebuilding team with plenty of cap space, Stamkos puts off his aspirations of winning a Stanley Cup for a few years or maybe forever.

Bolts GM Steve Yzerman is getting impatient because many decisions rest on whether or not the Lightning sign Stamkos this summer.

For us, we'd like to know sooner than later. At some point on other players, I have to make decisions, whether it'd be restricted free agents, or potential trades or qualifying offers and things like that. I've got to make decisions and they can't be put off forever.

For the first time Yzerman acknowledges his star forward is about to leave, and he is powerless to stop it.

To be honest with you, it's out of my control. He's an unrestricted free agent on July 1. I can't force him to sign a contract with us if he doesn't want to. If he wants to go to July 1, he has that right.