At the 2008 NHL draft, a Macedonian interviewer for the Macedonian Diaspora TV station made his way into the stands to talk to Chris Stamkos, Steven’s father. “Twenty years ago you went over to Macedonia as a member of the Macedonian All Stars,” the interviewer said. “How does it compare to today?”
Mr. Stamkos replied that although it was fantastic to go to Macedonia with the All Stars, the NHL entry draft was another level of excitement entirely. His son was about to become the first player of Macedonian heritage to go first overall in the NHL draft — since 1994’s Macedonian-Canadian Ed Jovanovski.