Steven Stamkos finally reveals why he turned down the Toronto Maple Leafs
Steven Stamkos has had a fantastic career in Tampa Bay, and as he heads to Nashville, he now opens up about turning down the Maple Leafs in free agency.
This offseason, something unexpected happened: Steven Stamkos, the long-time captain of the Tampa Bay Lightning, departed for free agency, despite admitting he would have preferred to remain in Tampa Bay. In a letter to the Lightning through the Players' Tribune, he revealed why he turned down an offer to join the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2016.
The revelation shows that his decision had nothing to do with the pressure, the players already there, or the rivalry. Instead, he wanted to finish what he started in Tampa Bay after the team took him No. 1 overall in the 2008 NHL Draft. He did just that, captaining the team to three Stanley Cup Finals appearances, winning two, and becoming a franchise legend.
The Maple Leafs would get another Toronto kid in free agency a few years later in John Tavares, but the team has yet to reach the Stanley Cup Finals. This is something the organization desperately wishes had gone differently.
Source: Hockey Feed Steven Stamkos reveals why he turned down the Leafs in free agency
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17 JUILLET | 84 ANSWERS Steven Stamkos finally reveals why he turned down the Toronto Maple Leafs Will the Nashville Predators be a top 3 team in the NHL next season? | ||
| Yes | 46 | 54.8 % |
| No | 38 | 45.2 % |
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