Where Does Steven Stamkos Rank All-time in the Tampa Bay Lightning Franchise?

(Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images )
(Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images )

Year 15 is in the books for the Tampa Bay Lightning captain. It was his tenth year with the title of team captain since taking over from Martin St. Louis in 2013-14

It was a solid year for the 33-year-old center. He finished with 84 points (34 goals and 50 assists) while playing in every game except one this season. In the playoff series against the Toronto Maple Leafs, Stamkos finished with two goals and two assists in a slightly productive series.

So, with a hefty career already on his resume with Tampa Bay, the question is starting to arise if it has not already. Where does Stamkos rank among the all-time great Lightning players?

His career stats and accolades are already noteworthy enough to be towards the top of the list at least. He is a two-time league all star (2011,2012) and is a two-time winner of the Maurice Richard trophy which is given to the NHL’s leading goal-scorer (2010,2012). He is also a two-time winner of the Stanley Cup.

Stamkos also has plenty of team records. He is the all-time leader in goals (515), hat tricks (11), point shares (133.7), and points (1,056)

. He is the only Tampa Bay Lightning player to ever crack the 1,000 point mark.

He did so on December 1st, 2022 when he had an assist on Nick Paul’s second goal in a 4-1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers

.

A standout part to all of these records he holds within the franchise is that he is the leader by plenty in all of these categories.

For example, for goals, the second-highest goal-scorer in Lightning history is Vincent Lecavalier with 383

. Stamkos passed Lecavalier back in 2019.  Another example occurs for points.

Nikita Kucherov

is the highest active player on the all-time points list with 729. That is still a whole 327 points behind Stamkos.

The accolades individually and with the team as well as the large gaps he has created while holding team records shows just how much validity Stamkos has garnered for the conversation of the greatest Tampa Bay Lightning player ever.

Stamkos is very well-deserving of the title.