The Maple Leafs and Sabres were seeking to sign Stamkos in a bid to hasten their rebuilding plans. Lightning captain Steven Stamkos is staying put in Tampa Bay. Under NHL rules, they were allowed to sign Stamkos to an eight-year contract, while other teams were limited to making seven-year offers. Here we go ….. — Steven Stamkos (@RealStamkos91) June 29, 2016His status even loomed over the NHL draft in Buffalo last weekend, where several team executives expressed their interest in making a bid to sign Stamkos. The 26-year-old Stamkos tweeted Wednesday that he was “excited to be back for 8 more years” and two people familiar with the decision confirmed the move.

Source: National Post June 29, 2016 20:59 UTC