Steven Stamkos was an observer, not a participant, in the NHL's free-agency frenzy on Friday, and that was just fine with him.

The Tampa Bay Lightning captain, who removed himself from the unrestricted-free-agent market on Wednesday by signing an eight-year, $68 million contract to stay with the team that drafted him No. 1 overall in 2008, was able to sit back, relax and watch the madness of free agency unfold without a hint of stress.

"I definitely was interested, like any other hockey fan was, to see where guys would end up and what would happen," Stamkos told ESPN.com on Saturday. "But there was never a moment where I said, 'What if?' I think in essence that kind of solidifies the decision that I made, and I'm happy about it."

Stamkos and the Lightning -- my early pick to win the Stanley Cup next season -- have a lot to be happy about these days. Somehow they have come out of the zaniness of the 2015-16 season, when Jonathan Drouin's trade request and the lingering Stamkos contract situation fueled headlines for much of the year, looking better than ever.

Stamkos, 26, and defenseman Victor Hedman, 25 -- who signed a $63 million contract extension on Friday -- are both now locked up with eight-year deals, the 21-year-old Drouin rescinded his trade request, and the future looks oh-so-bright for the Bolts.

"This year was pretty crazy, when you think about it," Stamkos said. "I don't think anyone could have expected all that stuff to happen -- some of the stuff we had to deal with as a team and as an organization this year. But that's a testament to the ownership and the management and the players' willingness to understand the situation that we have. The situation ultimately is that we have a really, really good team that can compete for a long time now."

It's funny how it all turned out, right?

"Victor and I are extremely close friends," said Stamkos (left) of Hedman (77). "We came up in this organization as 18-year-old kids. A big reason why both of us stuck around is because of the relationship that we have as friends as well as teammates." Rick Madonik/Toronto Star/Getty Images

"When Jonathan took the trade request back, that was huge," Stamkos said. "We all saw what he did in the last five regular-season games and in the playoffs. Given the opportunity, the way he prepared himself for games, he was almost a new player. Sometimes you need to go through some tough, adverse times in your career to learn. He did that. He learned that at a young age, and he's going to be a stud in this league for a long time."

Stamkos and Hedman have long shared a bond.

"Victor and I are extremely close friends," Stamkos said. "We came up in this organization as 18-year-old kids. To say that we're going to be together for the long run, and on one team, that's something special. We have talked a lot throughout this process. I joke with him that sometimes I forget the time difference [with Sweden] and I'm calling him at 4 in the morning. But he's always getting back to me as quick as he can. It was extremely exciting to see him sign. A big reason why both of us stuck around is because of the relationship that we have as teammates and as friends as well."

Stamkos left mind-boggling money on the table from the likes of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, Buffalo Sabres and Detroit Red Wings to return to Tampa Bay. He put winning first. It tells you a lot about his character.

Some other free-agency news in my last blog of the season: