Steven Stamkos

The franchise leader in goals and points who captained Tampa Bay to back-to-back Stanley Cups.

via Wikipedia: Steven Stamkos · see source

Steven Stamkos is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward and alternate captain for the Nashville Predators. He was selected first overall in the 2008 NHL entry draft by the Tampa Bay Lightning. Stamkos holds the Lightning franchise record for most goals and points scored and captained the Lightning to back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 2020 and 2021 as well as appearances in the Stanley Cup Final in 2015 and 2022. He is a two-time Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy winner as the NHL's leading goal-scorer (2010 and 2012), a Mark Messier Leadership Award winner (2023), a two-time NHL second team All-Star (2011, 2012), and has been named to seven NHL All-Star Games.

Quick Facts

Born: 7 February 1990
Birthplace: Markham, Ontario, Canada
Position: Forward
Shoots: Right
League: NHL
Team: Nashville Predators
Former teams: Tampa Bay Lightning
Draft: 1st overall

Lore & Background

Stamkos was born on February 7, 1990, and grew up in Unionville, Ontario. He played for the Markham Waxers in the Eastern AAA Hockey League and won eight OMHA titles in a row in minor hockey. After a season with the minor Waxers where he scored 197 points over 66 games, he was selected first overall in the 2006 OHL Draft by the Sarnia Sting. In his rookie OHL season, he recorded 92 points (42 goals and 50 assists) over 63 games and won the Bobby Smith Trophy as the OHL's scholastic player of the year. The following season, he improved to 58 goals and 105 points over 61 games and was selected to the CHL first All-Star team. As the 2008 NHL entry draft approached, Stamkos was largely seen as the best available center. The Tampa Bay Lightning, by virtue of their previous season in which they won an NHL-worst 31 games, owned the first pick. As expected, Stamkos was selected first overall by Tampa Bay on July 29, 2008.

Reader's Guide

Stamkos is a two-time Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy winner as the NHL's leading goal-scorer (2010 and 2012), while also the runner-up three other times (in 2011, 2013 and 2015). He was a Mark Messier Leadership Award winner (2023), a two-time NHL second team All-Star (2011, 2012), and has been named to seven NHL All-Star Games. Nicknamed "Stammer", he has scored the most goals and the most points of any player born in the 1990s. He was also a Hart Memorial Trophy finalist in 2012 as the most valuable player to his team, a two-time Ted Lindsay Award finalist (2011 and 2012) as the best player judged by the NHLPA. In addition, he was the runner-up for the Art Ross Trophy as the leading point-scorer two consecutive times (2012 and 2013).