"It’s been a good couple of days for the organization.''
Steve Yzerman is a master of the understatement. Rarely does the Lightning general manager overstate whatever situation he discusses.
So for him to just simply stay the Lightning enjoyed a couple of good days is predictably an understatement.
In the span of less than 48 hours Tampa Bay signed captain Steven Stamkos to an eight-year deal with a cap hit of $8.5 million and cornerstone defenseman Victor Hedman to an eight-year deal that carries a salary cap hit of $7.875 million. That's two star players, two building block players, signed for a combined salary cap hit of $16.375 million.
In today's NHL, that's a bargain for the team (see Chicago).
What that means is Yzerman - who also signed goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy to a three-year extension worth $3.5 million per year - can now go about trying to line up his roster for the upcoming season as well as down the line.
When it comes to identifying the core of the team, getting those players signed to deals that works for both sides - and both the Stamkos and Hedman contracts fall under that category - and then trying to fit pieces in around them.
"It really helps from our perspective, in terms of trying to plan for next year and beyond, knowing the earlier we can know a guy’s cap number, it helps to project other things,'' Yzerman said. "Starting with Steven and then with Victor, you just kind of chip away at each contract. Like I said, we have an idea of the range of the salaries for remaining contracts, it’s just a matter of what the term is and you can kind of figure that out as you go.''
That is something both Stamkos and Hedman are very cognizant of, taking contracts below market value to stay at home and keep the most competitive team possible on the ice. And just like Stamkos, Hedman wasn't chasing a contract, he's chasing championships.
"I’ve played with Stammer for seven years so we obviously stay in touch, and these were big decisions for both of us,'' Hedman said. "So it came down to both of us wanting to stay in Tampa. We have a lot of good friends on that team and we have a close group and it made the decision way easier. We want to keep a competitive group and a competitive team, so for us moving forward it’s going to important for everyone to buy in to that. For me and Stammer, we want to win together and that is a big goal we have to go all the way together with Tampa.''
The success of the team on the ice the past three years - three consecutive playoff berths, a trip to the Stanley Cup Final, a run to the Eastern Conference finals - helps to make these decisions easier for players the caliber of Stamkos and Hedman. But so does how they are treated by the organization, given a strong sense of comfort. And when players are put in comfortable situations they tend to thrive under those circumstances (provided they don't get to feel too comfortable).
That's the feeling playing for the Lightning.
"We want to keep a competitive team, we have a special group down there, a great organization, great management, great coaching, so for me there was never a doubt,'' Hedman said. "The success we’ve had the past three years without reaching the ultimate goal, it says a lot about the way this organization is heading. I want to be a big part of that. For me, there was never a doubt that I want to be a Bolt for a very, very long time. To get this extension done on the first day, July 1, a year before my contract expires was important to me and important to Tampa.''
But that doesn't mean everything is done. Yzerman still has work to do.
Nikita Kucherov is now a restricted free agent eligible to sign an offer sheet. Given some comparables, it's not out of the realm of possibility to think Kucherov could command north of $6 million on a new contract if Tampa Bay is going to buy out unrestricted free agent years.
"We’re engaged in contract discussions and we’ll do our best to get it done as quickly as possible but it’s a process we have to go through, but I’m confident that we’ll be able to reach some sort of an agreement,'' Yzerman said.
Yzerman also has to deal with new contracts for Vladislav Namestnikov and Alex Killorn, both of whom have arbitration rights. But Yzerman, at least for the time being, doesn't seem overly concerned with that at this point.
"With the restricted players you have a better idea what the contract is going to be, it just depends on the terms,'' Yzerman said. "With those players you generally have a range and a better idea where they’re going to come in.''
Then there is the whole goaltending situation. The expansion draft next summer plays a big factor in all of this between Ben Bishop and Vasilevskiy. Bishop has one year left on his contract at $5.9 million and is a prime candidate to be moved, something that was nearly done at the draft. No doubt those conversations will continue, and Yzerman is not shy about discussing the understanding of how it might play out.
"We know we have to make a decision at some point,'' he said. "Either one of them, if they’re left unprotected, I don’t know what will happen around the rest of the league but if one of these two guys is available, they’re going to get claimed. So I’ll have to make a decision on that in the future. I have an idea in mind of what I want to do and I really don’t want to get into that with you, I don’t want to share that with you.
"So we’ll just see how things play along here. If something that makes sense happen a day from now, a month from now, at the trade deadline, we’ll look at it. We’re prepared if need be and it wouldn’t be the worst situation in the world as we have two really good goaltenders to play the year out.''
In other Lightning news, the team was very active in free agency, they just didn't dip in to the deep end of the pool, signing a handful of depth players to shore up the minor league team.
Among them:
F Michael Bournival to a one-year, two-way deal out of Montreal
F Gabriel Dumont to a one-year, two-way deal out of Montreal
F Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond to a one-year, two-way deal out of New Jersey
F Jeremy Morin to a one-year, two-way deal out of Toronto (via Columbus and Chicago)
Tampa Bay also signed prospect Dennis Yan - a third round pick in 2015 - to an entry level contract. Yan is currently participating in the team's summer development camp.
Finally, I have to throw this tidbit in after asking the question of Hedman during his conference call. Hedman, of course is from Sweden and a big Manchester United fan. So it was sort of a big deal for him to see that Swedish soccer star Zlatan Ibrahimović officially signed with United on Saturday.
"It’s big, obvioiusly,'' Hedman said. "I was in Norway playing a charity game with Mats Zuccarello, who plays in New York, and I got to meet two former Man U players, it was real exciting. And I might get to go to Old Trafford now in August, and with Ibrahimovic signing today that’s a big boost and hopefully I can make it there before the camp starts for World Cup'' of Hockey.
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