When chatting about Steven Stamkos’ most recent shift to the wing, Tampa Bay Lightning coach Jon Cooper downplayed the move. Guys go back and forth all the time, he explained, and then added that minutes are more important to players than position.
“If you ask anybody, they don’t care where they play as long as we’re winning,” Cooper said.
And the Lightning tend to win with Stamkos on the wing, which is an interesting wrinkle to the Stamkos' extending contract extension negotiations. It’s becoming clear that he may be more valuable to Tampa on the wing even if his preference is in the middle.