Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Agent on Stamkos’ contract talks: ‘I don’t think we have any criteria on timing at this point’

2015 NHL Stanley Cup Final - Game Four

2015 NHL Stanley Cup Final - Game Four

NHLI via Getty Images

The window for the Tampa Bay Lightning to begin contract extension talks with captain Steven Stamkos opened on July 1; however, the two sides have yet to start negotiations.

As it stands, Stamkos has one year remaining on his five-year, $37.5 million deal, which will pay him $5.5 million next season.

“I don’t think we have any criteria on timing at this point in time,” Stamkos’ agent Don Meehan told TSN. “I’ve mentioned to Steve Yzerman that we’re going to have a meeting with Steven, and then once we’ve had the meeting with Steven, then I can go back to Steve (Yzerman).

“He understands that and understands that Steven is in the process of coming back home and getting acclimatized here and getting into his training. He understands the time frame in that respect.”

Stamkos scored 43 goals and 72 points in 82 regular season games last season. He added seven goals and 18 points in 26 playoff games.

The 25-year-old has appeared in 492 regular season games with Tampa scoring 276 goals and 498 points over seven NHL seasons.

“Steven is only a few weeks away from being in the Stanley Cup Final and he’s only just got back to Toronto this past week so he’s going to have an opportunity of getting his feet back on the ground and then coming in and having a discussion with our group in the office,” said Meehan. “Then we would go from there.

“Anytime either management or the player’s side is negotiating a contract or dealing with issues like this, it’s substantive, it’s complicated, it’s detailed and it takes some time.”

Follow @dcmahiban