Steven Stamkos leaves the Tampa Bay Lightning as free agent

After 16 seasons, Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos will have a new sweater when he suits up in the fall for his next NHL season.

Stamkos became a free agent at noon Monday and posted a goodbye to the city of Tampa on X.com:

Stamkos' destination is reportedly the Nashville Predators on a 4-year, $32 million deal.

For Lightning fans, the move is a crushing blow to a franchise that has contended for the Stanley Cup for years with Stamkos at the helm. He has been the captain of the Lightning since 2014 and has only played for them since he was drafted in 2008.

The move was expected as Stamkos told the media before the season he was disappointed in the inability to reach a new contract with the Lightning.

For his career, Stamkos is the Lightning's all-time leader with 555 goals, 1,137 points, and 1,082 games. Since he joined the Lightning as a rookie, the team won back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2020 and 2021. He's notched 50 goals and 51 assists in 128 career playoff games with the Lighting.

During the 2023-2024 campaign, Stamkos scored 40 goals and registered 41 assists in 79 games.

The Lightning moved on before Stamkos even became a free agent.

The team announced Monday morning it had signed left winger Jake Guentzel to a seven-year, $63 million contract. He registered 30 goals and 47 assists in 67 regular-season games last year. The left-handed Guentzel will effectively fill the hole left by Stamkos' departure.