Will he stay or will he go?

The hottest topic in the NHL is the future of Tampa Bay Lightning centre Steven Stamkos, who is headed to unrestricted free agency July 1.

An informal poll of league executives last week indicated the Bolts had best get him signed before the Feb. 29 trade deadline or the Lightning are going to have a really hard time keeping him. The questions whether he’s going to stay there as these talks drag on will continue.

Tampa GM Steve Yzerman is very pragmatic in his approach to any situation so he’ll want to make sure he does what’s right for the organization and for a player considered the face of the franchise but there is a sense of urgency here.

“(After Feb. 29) you have to think his agent will be telling him to test the market,” said one executive Friday.

If the Bolts and Stamkos’ camp take the talks past the deadline then the only leverage Tampa has is that it can offer an eight-year deal while the most the 25-year-old can get on the open market is seven. Of course, the ball is in Stamkos’ court on whether he wants to stay or not.

Stamkos’ comparables are likely the eight-year, $10.5-million per season deals that Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane that kicked in this season with the Chicago Blackhawks. The talk is the Bolts have yet to table an offer to Stamkos but both sides are keeping any discussions quiet publicly.

It’s believed Yzerman is attempting to clear money off the books by shopping defenceman Matt Carle around the league. The 31-year-old, who is making $5.5 million per season, has a contract that runs through 2017-18.

AROUND THE BOARDS

So, what next for the Columbus Blue Jackets? Coach Todd Richards, with the club sitting at 0-7-0, was given his walking papers and replaced with John Tortorella, who usually wears out his welcome in fairly short order with the players. Many sitting in NHL offices can’t believe GM Jarmo Kekalainen chose Tortorella over former Maple Leafs bench boss Randy Carlyle, who is biding his time and waiting for a job. Many believe Carlyle is firm but fair while Tortorella is tough and unpredictable. The next step for Kekalainen is to make a trade and he’s been trying desperately to get a top-four defenceman that can move the puck. “Good luck with that,” noted a league executive. “Everybody is looking for that kind of player.” The Jackets have some level of interest in Toronto D Roman Polak but Kekalainen has to be careful because the club’s chances of making the playoffs are slim ... Calgary Flames GM Brad Treliving doesn’t have any specifics in mind but if they don’t get their act together soon expect him to make a deal. He’s been telling teams he wants to shake up his roster.

OFF THE GLASS

The heat is on in Pittsburgh big time with the club off to an inconsistent start and it’s not just coach Mike Johnston feeling it either. While the Penguins are for sale, that doesn’t mean ownership isn’t determined to have success, which means GM Jim Rutherford is also under the microscope. If this doesn’t get better, this could be a volatile locale and a name to keep an eye on is Pittsburgh executive Bill Guerin ... Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau could be joining Richards on the unemployment line if this doesn’t get turned around quick. Former Senators coach Paul MacLean, who won the Jack Adams in 2014, is on the staff and would be the top candidate to take over. Going into Saturday’s visit to Minnesota, it was hard to believe what a difficult time the Ducks were having putting the puck in the net. Ducks GM Bob Murray can’t be the least bit pleased with the play of all-star forwards Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry. The name of blueliner Clayton Stoner has been floated on the trade front but that isn’t going to get the club a whole lot in return. A turnaround better happen quick ... A Western Conference executive on where trade talks are at: “Teams don’t know what they have right now.”

RUMOURS DU JOUR

The triumvirate of Boston president Cam Neely, GM Don Sweeney and coach Claude Julien is interesting to watch. The Bruins, coming off a 5-3 victory over the Islanders Friday, are off to a so-so start and the club was supposed to be better when president Charlie Jacobs fired GM Peter Chiarelli in the summer and handed the keys to Neely. Nobody is sure where this is all headed but Sweeney has been calling around to see if he can get a defenceman. The Bruins would like to move RW Loui Eriksson and the $4.25 million contract. He’ll be a UFA on July 1 and we’re told Sweeney tried to move him several times during the off-season while a playoff contender will likely take C Chris Kelly off their hands. Sweeney has been desperately trying to get a defenceman ... Carolina Hurricanes GM Ron Francis has been busy working the phones and at some point it’s expected G Cam Ward will get moved. He is a UFA on July 1 and that one may just be a matter of time ... Arizona (don’t call me Phoenix) Coyotes GM Don Maloney has been sniffing around to see if he can find a blueliner. A league executive said Maloney doesn’t like the mix he has on defence.

Have a nice Sunday.

Twitter: @sungarrioch