Stamkos Is Back On Track

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Fifteen months ago wasn’t a good time to be Tampa Bay Lightning center Steven Stamkos. Stamkos suffered a broken tibia last November in a game against the Boston Bruins. The injury kept Stamkos out of action for four months and it also denied him the opportunity to play for his native Canada in the 2014 Winter Olympics. Stamkos was able to return to the Lightning last March and help them in their push towards the postseason, but Tampa Bay would be swept there by the Montreal Canadiens in the first round of the National Hockey League Playoffs. For Stamkos, he hasn’t let any of that carry over to this season.

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Steven Stamkos

Stamkos has reclaimed his spot as one of the top goal scorers in the NHL and the Lightning are benefiting from this as they have the best record in the Eastern Conference. Stamkos has appeared in all 51 games this season for the Lightning while he is fourth in the NHL in goals (27), and 12th in points (46). Last month Stamkos was named to his fifth National Hockey League All-Star Game and at 24-years of age the hockey world appears to be his oyster.

Stamkos is still a youngster, but it feels as if he has been around in the NHL for quite some being that the Lightning made him the first overall pick of the 2008 NHL Draft. It didn’t take Stamkos that long to assert himself and join right winger Martin St. Louis as one of the faces of the Lightning franchise. In Stamkos’ second year in the NHL, he won his first of two Maurice “Rocket” Richard Awards as the top goal scorer in the league. And when St. Louis was traded to the New York Rangers last season, more of the onus was put upon Stamkos to carry the Lightning and he has continued to answer the bell.

Stamkos has produced points 32 of the Lightning’s 51 games this season and if Tampa Bay is going to advance past the first round of the NHL Playoffs this spring for the first time since 2011, he’ll have a big hand in it. Stamkos is that rare breed that has the ability to score and make those around him better. Stamkos is also seeking a contract extension from the Lightning which benefits all parties involved as the team will get the best that the young scorer can give. Prior to the injury Stamkos was one of the best scorers in the NHL and he appears to be right where he was before the incident happened which is right on top of his game.

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By | 2015-02-01T11:27:49+00:00 February 1st, 2015|Categories: National Hockey League|Tags: , |0 Comments

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