If I were you I wouldn't hold onto that quote because it's a bet you will lose. Derek Stepan is a decent 2nd line center at best. He creates absolutely 0 offense on his own. I could not care less about his stat line as I can already hear his nut hugger supporters yelling 51 points; he has played with good wingers his entire career. He has been abysmal this year outside of the Carolina game and maybe 2 or 3 others. He doesn't have the physical tool box to go along with his hockey IQ. He is the opposite of Kreider, although Kreider is developing hockey sense. You can teach hockey sense and defensive awareness; you can't teach speed and a blazing shot. You either have it or you don't. As stellar as Kreider has been this season, Stepan has been equally as bad. All in a guy that held out for an extra measly $200K and hurt his team in the process by missing camp and the preseason. Pathetic
No team relying on Stepan as their anchor at C will ever get anywhere