The lengthy journey to Steven Stamkos' 500th career goal

Prior to the 2008 NHL Draft Lottery, Gare Joyce of ESPN reported that a general manager of a team in the running for the first overall pick was seen chatting with
Steven Stamkos
after he finished up skating in a playoff game for the Ontario Hockey League's Sarnia Sting. A scout from another team joked, "I have no idea what he'd have to ask, besides his sweater size. Any questions you might have, he answers on the ice."

Before entering the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, Stamkos played two seasons with the Sting, skating in 124 games and recording 197 points with 100 goals and 97 helpers. In 13 career playoff games, he scored 14 goals and added three assists.
Stamkos was the consensus number one pick going into the draft and was selected by the Tampa Bay Lightning to be the new face of the franchise. But before the pick was even announced on June 20, 2008, Stamkos was being promoted to Bolts fans throughout the Tampa Bay area with billboards all around town posing one simple question: "Seen Stamkos?"
Whether it was through billboards, bumper stickers, t-shirts or bracelets, the Stamkos hype was virtually impossible to ignore as a Tampa resident. No pressure for an 18-year-old kid, right?
But with heavy expectations on his shoulders from the day he entered the league, Stamkos should be able to look back confidently on the past 15 seasons and say that he has not only met those expectations, but he's exceeded them.
The Lightning's all-time franchise leader in seasons (15), goals (502), points (1,024), power-play goals (190), overtime goals (13), 20-goal seasons (13), 30-goal seasons (7), 40-goal seasons (6), 50-goal seasons (2), 60-goal seasons (1), hat tricks (11), game-winning goals (76), multi-goal games (88) and multi-point games (279), Stamkos became the 47th player in NHL history to hit the 500-goal mark on Wednesday night and just the 23rd player ever to score all 500 with a single franchise. He joined Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby as the only active players in the 500-goal club and required the 19th-fewest number of games in NHL history to score 500.
"It takes so many different players along the way that have helped me get to that," said Stamkos on Wednesday night. "That's where you reflect on those things and you're just very thankful to be part of this group and the group of players I've played with for one organization for the last 14-plus years.
"It's pretty special to do it and to have that reaction from them too is just amazing."
There certainly have been a lot of different players along the way that have helped Stamkos reach 500. In total, 90 different players have assisted on the 502 goals scored by Stamkos. The journey to 500 started on October 30, 2008 in Buffalo, New York when Stamkos redirected a slap shot from Vincent Lecavalier for his first career NHL goal with Martin St. Louis picking up the secondary assist.
Stamkos went on to score 23 goals in his first NHL season and added 23 helpers for a 46-point year in 79 games. It was a solid first year for the rookie, who went through a coaching change after Barry Melrose was fired just 16 games into the season. He finished the year with the third-most goals among all NHL rookies and led his draft class in goals, assists and points.
In year two, Stamkos took off, becoming just the second player in Lightning franchise history to score 50 goals in a single season when he lit the lamp 51 times in 82 games and won his first Rocket Richard Trophy with Crosby also scoring 51 that season for a share of the trophy. At just 20 years old, Stamkos became the third-youngest player in NHL history to reach the 50-goal mark.
Mature beyond his years and consistently humble, Stamkos immediately showed appreciation for his teammates after hitting the 50-goal mark for the first time of his career.
"I'm sure a lot of the guys were passing up opportunities and were trying to get the puck to me," said Stamkos. "I want to thank them for that. It was pretty special to do it on home ice in a win.
"I also have to give a lot of credit to Marty St. Louis. He's been a big mentor of mine and he's pushed me to be the player I am today."
The following season was more of the same for Stamkos, who racked up 91 points in 82 games with 45 goals and 46 assists. After just three seasons in Tampa Bay, Stamkos had already scored the sixth-most goals among all skaters in Lightning franchise history. He also got his first taste of playoff hockey that season, picking up 13 points in 17 games with six goals and seven assists.
The Bolts made it all the way to the Eastern Conference Final that year before falling to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins in seven games. But in that seventh game at TD Garden, Lightning fans got a glimpse of the ultimate toughness and resiliency that Stamkos has continued to showcase throughout his career in a Bolts sweater.
During the second period with 15 minutes remaining, a heavy slap shot from Johnny Boychuk ramped off a stick and hit Stamkos square in the face, right under the visor. After going down to the ice, Stamkos immediately got up and skated off to the Lightning locker room before coming back to the bench with a fresh chrome cage attached to his helmet, a shattered nose covered in blood and just under 10 minutes left in the period. He barely missed a shift.
