Stamkos trending in wrong direction ahead of free agency

While he still collected two goals in a losing effort Thursday, Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos is in the midst of an uncharacteristic season.

With 33 goals on the campaign, tied for fifth most in the league, Stamkos has actually fallen short of many people's expectations for a superstar player in his contract year.

The 26-year-old is on pace to finish with 38 goals, which, besides the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season and his injury-plagued 2013-14 campaign, would be his lowest total since his rookie year.

His point total has also been lacking, with 57 through 71 games. Stamkos is on pace to finish with 65 points, a far cry from the 97 he racked up in 2011-12.

Regardless, Stamkos will be the NHL's hottest commodity when he hits free agency this summer, with no shortage of suitors expected to offer big bucks for his services.

However, after dipping under a point-per-game pace over the last two seasons, it'll be interesting to see if some teams steer clear of offering Stamkos a long-term contract.