Tampa, Fla. — Steven Stamkos wants to hoist the Stanley Cup again with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The 34-year-old captain, who can become a free agent this summer, reiterated Wednesday that he’d like to remain with the only franchise he’s played for in a stellar 16-season career.
And, general manager Julien BriseBois said the club definitely wants him back, adding he’s already spoken with Stamkos and the player’s agent to begin discussions in the aftermath of Tampa Bay’s loss to the Florida Panthers in the first round of the NHL playoffs.
“From the trade deadline on, he elevated his level of play, which was incredible to see,” BriseBois said.
“For someone who you can say has already earned his Hall of Fame plaque and has accomplished so much for so long – for him to play arguably the best two months of hockey of his career at a time when our team needed it most was incredible.”
Stamkos is the Lightning’s career leader in points (1,137) and goals (555), a seven-time All-Star and a two-time winner of the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy as the league’s leading goal-scorer.
He expressed frustration at not receiving a contract extension last summer, then went out and delivered the seventh 40-goal season of his career.
The No. 1 overall pick from the 2008 draft was especially effective down the stretch with 28 points (16 goals, 12 assists) after March 8 to help the Lightning overcome a slow start and key injuries to make the playoffs.
“It was harder for us this year to get into the playoffs, but they found a way. … From the midpoint of the year, which was Jan. 8 through April 5, when we clinched a playoff spot, we actually had the third-best record in the NHL,” BriseBois said.
“That, plus the players that are under contract, give me every reason to believe we’re going to be highly competitive again next year,” the GM added. “We want (Stamkos) to be part of that group.”
Stamkos, who helped the Lightning win consecutive Stanley Cup titles in 2020 and 2021, finished with 40 goals and 41 assists in 79 games this season.
He scored five goals during Tampa Bay’s first-round playoff loss to the Panthers, becoming the third player in franchise history to reach 100 postseason points.
Despite losing in the opening round of the playoffs for the second straight year, Stamkos is confident the Lightning are not far away from contending for another Stanley Cup title.
“I think the window’s certainly open when you have some of the premier players at every position,” Stamkos said. “You look at all the teams that have won the Cup in the last five years, and we talk about really good defensemen, an elite goalie and elite forwards.’’
Cooper apologizes for inappropriate comment
Tampa Bay Lightning coach Jon Cooper opened his end-of-season news conference Wednesday apologizing for making what he called an inappropriate analogy of putting skirts on goalies.
Cooper after the Game 5 loss that eliminated his team from the playoffs on Monday night vented about two questionable goaltender interference rulings that contributed to Florida’s 6-1 win. The Lightning had two goals disallowed when the NHL situation room deemed a player interfered with Sergei Bobrovsky each time.
The league’s longest-tenured coach said he was sincerely sorry especially as a father of two daughters who play sports and a supporter of women’s hockey.
“It’s one of those minutes if you could just reach back and grab the words back, I would’ve,” Cooper said. “Quite frankly, it was wrong and I’ve got to go and explain myself to my girls. … I sincerely apologize to all I offended. It’s pained me more than the actual series loss itself.”
Tampa Bay has made the playoffs in 10 of his 11 seasons on the job and won the Stanley Cup back to back in 2020 and ’21.
Rempe doesn’t mind villain role
Matt Rempe stretched on the bench several minutes before warmups when the chants started.
A chorus of “Rempe! Rempe!” emerged from nearby New York Rangers fans, sounding almost like the Yankees “Bleacher Creatures” roll-calling players from the outfield.
The popular 6-foot-8 rookie waved and got a big cheer when he went down the tunnel.
Then, every time he touched the puck during the game in Washington, the Capitals crowd booed Rempe, unhappy about a hit he made two nights earlier that injured defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk and sparked more criticism about his play. The 21-year-old forward shrugged it off, happy to play the villain role on the road knowing back home at Madison Square Garden he’ll be applauded just as much, if not more.
“I’ve got no issue with it,” Rempe said last weekend. “In New York there, they love it when I’m playing hard. And if you go on the road and they don’t like it, that means you’re playing hard, you’re playing physical.”
That’s what the Rangers want from Rempe, called up in February to bring some size and toughness to a team that went on to finish atop the NHL and win the Presidents’ Trophy. They’ll next face the Carolina Hurricanes in the second round of their pursuit of the franchise’s first Stanley Cup since 1994.
