Steven Stamkos Named NHLPA Player of the Week

Need To Know

Apparently, as the temperatures drop, Steven Stamkos starts to really heat up! The young dynamic scoring machine for the Tampa Bay Lightning continues to prove that he is a legitimate superstar in the NHL.

After a bit of a slow start by his standards, Stamkos has found his groove recently, catapulting himself up the points standings and assuming the overall lead (as of December 13, 2011) in the goal scoring race, having lit the lamp 18 times.

Steven has quickly become one of the elite scorers in the NHL in his short time in the league. The native of Markham, Ontario started relatively slow in his rookie season, but certainly proved in the second half of his first season that he was capable of bringing the offensive prowess that he displayed during his junior hockey career, to the NHL.

Since that breakout second half in 2008-09, Stamkos has arguably been the best player in the hockey world. With Stamkos now being the pillar around which the Lightning are built, and players like Lecavalier, St. Louis and Hedman also providing further world-class contributions, it is no surprise that the team from Tampa Bay were able to make a spirited run to the Eastern Conference Finals last season, before losing to the eventual Stanley Cup champion, Boston Bruins.

Stamkos was a huge part of that run last spring, just as he figures to play a featured role in the fortunes of the Lighting in the years to come.

- Steven has been burning up the scoresheet recently, taking the lead in the overall NHL goal scoring race.

- He has tallied three points in his last two games and has scored 10 goals in his past 15 games played.

- Steven has also crept into the top-five of the league of the overall points standings.

Biography

- Born in Markham, Ontario, Canada on February 7, 1990.

- Drafted in the first round, first overall, in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft by the Tampa Bay Lightning.

- Was the Rocket Richard Trophy winner for the 2009-10 season, for leading the NHL in goals, an award he shared with Sidney Crosby.

- Played his junior hockey in the Ontario Hockey League for the Sarnia Sting.

- Steven has represented Canada on the international stage, including capturing a gold-medal at the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championships in 2008.

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