"I've broke my nose before," Stamkos said after the game. "It's just a weird play. Their guy cut in front of me right before and didn't see the puck coming, just hit me square on.
"But nothing was going to keep anyone in this dressing room from staying out of this game, that's for sure."
After getting his first taste of playoff hockey, Stamkos came back for the 2011-12 season and showed he clearly wanted more of the postseason action when he became the 20th player in NHL history to score 60 goals in a single season. He also became just the 10th player to hit the 60-goal mark in his first four seasons and took home the second Rocket Richard Trophy of his career. Perhaps the most impressive, 48 of his 60 goals came at even strength.
After leading the Bolts in goals again the following season, Stamkos suffered the first injury that caused him to miss significant time in the 37th game of the 2013-14 season when he broke his right tibia on the goal post at TD Garden. Not only was Stamkos forced to miss serious time with Tampa Bay, but he had to deal with the anguish of missing out on the opportunity to play for Team Canada at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, something Stamkos had always wanted to do.
Team Canada won the gold medal in 2014, but Hockey Canada didn't forget about Stamkos, who was a lock to be on a team loaded with stars such as Crosby, St. Louis, Patrice Bergeron, John Tavares, Carey Price and more. Following the Olympic Games, with the Bolts on a road trip through Alberta, Hockey Canada presented Stamkos with a ring that was awarded to the members of Team Canada's gold-medal team. It just goes to show the amount of respect that people throughout the hockey world have for Stamkos.
"I think Stamkos deserves a lot of credit," said Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman. "First of all, he's a really popular guy. There's a lot of people in the league who really like Stamkos, so that's number one.
"Number two, I think that he's supposed to be what everyone should personify, right? Perseverance."
Following a trade the following season that sent St. Louis to the New York Rangers, Stamkos returned to the Lightning lineup on March 6, 2014 with new additions to both his leg and his jersey. With a metal rod inserted in his leg, Stamkos took the ice to a huge ovation from Tampa Bay fans with a fresh captain's 'C' on his sweater. Stamkos became the 10th captain in franchise history and has worn the 'C' for the Bolts ever since.
"Steven Stamkos was destined to be the leader of our team," Tampa Bay head coach Jon Cooper said. "The fact that it's happening now just puts us one step closer to achieving our ultimate goal, and that is trying to win the Stanley Cup."
Starting the 2014-15 season healthy, Stamkos picked up right where he left off, scoring 43 goals, recording 72 points, and playing in all 82 games. Cooper was spot on with his statement as the Bolts advanced all the way to the Stanley Cup Final that season before falling to the Chicago Blackhawks in six games.
The following season, Stamkos was forced to face even more adversity when he had surgery to remove a blood clot near his right collarbone. With Tampa Bay working to make another run at the Stanley Cup, Stamkos was diagnosed with a type of vascular thoracic outlet syndrome called effort thrombosis and was expected to be out of the lineup anywhere from one to three months.
In the final year of his contract, Stamkos gutted it out and returned to the Lightning lineup in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final against the Pittsburgh Penguins, but the Bolts fell to another eventual Stanley Cup champion by a score of 2-1.
From there, it was a month filled with crazy speculation. Stamkos was set to become an unrestricted free agent, and one of the most coveted in NHL history, at 26 years old with 312 career goals under his belt. Reports were coming out from TSN of "a dozen or more" teams chatting with Stamkos's agent in hopes of signing the star center.
Would Stamkos sign with his favorite childhood team in Toronto? Would he go play in Vancouver with the Sedin twins? Could Buffalo, Detroit or San Jose be an option?
"I don't think it was ever close because I don't think his heart was ever in it," said Friedman. "I think he was a Lightning and he always wanted to be a Lightning."
Questions, rumors, and speculation flew around the hockey world before Stamkos made his decision two days before free agency opened and signed an eight-year contract to remain in Tampa with the Lightning.
"I am excited to move forward with the Lightning today for the next eight years," Stamkos said. "It's not often that a player gets the chance to spend his career in one organization and I am hopeful that this agreement sets me on that path with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
"Most importantly, I look forward to working with my teammates, coaches and our management in our goal of winning a Stanley Cup."
Call it what it is. This was a franchise-changing decision. Not only did Tampa Bay keep its captain and star player, but Stamkos set a standard for what it means to be a member of the Lightning organization by prioritizing what is most important to him: winning.