Rempe unintentionally injured two Washington Capitals players in Game 3 of the first-round sweep: van Riemsdyk on a hit he was penalized on for interference and winger T.J. Oshie on an otherwise innocuous hit that caused a broken right hand.
Tom Wilson tried to fight Rempe afterward. Rempe declined.
“I just felt like there’s a certain point where he hits enough of your teammates – that are kind of borderline hits – that it doesn’t matter whether it’s the playoffs or a big game, it doesn’t mean anything: It’s still hockey. You can still stand up for your teammates,” Wilson said Tuesday. “I felt like in that moment I wanted to do that. He didn’t want to do it.”
Rempe fought New York Islanders tough guy Matt Martin on his first shift in the league back in February in front of nearly 80,000 fans outside at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. He fought four more times over his final 17 games of the regular season, and the balance between dropping the gloves and the trappings of that from five minutes in the box to risk of injury, is a constant conversation between Rempe and the coaching staff.
“He’s been a really effective player for us,” coach Peter Laviolette said. “He’s done it on the ice with his game. He’s done it through his physicality. He’s done it through fighting when he’s had to. We’re just trying to manage him and make sure he understands that he’s important when he’s on the ice, as well.”
Rempe scored a goal, blocked a shot and dished out 18 hits in his first NHL playoff series, skating just 27 minutes (average of 6:46) over four games. Based on practice Wednesday, he’ll be in the lineup for the series opener against Carolina, which could be Sunday or Monday in New York.
His status could certainly change if Laviolette opts for more speed against the Cup favorite Hurricanes or if Filip Chytil is able to play his first game since Nov. 2. But for now the Rangers enjoy having Rempe on the ice with them.
“He’s just a big kid having fun playing hockey,” captain Jacob Trouba (Michigan) said. “Players love him. He’s been a big part of our team, a big part of momentum, a big part of just the attitude and the energy around the Rangers recently. That’s a lot to carry for someone like him, but I think he’s done a great job of it.”
Rookie goaltender Woll stands tall
Joseph Woll knew he wasn’t getting the nod for Game 1 of the playoffs.
The Toronto Maple Leafs had clearly been leaning toward Ilya Samsonov late in the regular season, including a week of rest for the goaltender ahead of the Stanley Cup chase. Woll didn’t pout. He kept his head down and stayed ready.
“It was really obvious to me that he was going to just continue to work,” Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe said. “And prepare as though he was playing.”
Woll got that chance Tuesday night, making 27 saves in his first start in more than two weeks to backstop Toronto’s 2-1 overtime victory that cut Boston’s lead to 3-2 in the best-of-seven, first-round series.
The calm, cool 25-year-old has given Toronto hope. Game 6 is Thursday night in Toronto (8 p.m. Eastern, TBS) and is the only game on the NHL slate.
“He’s unbelievable,” said Max Domi, who stepped into the Leafs’ No. 1 center spot with Auston Matthews unavailable. “He’s been sitting around for a while. Shows how mature he is and the presence that he brings when he steps in between the pipes.”
Boston blew a 3-1 lead against Florida in last year’s opening round and lost in seven games. The Leafs still have a mountain to climb against a team stinging from that ouster following a record-setting season.
“As difficult as this one was here (Tuesday), the next one’s going to be even harder,” Keefe said. “You got their attention.”
Toronto will look to secure its first playoff win at Scotiabank Arena since Game 2 of last year’s series against the Tampa Bay Lightning – a stretch of six straight losses.
“Haven’t been good on home ice,” Keefe said. “We’ve earned ourselves another opportunity to fix that.”
