Steven Stamkos Ties Luc Robitaille For Fifth-Most Career Power-Play Goals In NHL History

Steven Stamkos Ties Luc Robitaille For Fifth-Most Power-Play Goals© Instagram

Steven Stamkos has been one of the most dangerous power-play scorers the NHL has ever produced, and his overtime winner on Thursday added another line to a résumé that keeps getting longer. The goal pushed him to 247 career power-play goals, drawing level with Luc Robitaille for fifth on the all-time list. It also moved him to seventh in overtime goals and 10th in game-winning goals in league history. Three separate lists, one shot. The NHL PR account confirmed the milestones on Instagram shortly after the final buzzer, noting that Stamkos now sits behind only Alex Ovechkin (331), Dave Andreychuk (274), Brett Hull (265), and Teemu Selanne (255) in power-play goals scored.

Where He Stands in NHL History

The power-play list tells most of the story. Ovechkin is in a category of his own at 331, a number that will likely never be touched. Andreychuk at 274 and Hull at 265 are both long retired. Selanne's 255 sits just above where Stamkos and Robitaille are tied at 247, with Phil Esposito at 246 directly below. Stamkos has been a Nashville Predator since signing with the team after his long run with the Tampa Bay Lightning, and he has continued producing at a level that most forwards his age cannot match. The overtime goal format suits him. He has always been at his best in moments that require precision over volume.

A Career Built on the Power Play

Stamkos spent the majority of his career as the centerpiece of Tampa Bay's power play, one of the most efficient units in the league across multiple seasons. His shot, his release, and his positioning on the bumper or the half-wall made him nearly impossible to defend when the man advantage was running. The numbers he is now reaching reflect more than a decade of that consistency. Tying Robitaille, a Hall of Famer who scored 668 goals across 19 seasons, is not a footnote. It is a marker that belongs in the same conversation as the best power-play specialists the game has seen.