"He really wants to win and that's his number one priority," said then-general manager Steve Yzerman. "The fact that he wanted to stay with us shows he believes in the organization. He loves the city.
"I don't know what was out there for him. I have no doubt there were many options, many good options for him, but he said he'd like to make it work in Tampa. That's what he told everyone in the media, that he'd like to stay here and a win a Stanley Cup here.
"Everyone knows Stamkos is a really good guy and he's a man of good character and he made a very difficult decision, and obviously we're thrilled."
With eight years in Bolts blue ahead of him, Stamkos faced another excruciating challenge just 17 games into the following season when he tore his right lateral meniscus, forcing him to miss the remainder of the 2016-17 campaign.
Triumphantly returning for the 2017-18 season, Stamkos helped the Lightning reach the Eastern Conference Final once again before going through a heartbreaking defeat to yet another eventual Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals in seven games.
The following year, the Bolts were a team on a mission. Stamkos scored 45 goals and added 53 assists for a then-career high 98 points as he, once again, was able to skate in all 82 games with Tampa Bay. The Lightning finished the season with a 62-16-4 record, winning the Presidents' Trophy and matching the 1995-96 Detroit Red Wings for the most wins in a single NHL season.
But then, the Columbus series. The Bolts fell in four games to the Columbus Blue Jackets in Round One of the playoffs and, while it caused unbelievable pain at the time, it may have been just the motivation the Lightning really needed to get over the hump.
The following year, Tampa Bay went on to capture the second Stanley Cup championship in franchise history, but it didn't come without more adversity for Stamkos along the way. The Lightning captain had to undergo a surgical procedure on March 2 to repair a core muscle injury and the NHL season was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic just 10 days later.
When the playoffs finally kicked off in the bubble with no fans, Stamkos was still recovering from surgery and was unable to play as the Bolts made it all the way to the Stanley Cup Final against the Dallas Stars. Just as he did in the Eastern Conference Final vs. Pittsburgh years earlier, Stamkos showed incredible courage and made his playoff debut in Game 3 with the series tied at one.
In one of the greatest moments in Tampa Bay sports history, Stamkos took a pass from Victor Hedman on his third shift of the game and flew around a Dallas defender and into the offensive zone before rifling a shot into the top corner to give the Lightning a 2-0 lead.
"It was just an amazing experience to share with my teammates," Stamkos said after the game. "There's been a lot of hard work and different things going on behind the scenes. Just to be able to get out into a game and have an impact on a game, which a month ago may have never been possible, it was amazing to be part of a huge win for us. I was just really happy to obviously contribute in a game that I didn't play too much."
Stamkos was only able to play two shifts after that goal as he reaggravated his injury and was forced to miss the remainder of the series, but Tampa Bay went on to win Game 3 by a score of 5-2 and won the series 4-2 for the second championship in Lightning history.
"It was amazing to have him back on the ice and for him to score that goal, we know it meant a lot to him," said Hedman. "You can see the reaction on the ice and on our bench when he scored that goal. That's just how much he means to us as a teammate and as a leader and as a friend, so we're just super happy for him."
While the first Cup of Stamkos's career was undoubtedly extremely special, the second championship the following year may have felt even better for the Lightning captain. Not only did Stamkos play in all 23 playoff games, but he was tied for the second-most goals in the postseason with eight and was able to raise the Stanley Cup on home ice in a building filled with family, friends and fans.
"For me, last year, obviously my career, going through those different adverse moments and then you get rewarded with back-to-back Stanley Cups," Stamkos said following the Game 5, Cup-clinching win over the Montreal Canadiens. "That's life. It kicks you down. You get back up and you have a support staff. You're just so thankful for those people, but obviously, it was amazing to be part of every single game this year and to help out and to do whatever I can.
"Last year was pretty special, the two minutes and 47 seconds. This year, even more special.
"I mean, we're back-to-back Stanley Cup champions. That doesn't happen very often. It was a hell of a ride and a hell of a team, and I just appreciated every minute and every second I was on the ice."
After an offseason of training, albeit a short one, Stamkos returned for the 2021-22 season and proceeded to have a career year, breaking 100 points for the first time with a 106-point campaign, scoring 42 goals and adding a career-high 64 assists.
As the star forward's game somehow continues to get even better, his leadership has grown as well. Stamkos helped lead the Lightning to a third-straight Stanley Cup Final before falling to the Colorado Avalanche in a hard-fought, six-game series.
