Steven Stamkos has earned every inch of everything he's accomplished in the National Hockey League. He is not only a skilled player, but also a tremendous leader, a fierce competitor and he also overcome a great deal of adversity in his NHL career.
Stamkos has 2 Stanley Cups to his credit, as well as 2 Rocket Richard Trophies. He is an NHL captain and despite missing time due to devastating injuries, he hasn't lost a step or missed a beat. He was the most coveted free agent back in 2016 before striking a deal to return to Tampa on an 8-year deal, worth $68M. However, at one point, he was almost dealt to the New York Rangers.
Back in 2010, the Lightning were working on a deal with the New York Rangers, who would have received Steven Stamkos from the Lightning, with a few of the following names being tossed around in New York: Michael Del Zotto, Evgeny Grachev, Ryan Callahan, Brandon Dubinsky and/or Dan Girardi. The deal was believed to be for 2 or 3 of these names.
If the Tampa Bay Lightning's co-owner would have approved the trade, it would have undoubtedly changed the landscape of the National Hockey League in a big way. Fortunately for the Bolts, the team's co-owner shot down the deal.
