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So if Steve Stamkos is a free agent on Monday, and reviews say he can be, absolutely the Vancouver Canucks can be kicking tires on the longer term Corridor of Famer, proper?

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Stamkos’ agent Don Meehan informed The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun that his shopper will take a look at free company.

Perceive that Stamkos’ rookie season was 2008-09.

Early within the season, the Tampa Bay Lightning dumped Barry Melrose over the facet as head coach, changing him with a just lately retired participant, who had a number of seasons below his belt as an assistant coach however returned to the NHL below a cloud.

It was his first head teaching job.

Rick Tocchet was thrust into the highlight, being requested to information a budding younger star.

For Tocchet it was a real studying expertise as a coach. His workforce wasn’t terribly good. He drew middling outcomes.

However he received the belief of his gamers as a result of he’s the most effective people-managers in hockey. He cares concerning the individuals round him, he engages with them. There’s a cause he has so many pals round hockey, in lots of circumstances individuals he by no means performed with, these he met simply a couple of times however has constructed a relationship with nonetheless.

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His present gamers reward him for his honesty and his potential to pay attention. He doesn’t let his gamers depart the rink indignant.

Stamkos has mentioned how essential Tocchet was for him. The coach kickstarted Stamkos’ confidence, the Tampa captain mentioned.

Melrose was booted after 17 video games in control of the Lightning, enjoying Stamkos sparingly, insisting that the 18-year-old wasn’t prepared.

Tocchet says he’s a participant who simply wanted steering.

“He gave me a shot and labored with me, noticed the potential, gave me a chance and I can’t thank him sufficient for that coming into this league. I owe so much to him as a result of he taught me so much,” Stamkos mentioned in 2019.

Tocchet didn’t throw him to the wolves straight away, although he nonetheless managed his minutes — however he labored with the participant, helped him perceive the method he was being put by.

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“I felt that enjoying him a pair video games right here and there and getting within the fitness center, with Gary Roberts — a great mentor — they labored out collectively. It’s humorous, after he sat a sport and acquired within the fitness center, he’d have an important sport. He acquired larger and stronger and the remaining is historical past. He’s only a tremendous child,” Tocchet mentioned.

And Tocchet stays an admirer of Stamkos.

He is probably not the 5 on 5 power he as soon as was, however he stays a potent energy play presences.

“Ovechkin’s the godfather, however Stamkos is subsequent,” Tocchet mentioned in the course of the 2023-24 season of Stamkos’ potential to attain off the left facet of the facility play.

That may be a potent weapon for the Canucks so as to add to their energy play.

And his management could be a giant addition to the Canucks’ room. Tocchet mentioned earlier in June how he took observe that the likes of Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov had been on the ice already on the finish of Might, making ready for the following season. It had been just some weeks because the Lightning had been eradicated from the playoffs.

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“That’s the kind of perspective I would like. … We simply can’t go backward. We’ve set the bar right here.”

In fact, Jake Guentzel stays Vancouver’s major goal. But when they don’t land the participant, Canucks administration is aware of from their days in Pittsburgh, Stamkos could be price a brief as a substitute.

pjohnston@postmedia.com

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