Lightning’s Stamkos ties Marty St. Louis for most career points and isn’t slowing down

TAMPA, Fla. – Steven Stamkos has been the face of the Tampa Bay Lightning’s franchise for 14 seasons and is on the cusp of becoming the greatest player to ever put on a Lightning sweater. Stamkos is just one point away from being the Bolts all-time points leader tying his friend and former teammate Marty St. Louis on Tuesday night’s loss to the Detroit Redwings.

“It sucks to have something that’s special for me to happen in a game that we don’t win,” Stamkos said. “I definitely have Marty on my mind tonight. He still means a lot to me in what I’ve become as a person and as a player, just the role model that he’s been to me. And to have your name right up there with the great Marty St. Louis is pretty humbling, pretty, pretty surreal.”

Assistant coach Jeff Halpern was an alternate captain when Stamkos was drafted in 2008. It didn’t take him long to see that the Lightning had something special in an 18-year-old from Toronto.

“You saw those flashes as an 18-year-old kid in the league, said Halpern. “It’s hard to physically impose some of those things, but I think once his strength and his maturity caught up to that. Yeah, for sure you saw these flashes.”

Nearly 40% of his goals have come on the power play and most of the those have come with his patented shot from what has been known as his “office,” the left circle. Teams know that’s his sweet spot and still they have a tough time stopping it.

Despite numerous injuries and surgeries Steven Stamkos has shown no signs of slowing down after 14-years. In fact, one of his teammates is predicting that Stamkos will be joining an elite NHL club before he calls it a career.

“He’s probably going to score 600 goals in this league,” said Patrick Maroon. “It’s been fun to watch him grow as a leader.”

At his current pace, Stamkos could hit the 600 goal club in four seasons.