Nashville Predators forward Steven Stamkos was fined $2,500 for unsportsmanlike conduct during his team’s 7-2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday, the NHL’s department of player safety announced.
Nashville’s Steven Stamkos has been fined $2,500 for unsportsmanlike conduct towards an opponent while on Nashville’s bench.
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) January 18, 2026
The incident occurred in the second period when Golden Knights defencemen Jeremy Lauzon hit Predators forward Jonathan Marchessault, who went head first into the Predators’ bench.
Stamkos, who was sitting on the bench, put his stick into Lauzon’s face as he continued to be tangled up with Marchessault.
He was not penalized for the play.
Stamkos is on the second year of a four-year, $32 million contract that carries an annual $8 million cap hit. He is ranked No. 5 on TSN’s first Trade Bait List of the season.
The 6-foot-1 centre has 21 goals and 33 points in 48 games with the Predators this season.
Nashville sits in fifth place in the Central Division with a 23-21-4 record and are one point behind the San Jose Sharks, Anaheim Ducks, and Los Angeles Kings for the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference.