Steven Stamkos – Tampa Bay Lightning
The Toronto kid who turned down more money to play in his home town and head back to sunny Florida. Steven Stamkos has built up a little reputation the last few years of starting fights with guys who aren’t prepared.
He has eight career fights and seven of them he has dropped his gloves and grabbed onto his opponent before they have had a chance to drop their gloves.
This past playoff series between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Toronto Maple Leafs saw Stamkos act no differently.
After an unfortunate, yet accidental hit that knocked Brayden Point into the boards had a the Lightning start a massive line brawl, led by two of the most under rated dirty players in the league (Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov).
Stamkos first started his actions by dishing a cross check to the back of Morgan Rielly who was laying on the ice dealing with Kucherov.
Then after the incident had all but ended, Auston Matthews started picking up sticks and equipment. Stamkos who was started throwing jabs at Matthews who need to unload all the equipment in his hands before he could defend himself.
No instigator, no extra penalty, five minutes for fighting for each player.
Reaves needs to skate up to Stamkos first game of the year, grab him by the jersey and do the exact same thing he did to Matthews.