Steve Payne (ice hockey)

Steven John Payne (born August 16, 1958 in Toronto, Ontario) is a retired professional ice hockey left winger who played for the Minnesota North Stars of the NHL. He played his entire NHL career with Minnesota and was forced into retirement by multiple cervical spine injuries.

Payne was drafted 19th overall by Minnesota in the 1978 NHL Amateur Draft. Payne played 613 career NHL games, scoring 228 goals and 238 assists for 466 points. His best season statistically was the 1979–80 season. He set career highs in goals (42), points (85), power-play goals (16), and plus minus with a +37 rating. He retired as the team's all-time highest scoring left wing as well as the all-time leading playoff scorer and lead the North Stars to their first Stanley Cup final appearance in 1981 with 17 goals + 12 assists in 19 games. In his book "Minnesota North Stars History and Memories with Lou Nanne", Nanne stated, "The best clutch goal scorer we ever had was Steve Payne. He got more big goals than anyone.".

He played in the 1980 and 1985 NHL All-Star games. He also played for Team Canada in the 1979 World Championship and the 1981 Canada Cup.

Payne is a long time supporter of the US military. He sits on the Advisory Board of the United Heroes League, a non-profit that helps children of active military families participate in hockey, baseball, football and basketball. He also supports the non-profit, Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing, as the Founder/Director of the "Battle at Boxwood", a fundraising fly fishing event held each year at the Boxwood Gulch Ranch near Shawnee, CO. The event features 20 recovering military members fishing with celebrities from the NHL, NFL and music industry and has been featured on the outdoor TV series, Fly Rod Chronicles and Sportsman360, as well as in the special feature, "Embracing Our Troops".