TSN’s Bob McKenzie is reporting that the Tampa Bay Lightning and Steven Stamkos have come to an agreement for the star forward to stay in Tampa Bay for the next eight years.

This is coming on the heels of a note from hot dog enthusiast Steve Simmons that Stamkos met with representatives of MLSE, the Mayor of Toronto, and the CEO of Canadian Tire.

Could this be the end of speculation between Tampa Bay and Toronto? Well. No. It won’t be.

There is the possibility that this is a sign and trade deal between the Lightning and Maple Leafs, so Toronto gets the eight year on the deal that only Tampa could offer him.

There is a non-Stamkos bonus in this however. Next season Tampa has some big names that need new contracts like Ondrej Palat and Victor Hedman. Could one of these players be victims of a tight cap? Hopefully they are and the Leafs can benefit.

In non-Leafs news the hockey world got many, many, laughs this afternoon when two other Canadian teams made huge trades of their own.

The Edmonton Oilers traded Taylor Hall to the New Jersey Devils for Adam Larsson. The Oilers were looking for defensive help and Peter Chiarelli seems to hate the 2010 draft (he traded 2nd overall pick Tyler Seguin from the Bruins).

Then, the Montreal Canadiens got involved and sent PK Subban to Nashville for Shea Weber.

That last one is baffling as Subban is young and talented where Weber is not young, and while a very god defenseman, is locked up on a contract until 2026 and is in his 30’s now.

Leafs fans, I know it’s a rough day seeing Stamkos taken off the market, but hey, atleast we aren’t Oilers or Habs fans.