After beating the Edmonton Oilers 6-4 on Tuesday for their sixth straight win, the Tampa Bay Lightning sit comfortably in a playoff position, and the improved play of captain Steven Stamkos is a big reason why.
But despite piling up six points in his last four games, Stamkos is far from the only impending free agent making noise for the reigning Eastern Conference champions.
Nikita Kucherov and Vladimir Namestnikov will both be hitting restricted free agency this summer, and with the way they've been playing, the upcoming decisions for Steve Yzerman are only growing more complicated.
Though his agent has already made it clear a deal won't be negotiated until the offseason, it's hard to imagine Kucherov's value being any higher than it is right now. The 22-year-old had a goal and an assist Tuesday to extend his point streak to six games.
Even more impressive, Kucherov has been held off the scoresheet just three times in his past 20 games. While Tyler Johnson has faltered after a 70-point campaign a year ago, Kucherov is picking up the slack, and is sure to be rewarded for his efforts come season's end.
Meanwhile, Namestnikov has been a recent revelation in Tampa, with four goals and six assists in six games since joining the top line alongside Stamkos and Ondrej Palat. With career highs already in both goals and assists, the sky is the limit for the 2011 first-round pick.
Top line's last 6 games
| Player | G | A | P |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vladislav Namestnikov | 4 | 6 | 10 |
| Steven Stamkos | 3 | 4 | 7 |
| Ondrej Palat | 2 | 3 | 5 |
What does this mean for the captain, though?
With many expecting the 25-year-old to command a contract worth $10 million per year, that possibility becomes less likely the more the talent develops around him - especially with none of Johnson, Palat, or star defenseman Victor Hedman locked up past 2017.
Still, if the Lightning continue to play at this level, it's hard to imagine Stamkos finding a scenario in free agency in which he has a better chance to win.
