from Scott Burnside of ESPN,
In reality, the NHL offseason is painfully short once you get through free agency, factor in development camps and count down the days to rookie camps.
That said, there's a lot of stuff percolating to keep hockey on the front burner as we head into the dog days of summer.
1. Will Steven Stamkos sign an extension?
Is there anyone who doesn't expect a long-term deal to get done to keep the Stanley Cup finalist Tampa Bay Lightning intertwined for the long haul with their dynamic captain, Steven Stamkos? OK, Leafs fans put your hands down. Still, the last thing general manager Steve Yzerman wants to do is have this become a "thing" by stretching it into training camp or beyond. Surely this will get done, but the longer it doesn't, the longer there will be rumblings that somehow Stamkos might consider an exit plan.
2. How will Mike Richards situation resolve itself?
The Los Angeles Kings are charting dangerous territory here by looking to dissolve Richards' contract rather than buy him out, especially as they continue to wait out Slava Voynov's situation in the face of domestic abuse charges. We get that it's a business, but the Kings' reputation, already on the rocks given the multiple off-ice issues in the past year, has the potential to take a real hit depending on how this plays out.
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