New York Rangers swing blockbuster deal for Steven Stamkos in latest trade pitch
New York Rangers swing blockbuster deal for Steven Stamkos in latest trade pitch
Steven Stamkos never wanted to leave the Tampa Bay Lightning, and with the way his first season as a Nashville Predator went, you can understand why.
It’s never easy to leave the only place you’ve ever called home, and for Stamkos, the acclimation process was a struggle. Not only did his personal numbers plummet, but the team as a whole was a major disappointment, flopping after an offseason full of flashy moves.
Despite finishing 30th in the league standings in 2024-25, general manager Barry Trotz has kept the same veteran core intact heading into 2025-26, for now at least.
On Tuesday, Nestor Quixtan of Heavy Sports proposed an interesting trade between the Nashville Predators and New York Rangers that would see Steven Stamkos and Alexis Lafreniere swap places.
While a Stamkos for Lafreniere trade may be improbable, that’s not because the Rangers shouldn’t have any interest in the seven-time 40-goal scorer.
His 27 goals and 26 assists for just 53 points in 82 games from last season aren’t pretty on the surface, but a lot of that is because of a very slow start and a rare 13-game pointless streak throughout the month of February.
As Stamkos enters his second season as a Predator, more comfortable with the system and his surroundings, he should see his point totals climb closer to what we’ve normally seen during his illustrious career.
If Nashville does get off to another poor start in 2025-26, then speculation around a change of scenery for Stamkos will certainly grow louder, and there won’t be a lack of interest in his services around the league.
