Stamkos: Winning division 'doesn't mean anything in today's NHL'

With a 4-1 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs Tuesday, the Tampa Bay Lightning missed a chance to claim top spot in the Atlantic Division, but Steven Stamkos doesn't care.

The Lightning failed to pass the Boston Bruins, while watching the Florida Panthers jump into first place in the division, but the Lightning captain insists once playoffs start, division titles mean nothing.

"That doesn't mean anything in today's NHL," Stamkos said, according to the Fourth Period's David Pagnotta. "I mean it's a nice thing to have on the resume, but once playoffs starts no one gives a crap about who won the division or who won the league, or how many points a player had.

"It's about what you do in the playoffs. I mean, we want to win as many games down the stretch as we can; if that happens to be the division title, great, if not, it doesn't make a difference to us once the playoffs start."

Stamkos might be on to something, as last season the Lightning finished second in their division before making it all the way to Stanley Cup Finals.