from Pierre LeBrun of ESPN,

It has been repeated many a time over the past few weeks that Steven Stamkos, as he contemplates his future, holds all the cards due to the no-movement clause in his expiring contract.

Should he remain unsigned closer to the Feb. 29 trade deadline, the Tampa Bay Lightning will be at his mercy as to whether he’d be amenable to provide a list of teams to which he'd be willing to go.

And that’s if Tampa Bay would ever be willing to move him.

But the point is: Stamkos is in full control.

Don’t blame the Lightning; the vast majority of big-name players in this league are armed with no-movement clauses once they become eligible in their unrestricted free agent years.

It’s a big-time must for star players, and it’s become an absolute plague tying the hands of so many front offices around the NHL.

continued

My opinion, if a GM agrees to a no-movement/trade clause, he must live with it. Don't like them? Then don't agree to them.