3 reasons why Lightning should extend Steven Stamkos' contract

The Tampa Bay Lightning were eliminated in five games by the Florida Panthers on Monday night.

Tampa Bay has now lost in the first round in back-to-back seasons, and they enter the off-season with plenty of questions.

The biggest question for Tampa Bay is the status of their captain, Steven Stamkos who is a pending free agent.

3 reasons why the Tampa Bay Lightning should extend Steven Stamkos

#1 He's the face of the franchise

Steven Stamkos is the face of the Tampa Bay Lightning and has been since he was drafted first overall by the team in the 2008 NHL Draft.

“I don’t know if there will be much conversation. I hope not anyway,” head coach Jon Cooper said. “He belongs here. We know it, he knows it. We’ve grown up together. He’s a heck of a player, but he’s also, you know, I mean, he controls his own destiny, but I don’t know what’s going to happen. But he feels like a Bolt for life, but only he and [general manager Julien BriseBois] can answer that one.”

Stamkos has been the team's captain and leader and helped lead them to back-to-back Stanley Cups.

Stamkos has plenty of Lightning records and he is someone who should be a Bolt for life.

#2 He's still an elite goal scorer

Steven Stamkos, despite being 34 years old, is still an elite player.

This past season, Stamkos scored 40 goals, proving he is still one of the elite goal-scorers in the NHL.

NHL: Stanley Cup Playoffs-Florida Panthers at Tampa Bay Lightning

Stamkos can still be a top-six forward on the Lightning and help the team try and compete for another Stanley Cup.

#3 Retire as a Bolt

Steven Stamkos has said in the past that he wants to only play for the Tampa Bay Lightning in his career.

Stamkos likely only has three or four years left of his career, so he can sign a short-term deal with the Lightning. And subsequently end his career with the only team he has played for, going down as the greatest player to ever play for the Tampa Bay Lightning.