TAMPA, Fla. — Even after accomplishing as much as Lightning captain Steven Stamkos has over his Hall of Fame career, building confidence still means everything.
Having faith in your preparation process, knowing your body and how to manage it, and ultimately trusting it will get through the grind of another long season are all things Stamkos has learned going into his 15th year in the league.
There have been times when he has struggled to stay healthy. But last season, Stamkos skated more like he was 22, not 32. He recorded his first 100-point season, scoring 42 goals and a career-high 64 assists. A return to his natural center position allowed Stamkos to freely find space on the ice and continue his evolution from a pure goal scorer to a more commanding set-up man.
“He wasn’t timid,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. “He played the game with a free spirit, a free mind. I don’t think there was anything in the back of his head saying, ‘Oh, I might get hurt here. I’m trying to protect this part of my body.’
“He’s always been an excellent skater, but it seemed like he had that extra step and the confidence in his game grew ... because I don’t think there was anything that was clouding his mind that may have tried to hold him back.”
And Stamkos was at his best down the stretch of the regular season and in the postseason. He had 19 points in the playoffs and 26 in his last nine regular-season contests. He led the Lightning with 11 goals in their postseason run back to the Stanley Cup Final, invigorated by centering the top scoring line, partnering with Nikita Kucherov on five of his 10 even-strength playoff goals.
“For me a few years back, at times, you know how good he is, he left me wanting more a little bit,” NHL Network analyst and former NHL defenseman Ken Daneyko said of Stamkos. “But then look at it, put it in perspective. You think about the injuries he was probably playing through. He was probably playing months at a time where he just was 70% of himself. You could tell he was 100 percent last year.
“He’s a top-10 player in this league again and two years ago I might not have said that anymore, even though he’s still a producer. We know how good he is, but now he’s that top guy again.”
Stamkos said this time last year that he had one of his best offseasons training in Toronto. He didn’t have to worry about any physical setbacks. This summer was the same.
“I think last year I played a majority of the year in my natural position that helped as well in confidence and things like that,” he said. “So it was just a lot of fun. I had a blast trying to help our team win another championship and that’s no different this year coming in. ... I’m excited for the challenge of this year.”
Last season marked the first time since 2017-18 that he did not miss a game due to injury. He missed one road game in St. Louis to return to Tampa to be with wife Sandra for the birth of their second child.
Two offseasons ago, Stamkos was coming off a pair of core muscle surgeries, and even going into last season, he had a minor knee procedure. When this past season ended, Stamkos joked that another deep postseason run meant another short offseason. But he made the most of being healthy again.
“It was just more of a relaxing summer,” Stamkos said. “I didn’t do much, just got home, spent a lot of time with friends and family and didn’t really leave my 20-mile bubble that I live in and was at the gym on the ice. ...
“It was just low key. And that’s something that really we haven’t had the past couple of summers with everything that’s gone on with COVID and and then obviously winning and celebrating. And it was just different, but excited to be back and get things going again.”
The Stammer renaissance: By the numbers
In his 14th NHL season, Steven Stamkos had arguably his best all-around year, reaching the 100-point mark for the first time with 42 goals and a career-high 64 assists. These numbers also highlight that the Lightning captain was at his best in a season in which he turned 32:
11
Game-winning goals in the regular season, his most since scoring 12 during his 60-goal season in 2011-12.
16
Points scored in the regular season in 5-on-5 when the score was tied, a career high. He had 13 points in those situations previously.
18:55
Average ice time in the playoffs (in 23 games), his highest output in a postseason of more than four games since his rookie year (19:44 in 18 games).
+24
Career-high regular-season plus-minus. His previous high was +18 in 2017-18.
44
Even-strength assists, a career high. His previous best was 41 in 2017-18.
