Fansided

Every NHL team’s best active player still searching for a Stanley Cup win

By Kyle McKenna

SAN JOSE, CA - MARCH 19: Joe Thornton #19 of the San Jose Sharks spots the puck in front of the net of the New York Rangers during a NHL game at the SAP Center at San Jose on March 19, 2016 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Nick Lust/NHLI via Getty Images)
SAN JOSE, CA - MARCH 19: Joe Thornton #19 of the San Jose Sharks spots the puck in front of the net of the New York Rangers during a NHL game at the SAP Center at San Jose on March 19, 2016 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Nick Lust/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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Tampa Bay Lightning

Since the Tampa Bay Lightning drafted forward Steven Stamkos back in 2008, the Bolts have appeared in four Eastern Conference Finals and one Stanley Cup Final. Still, the Lightning haven’t been crowned as Stanley Cup champions since 2004, and Stamkos goes down as their top skater without a Stanley Cup championship.

Yes, a case for defenseman Victor Hedman could be had for this list, but it’s the Lightning’s captain who gets the nod.

The former first-overall selection has earned the Maurice Richard Trophy twice during his career (2010 & 2012), while respectively scoring 51 and 60 goals. Yes, the Markham, Ontario native has been snake bitten with injuries in recent memory, but when Stamkos is on the ice – he produces.

The right-handed shooter has scored 30 or more goals in a season on five occasions since joining the league, and is more than a point-per-game player. Stamkos has recorded 668 career points (348 goals, 320 assists) in 664 games played.

While No. 91 hasn’t established himself as a clutch performer in any Game 7 he’s ever played in, Stamkos has recorded 51 points (22 goals, 29 assists) in 64 games during the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Though, Stamkos’ trademark may be his lethal one-timer shot on the mad-advantage and on the off-wing and left hash-mark. The 28-year-old has netted 126 career power-play goals, and in 2009-10 he scored a career-high 24 times on the man-advantage.

Stamkos has witnessed other fellow power-play gurus win Cups such as Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin, and if he weren’t able to lift Lord Stanley one day – he’d go down as one of the greatest players to never win a Stanley Cup.

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