Eastern Conference playoff matchups
Rangers vs. Capitals
(Rangers win 4-0)
▶ Game 1: Rangers 4-1
▶ Game 2: Rangers 4-3
▶ Game 3: Rangers 3-1
▶ Game 4: Rangers 4-2
Bruins vs. Maple Leafs
(Bruins lead 3-2)
▶ Game 1: Bruins 5-1
▶ Game 2: Leafs 3-2
▶ Game 3: Bruins 4-2
▶ Game 4: Bruins 3-1
▶ Game 5: Leafs 3-2 (OT)
▶ Game 6: Thursday @ Toronto, TBA*
▶ Game 7: Saturday @ Boston, TBA*
Panthers vs. Lightning
(Panthers win 4-1)
▶ Game 1: Panthers 3-2
▶ Game 2: Panthers 3-2 (OT)
▶ Game 3: Panthers 5-3
▶ Game 4: Lightning 6-3
▶ Game 5: Lightning 6-1
Hurricanes vs. Islanders
(Hurricanes win 4-1)
▶ Game 1: Hurricanes 3-1
▶ Game 2: Hurricanes 5-3
▶ Game 3: Hurricanes 3-2
▶ Game 4: Islanders 3-2 (2OT)
▶ Game 5: Hurricanes 6-3
Western Conference playoff matchups
Dallas vs. Vegas
(Series tied 2-2)
▶ Game 1: Vegas 4-3
▶ Game 2: Vegas 3-1
▶ Game 3: Dallas 3-2 (OT)
▶ Game 4: Dallas 4-2
▶ Game 5: Wednesday at Dallas, TBD
▶ Game 6: Friday at Vegas, TBA
▶ Game 7: Sunday @ Dallas, TBA
Winnipeg vs. Colorado
(Avalanche win 4-1)
▶ Game 1: Jets 7-6
▶ Game 2: Avalanche 5-2
▶ Game 3: Avalanche 6-2
▶ Game 4: Avalanche 5-1
▶ Game 5: Avalanche 6-3
Vancouver vs. Nashville
(Canucks lead 3-2)
▶ Game 1: Canucks 4-2
▶ Game 2: Predators 4-1
▶ Game 3: Canucks 2-1
▶ Game 4: Canucks 4-3 (OT)
▶ Game 5: Predators 2-1
▶ Game 6: Friday @ Nashville, TBA
▶ Game 7: Sunday @ Vancouver, TBA
Edmonton vs. Los Angeles
(Oilers lead 3-1)
▶ Game 1: Oilers 7-4
▶ Game 2: Kings 5-4 (OT)
▶ Game 3: Oilers 6-1
▶ Game 4: Oilers 1-0
▶ Game 5: Wednesday @ Edmonton, TBA
▶ Game 6: Friday @ Los Angeles, TBA
▶ Game 7: Sunday @ Edmonton, TBA
Michigan-area hockey
Monday
▶ Saginaw 6, London 2
Tuesday
▶ NTDP U18s 9, Finland 4
Wednesday
▶ Rockford at Grand Rapids, 7 (AHL/96.1)
▶ London at Saginaw, 7
Friday
▶ Rockford at Grand Rapids, 7 (AHL/96.1)
▶ Saginaw at London, 7
Sunday
▶ Grand Rapids at Rockford, 5 (AHL/96.1)
▶ London at Saginaw, 2
American Hockey League playoffs
Central Division semifinal
(Grand Rapids leads 1-0)
▶ Game 1: Grand Rapids 3-2 (OT)
▶ Game 2: Wednesday @ Grand Rapids, 7
▶ Game 3: Friday @ Grand Rapids, 7
▶ Game 4: Sunday, May 5 @ Rockford, 4
▶ Game 5: Friday, May 10 @ Grand Rapids, 7
ECHL
Central Division Semifinal
(Best-of-seven series)
▶ Game 1: Toledo 3-2 (OT)
▶ Game 2: Toledo 5-2
▶ Game 3: Toledo 6-2
▶ Game 4: Toledo 4-2
Road to the Memorial Cup in Saginaw
(Saginaw hosts May 24-June 2)
▶ Friday, May 24: WHL vs. Saginaw, 7:30
▶ Saturday, May 25: OHL vs. QMJHL, 4
▶ Sunday, May 26: Saginaw vs. QMJHL, 7:30
▶ Monday, May 27: OHL vs. WHL, 7:30
▶ Tuesday, May 28: QMJHL vs. WHL, 7:30
▶ Wednesday, May 29: Saginaw vs. OHL, 7:30
▶ Thursday, May 30: Tie breaker (if necessary)
▶ Friday, May 31: Semifinal, 7:30
▶ Sunday, June 2: Final, 7:30
CHL playoffs in WHL, OHL, QMJHL
Western Hockey League
▶ Saskatoon Blades vs. Moose Jaw Warriors
▶ Prince George Cougars vs. Portland Winterhawks
Ontario Hockey League
▶ Oshawa Generals vs. North Bay Battalion
▶ London Knights vs. Saginaw
Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
▶ Baie-Comeau Drakkar vs. Cape Breton Eagles
▶ Drummondville Voltigeurs vs. Victoriaville Tigres
