The biggest indicator of concern about the Nashville/Stamkos match is his shot rates. The last three years in Tampa, he had 241, 240 and 262. Last year in Tennessee was 174 (he shot 15.5 per cent, a 40-goal pace with 262 shots.) This season, he’s on-pace for 175. He’s just not getting attempts as often as he used to. That said, it’s never a one-way street. Barring a trade for a distributor, he’s got to do everything he can to make an impact, whether that means changing his game or impacting it in other ways. He even played net-front on one of the power plays last night. But Stamkos is in the NHL to score, first and foremost. I do not believe any kind of bold trade request is the plan, but I think if there’s a situation that made sense everyone involved would have to look at it.
