North American Skater
STEVEN
STAMKOS
POSITION: C
SHOOTS: Right
HEIGHT: 6' 0"
Weight: 176
Born: 02/07/1990
Mid Term Rank: 1
Nationality: Canadian
Club: Sarnia
League: OHL
  • He scored nine goals in the first round of the 2008 OHL playoffs -- including four goals in a 5-4 win in Game 4 -- helping the Sting eliminate the Windsor Spitfires in five games. 
  • Led the Sting and ranked second in the OHL with 58 goals (58-47--105) in 61 games in 2007-08.
  • Named the OHL's Player of the Month for February after scoring 13 goals and 22 points in 13 games.
  • Was recognized as the best stickhandler and voted as having the best shot in the OHL's annual Coaches Poll. 
  • Was one of two players born in 1990 named to Team Canada for the 2008 World Junior Championship. He helped lead Canada to a gold medal, recording six points (1-5--6) in seven games, including a goal and an assist in the quarter-final game against Finland.
  • In 2006-07, he was awarded the Bobby Smith Trophy as the OHL Scholastic Player of the Year, awarded annually to the player who best combines high standards of play and academic excellence. He was runner-up for the OHL Rookie of the Year in 2007 to the eventual 2006 number one draft pick, Chicago Blackhawks’ Patrick Kane.
  • Was selected first overall in the 2006 OHL Priority Draft after scoring 105 goals (105-92--207) for the Markham Waxers Minor Midget team.
  • Stamkos’ shootout goal in the 2007 OHL skills competition has over 100,000 views on YouTube.
  • He began skating at the age of three and played his minor hockey for the Markham Waxers.  He played alongside Oshawa’s Michael Del Zotto (ranked 15th) and Brampton’s Cody Hodgson (ranked 9th).
  • He patterns his game after Alex Ovechkin because “he uses his speed as well as his body to create plays on the ice and I love the way he plays.”
  • If he could have dinner with any three people he would choose: Tiger Woods, Wayne Gretzky and his parents. 
  • His nickname is ‘Stammer’ and if he weren’t playing hockey he would be playing pro baseball.

FAVORITES

NHL Team: Toronto Maple Leafs
NHL Player: Washington's Alex Ovechkin
Shootout move: “Behind the back”
Goal celebration: “Fist pump on one knee”
Practice Drill: 2-puck
Video Game: NHL ‘08
Movie: Remember the Titans
TV Show: One Tree Hill
Actor: Denzel Washington
Book: To Kill a Mocking Bird
Website: facebook.com
Pump-up song: Techno songs
Food to cook: Pancakes
Sport (other than hockey): Baseball
Activity away from the rink: “Hanging with friends”
Toy growing up: Mini sticks
Place to shop: Hollister
Place to visit: Dominican Republic