Nashville Predators’ Steven Stamkos is on the verge of making NHL history again.
The countdown to Stamkos tallying his 600th career NHL goal is on. With a wrist shot taken during the third period of Saturday’s home game against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Bridgestone Arena, Stamkos put the puck into the Maple Leafs’ goal to give his team a 4–2 lead, and himself his 595th career goal. Coupled with an assist Stamkos was credited with in the second period on the power-play goal registered by Erik Haula that tied the game at 1, the second-year Predator had a productive evening.
With five more games scheduled for this year, including Sunday’s home contest with the New York Rangers, and four more games on the road culminating in an afternoon clash in Las Vegas on New Year’s Eve against Pacific Division powerhouse Golden Knights, odds are in Stamkos’ favor of reaching his 600th goal by the start of 2026. Nashville won’t return home until January 8, when the New York Islanders roll into Bridgestone Arena.
Netting a career 600th goal would make a nice Christmas present for the 18-year NHL veteran, but this 2025–2026 NHL season is loaded with significant career milestones.
With Stamkos five shy of 600 goals, and seven that would move him up from 22nd place on the all-time goal scoring list to the 21st position, passing Hockey Hall of Famer Jari Kurri, these achievements will only add to the all-star’s incredible resume. Toronto’s John Tavares scored his 500th career goal earlier this season, Dallas Stars’ Jamie Benn notched goal No. 400 last month, and Tampa Bay Lightning’s Nikita Kucherov collected his 1,000 NHL point back in October.
What makes Stamkos’ pursuit of goal No. 600 stand out among other milestones about to fall is that he is likely to soon occupy third place among active skaters on the all-time goal scoring list. Only Washington Capitals’ Alex Ovechkin with 911 goals and Pittsburgh Penguins’ Captain Sidney Crosby’s 643 tallies would be in front of Stamkos.
What in all likelihood adds an extra degree of stress out on the ice for Stamkos this season is Nashville’s performance as a whole. The Predators have fallen on hard times during this season’s first half. Coming off of last season when the team finished in seventh place in the Central Division, they currently aren’t demonstrating enough promise to have a better finish, come spring 2026.
Of the 16 teams in the NHL’s Western Conference this season, Nashville is in 15th place at 14–16–4, good for 32 points in 34 games. Stamkos, who has been selected to play in seven NHL All-Star Games, is used to successful seasons. During his 16 years leading the Lightning, the team captured back-to-back Stanley Cup titles (2020 and 2021).
In total, since being the NHL’s overall No. 1 pick in the 2008 Entry Draft selected by Tampa Bay, Stamkos has appeared in five Stanley Cup Finals. Failing to get a contract done with the Lightning, Stamkos in July 2024 tested free agency for the first time. He signed a four-year, $32 million deal with Nashville.
Starting over, particularly 16 years deep into one’s career, is a challenge few have opted for but Stamkos, 35, has adjusted well. Appearing in all 82 regular season games last season for Nashville, his durability remains strong, as he hasn’t missed a single game this season. His 16:49 ice time during 21 shifts in Saturday’s game is proof that Stamkos still has the legs to dominate the rink. The Predators’ Barry Trotz, team general manager since the 2023 season, welcomed Stamkos to Nashville for his skills and veteran leadership, labeling him a “serial winner.”
When signing Stamkos, Trotz also opened up the Pedators’ checkbook by signing another prominent free agent—Jonathan Marchessault. Along with Filip Forsberg and Ryan O'Reilly, goalie Jusse Saros are the younger players coach Andrew Brunette is counting on to steer the Predators to being a more competitive team.
Any immediate help, if summoned from minor league affiliates Milwaukee Admirals (American Hockey League) or ECHL’s Double-A level Atlanta Gladiators, wouldn’t greatly help move the Predators up in the standings. Stamkos, in just his second season in a Predators’ uniform, is the heart and soul of the roster.
Having split the season series with the Maple Leafs (Nashville lost 7–4 when the two teams met this past October in Toronto), the 17,159 fans in attendance for Saturday’s game demonstrate how faithful the Nashville home base is. Stamkos has a history of galvanizing his team’s fan base. Over the past 15 seasons, Tampa Bay has been averaging nearly 19,000 fans for home games.
Stamkos’s high-powered offense has had much to do with the steady attendance figure. He is surely factored into the large numbers filing through the turnstiles at Bridgestone Arena during the last two seasons, too.
In chasing a record 600th career goal this season, Stamkos’ energy on the ice gives Nashville hockey fans reasons to continue supporting the franchise. There’s still too much in Stamkos’ tank to count out the Predators from being contenders, rather than pretenders.
