TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos won the Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award for the 2022-23 season, the NHL announced Monday.
The award is presented “to the player who exemplifies great leadership qualities to his team, on and off the ice, during the regular season and who plays a leading role in his community growing the game of hockey," according to a press release from the NHL.
Messier solicits suggestions from both team and NHL personnel to compile a list of potential candidates for the award. However, only Messier selects the winner.
Stamkos has supported the Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMCH) of Tampa Bay for over a decade, donating hundreds of thousands of dollars via the Lightning’s player ticket initiative to enable families to attend games. He has generated an additional $185,500 for RMCH through the Kane’s Furniture goals and assists program, which awards money based on on-ice production.
Stamkos has also participated in dozens of meet-and-greets with families from RMCH and other nonprofits across the region.
He and his wife, Sandra, spearheaded the Lightning’s “Barks and Bolts” pet calendar, which raised $50,000 for the Humane Society of Tampa Bay.
In 2022-23, Stamkos placed third on the Lightning and 23rd in the entire NHL with 84 points in 81 contests. Those numbers lifted him to multiple career milestones, including his 500th assist (Nov. 15 vs. DAL), 1,000th point (Dec. 1 at PHI), 500th goal (Jan. 18 at VAN), and 1,000th game (April 6 at NYI).
Since being selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2008 NHL Draft, Stamkos has led the Lightning to back-to-back championships (2020 and 2021), four total appearances in the Stanley Cup Final (also 2015 and 2022) and an NHL-best 97 playoff wins since 2009.
Since the 2008-09 season, Stamkos ranks second in the NHL in goals (515), power-play goals (195), and game-winning goals (79); fourth in points (1,056); fifth in power-play points (383); tied for 10th in overtime goals (13); 11th in shots on goal (3,070); and 15th in assists (541).
Stamkos is also a two-time Maurice “Rocket” Richard winner (2010 and 2012) and has worn the “C” for Tampa Bay since March 6, 2014, the sixth-longest tenure among active players.
