Would they sell Stamkos

Short Answer: No

Long Answer: Depends on if 3 things happen and if the offers they get are good enough:

1) Stamkos waives his NMC. Unless he has a change of heart, he's not doing it. He already declined in the past (I believe) and he's stated that he's ending his contract and hopes to end his career in TB as recently as this past September. I think that if TB was the worst team in the League today, he would still be waiting for a contract extension. Probably, even if JBB tells him that they have no intention of re-signing him and that he would like to trade Stamkos to give him a chance at winning + find a new home and the team recuperate assets, I think Stamkos refuses. He then probably waits in free agency until the door is closed by TB spending their cap.

2) TB's management would need to have no intentions of re-signing him. I think they may pivot elsewhere if something comes up but I'm sure they are interested in signing him, but just don't want to rush. He doesn't want to go anywhere, so there is no reason for JBB to rush an extension, especially without knowing how much cap they will have next year.

3) TB would need to be so far out of the playoffs that there's no hope that they could make it. If they are 7th in the Atlantic and only 10 pts, maybe even 15 pts out of a WC spot, I think they would just keep him and try to make the playoffs against all odds.

4) They get a trade offer they can't refuse. TB is at a point where they don't put too much value in draft picks and they are looking to improve their team, so they are likely going to want to take pieces that can help them sooner or later, especially off a team in the division like BOS. That could be a guy like Frederic or even a pending UFA like DeBrusk, who knows? The price would probably be too steep for Sweeney or other GMs in the division that could be interested.

I'm just spit-balling, but I think there's probably less than a 0.001% chance that he would get traded.

I don’t see Boston trading for an older player like Stamkos. If they acquire someone with a pick, my guess is it would be Hanifin, Lindholm, or a much cheaper player to acquire.

That sums it up.

A quote from September. Steven Stamkos " I can't say what will happen when my contract expires however, I can guarantee I'll be a bolt until then."

I was considering going back and adding that quote and the rumor about him declining to consider waiving even for a team like Vegas. I think it was the year they moved McDonaugh. Decided that I put enough work into typing that up though lol.