This was after coming back from down 3-2 in Round One and winning a Game 7 in Toronto, sweeping the Presidents' Trophy winning Florida Panthers, and digging out of a 2-0 series deficit in the Eastern Conference Final before winning four straight games against the New York Rangers.
Stamkos was a warrior throughout the playoffs. His 11 goals were tied for the Bolts team lead, but his leadership both on and off the ice shone through as Tampa Bay fought tooth and nail for a third-straight Cup.
Stamkos ranked fourth among all Lightning forwards with 60 hits and third with 24 blocked shots. He led the team with a faceoff win percentage of 54.3 and, behind the scenes, he played a key role in motivating the group to keep pushing forward.
"I've got to really say a special acknowledgement to Stamkos," said former Bolts defenseman Ryan McDonagh after the season-ending loss to Colorado last season. "He was an unbelievable leader. His play was incredible. Great feel for the room. Great motivational player. Just a purebred hockey player through and through.
"I'm just really proud of him."
Those words speak volumes coming from a player like McDonagh, who was well-regarded as one of Tampa Bay's top leaders throughout his time with the organization. On and off the ice, through all the adversity he's had to face, Stamkos has continued to grow, no matter how many people have counted him out.
This season, it's been more of the same from Stamkos. He started the season on a five-game goal scoring streak. From November 13 - December 13, he went on a 14-game point streak, trailing only his 18-game point streak from the 2009-10 season for the longest in franchise history.
He's currently riding a six-game point streak. He's pointed in 12 of his last 13 and 26 of his last 29 contests. The captain is averaging over a point per game with 21 goals and 31 assists for 52 points through 43 contests. He ranks second on the Bolts in goals, assists, points and power-play points (22) and is tied for the team lead in power-play goals with nine.
In terms of career accolades this season, Lightning fans have witnessed Stamkos become the first player in franchise history to record 1,000 points and the first to score 500 goals.
"To have somebody on your own team be able to do it, somebody that I've been behind the bench with for 10 years, get 1,000 and then see him get his 500th, it just makes you proud," said Cooper on Wednesday night. "The thing that made me probably the most proud was what he said to the team after the game and how he thanked everybody.
"I've just watched that kid grow into a man, a phenomenal leader. And to be honest, he's a generational goal scorer. That's what he is.
"Those guys don't come around that often. Enjoy him while you can. I've been extremely fortunate to enjoy him put that puck in the net hundreds of times. Good for him. Well deserved."
Stamkos has already firmly cemented himself as a Lightning legend with everything he's done on the ice. But everything he's done off the ice has to be acknowledged as well.
One of the most well-respected players across the NHL, Stamkos has had a generational impact on the Tampa Bay community and helped grow the game of hockey unlike anyone before him. When Stamkos came into the NHL as a rookie, there were games played in Tampa with empty seats scattered throughout the arena.
Today, the Lightning have the longest active sellout streak in the NHL at over 300-straight sellouts. If you go for a five-minute walk or drive in Tampa, it's impossible to avoid seeing something Lightning-related, whether it's a fan wearing a Bolts t-shirt, a Lightning license plate, banners hanging throughout the city, or flags waving out of a car window.
Bolts games have become the hottest ticket in town and hockey is booming throughout the south. More Floridians are playing hockey than ever before and support for the Lightning is at an all-time high. It's been a collective effort throughout the organization, but Stamkos has played a huge role in that.
Fifteen years ago, kids in Florida may have been trying to recreate Lecavalier's between-the-legs goal vs. Montreal or St. Louis' Double-OT winner vs. Calgary.
Today, more kids than ever are picking up hockey sticks in the Sunshine State and they're trying to replicate the patented Stamkos one-timer from the left circle. A leader, a playmaker, and a role model, Stamkos continues to leave his mark on Tampa Bay and, even after 500 goals, he's still got plenty left in the tank.
"When you have generational players like Stammer, it's one thing," said Cooper on Wednesday night in Vancouver when asked about the growth of the Lightning fanbase. "But I would say, when I got here 10 years ago, there would maybe be a couple Tampa jerseys in this crowd. I think with the success we've had over the last decade, our fanbase has really grown and you saw by the number of Tampa jerseys that were in the crowd.
"Stammer's been a big part of that, of our growth and our franchise being, I think, one of the power franchises in the league the last little while. Stammer's been the leader of that, so it's richly deserved."