For Tampa Bay Lightning fans, Steven Stamkos is hockey royalty. The walking goal factory added to his decorated NHL career Thursday when he became just the first player in the history of the franchise to reach 1,000 career points with the team. Among active players in the NHL, Stamkos is now the eighth member of an extremely exclusive club that also features the likes of Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals and Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin of the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Via NHL Public Relations:
Major milestone alert for Steven Stamkos. ⚡ @RealStamkos91 became the first player in franchise history to record 1,000 career points with the @TBLightning. 👏 #NHLStats: https://t.co/KNHEbO5RJK pic.twitter.com/J805KXrUB9
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) December 2, 2022
Stamkos reached the historic milestone with an assist on the goal of Nicholas Paul in the first period against the Philadelphia Flyers on the road, giving the Lightning an early 1-0 lead. Stamkos skated into the rink for this game carrying 13 goals to go with 14 assists for 27 points, so far in the 2022-23 NHL season.
The 32-year-old Stamkos has been one of the most prolific offensive forces of his generation. He has two seasons with at least 50 goals scored — his career high is 60 back in the 2011-12 season — and six with at least 40 goals. He is also coming off a career-high season, having posted 106 points (42 goals, 64 assists) in the 2021-22 campaign. The Lightning forward is also blessed to have been surrounded and played with talented skaters past and present, including the likes of Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point, Martin St. Louis, and Vincent Lecavalier.
Stamkos and the Bolts now head back home with the mission of stopping the streaking Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday.
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