A few weeks ago, Steven Stamkos said that he’d “definitely have to look at getting at least one to two months’ worth of competitive games in” if the 2012-13 campaign is lost.
That might still be the plan, but it looks like Stamkos won’t play in Europe, according to the Globe and Mail’s James Mirtle.
Why? “One reason: He’s heard from some players who have had bad experiences,” Mirtle said.
It’s not clear who Stamkos has been talking to, but Joffrey Lupul recently returned from the KHL and reported that “it was a little worse than I bargained for.”
Evander Kane’s tenure in the KHL was also less than ideal.
“It didn’t work out,” Kane told the Winnipeg Free Press. “You play six minutes a night and they want you to score three goals a game.”
Kane was also blasted by his KHL coach for his fitness level.
Regardless, even if Stamkos decides against playing in Europe, he still has other options. The ECHL is becoming a popular destination for locked-out NHLers.