One of the best players in team history is being honoured by the Sarnia Sting in the new year.
The OHL club will retire Steven Stamkos' number 91 jersey prior to the January 12 home game against the Windsor Spitfires. He'll be in town with his family as his jersey is raised to the rafters at Progressive Auto Sales Arena.
Over two seasons with the Sting, the 27-year-old centre scored 100 goals and added 97 assists. He also scored 11 goals in nine games during the team's playoff run in 2007-08.
Sting President Bill Abercrombie says the team couldn't be happier.
"We're ecstatic about doing it, and I know he's excited about having it done. Finally it's going to happen and I know that the city of Sarnia will all want to be here to see that. We're excited for the franchise and the city as well," he says. "He's not only a great hockey player, he's a great person. He always has been a great person, all the way through minor hockey he's had really strong family support behind him. He's someone that you can identify with and he's a person that we think we'd like our organization to be represented by."
The Tampa Bay Lightning captain is into his 10th NHL season. He's notched 324 goals and 278 assists over 596 career contests.
Stamkos is a five time NHL All-Star, and has won a number of awards in his career, including a pair of Maurice Richard trophies for most goals in a season.
Stamkos was initially drafted by the Sarnia Sting first overall in the 2006 OHL Draft and was taken number one by the Lightning in 2008.
His number will be the first one to be retired by the Sting.
