Bolts GM: Stamkos won't be traded at deadline

Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos will remain with the team through at least the end of the regular season, general manager Julien BriseBois said Tuesday.

"I know as we get closer to the [March 8] deadline, a popular and interesting topic is who's going to get traded [and] who won't get traded," BriseBois said. "Steven Stamkos isn't getting traded. We can put that one to bed. If anyone was speculating on that, that's not going to change between now and the deadline under any circumstances.''

Stamkos, who turns 34 next month, is in the final season of an eight-year contract that carries a salary cap hit of $8.5 million. BriseBois said at the opening of training camp that he would not negotiate with Stamkos until after the season.

"I said all along, after this season, we're going to sit down and we're going to evaluate where we are as a team and where Steven is,'' BriseBois said. "We will see how we can make all the parts work.''

Stamkos was drafted first overall by Tampa Bay in 2008 and is tied for 35th in NHL history with 533 goals. He also has 564 assists, to give him 1,097 points in 1,044 career games over 16 NHL seasons -- all with the Lightning. The seven-time All-Star helped the team win consecutive Stanley Cup titles in 2020 and 2021.

Last month, Stamkos had his first career four-goal game at Edmonton to equal a franchise record. He has 18 goals and 41 points this season but is minus-20 in 41 games.