Sportsnet 590 The FAN: Elliotte Friedman on the Jeff Marek Present on the Tampa Bay Lightning and pending unrestricted free agent ahead Steven Stamkos.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
Marek: “Now John Cooper was requested about Steven Stamkos. And he mentioned what I feel all of us consider that Stamkos must be there and belongs there and must be a Tampa Bay Lightning. You consider so, I consider so. I might argue that almost all of the listeners/viewers proper now are of the identical perception.
The issue is, none of us maintain the pen. That’s simply Julian BriseBois. He’s the one holding the pen on this one. Do you could have a way of which method the wind is blowing on Stamkos in Tampa? We began this dialog in early October, and right here he at the moment are that Tampa’s out and we’ll choose up the dialog.
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Friedman: “I heard, you realize, listening to Cooper evening, you realize, I, Cooper was it was fascinating. H made it sound like I imply, I’m assuming whereas with out figuring out precisely what’s happening, I’m positive you’d have a good suggestion of what’s happening. He made it sound prefer it didn’t need to be an extended dialog.
And, once more, it’s emotional. It’s proper after the season ended. And I don’t need to guess however he positive made it sound like there’s a deal to be made there. And he made it sound just like the Lightning themselves understand how vital it’s to make a deal.
Just like the one factor simply primarily based on pure hockey, Jeff, Stamkos was considered one of their finest gamers within the first spherical. He performed as onerous as, he performed as onerous as anyone did. He was productive.
, like, prefer to me, Tampa Bay with out Stamkos, nevermind all, how a lot he means to them and so they imply to him, they’re simply not pretty much as good a workforce with out Stamkos there except they suppose they’ve acquired one thing they will do to could make them higher.
I simply suppose and I’ve mentioned this loads, the Lightning know that that’s the place he needs to be. They comprehend it. They went by means of it final time. He had all these huge gives on the desk, half the league was chasing after him and he went again to Tampa, okay. They know that. They know he needs to be there.
I feel it’s all going to come back right down to are they going to make a proposal that he feels is authentic sufficient. It’s going to be under market I might guess Jeff, however are they going to make him a proposal that makes him say, ‘yeah, that’s ok. I’ll take it.’
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And I feel that’s what the road right here goes to be for Tampa is, make him a proposal that’s under market however you realize, he’ll take it. And I feel that’s what they’re going to do.
