Career
He played his entire National Hockey League career with Minnesota and was forced into retirement by multiple cervical spine injuries. Payne was drafted 19th overall by Minnesota in the 1978 National Hockey League Amateur Draft. Payne played 613 career National Hockey League games, scoring 228 goals and 238 assists for 466 points.
His best season statistically was the 1979-1980 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 National Hockey League All-Star games.
He also played for Team Canada in the 1979 World Championship and the 1981 Canada Cup.