History of Tampa Bay Lightning in Timeline

The Tampa Bay Lightning are a professional ice hockey team in the NHL, based in Tampa, Florida, competing in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Their home games are played at Benchmark International Arena. Doug Ostrover owns the franchise, Julien BriseBois is the general manager, and Jon Cooper is the head coach. Cooper is the longest-tenured active head coach in the NHL, having served since March 2013.

1989: Terry Crisp Hired as Head Coach

In 1989, Terry Crisp, who had previously won two Stanley Cups with the Philadelphia Flyers and coached the Calgary Flames to a Stanley Cup, was appointed as the first head coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning.

December 6, 1990: Tampa Bay Lightning Founded

On December 6, 1990, the Tampa Bay Lightning were founded as an expansion team.

1991: Angus Montagu's Investment Plans

In 1991, Angus Montagu, the 12th Duke of Manchester, announced plans to raise millions in investments for the Lightning; however, these plans were unsuccessful, and he was later convicted of wire fraud.

September 1992: Manon Rhéaume Makes NHL History

In September 1992, Manon Rhéaume played for the Lightning in a preseason game against the St. Louis Blues, becoming the first woman to play in an NHL game and any major professional North American sports league. She stopped seven of nine shots.

October 7, 1992: Lightning's Inaugural Game

On October 7, 1992, the Tampa Bay Lightning played their first regular season game against the Chicago Blackhawks at the Expo Hall, winning 7-3, with Chris Kontos scoring four goals.

1992: Inaugural NHL Season

In 1992, the Tampa Bay Lightning began playing in the NHL during the 1992–93 season.

1992: Stylized Block Font for Player Names

In 1992, the Tampa Bay Lightning used a stylized block font for player names with gaps in the upper loops of letters, and standard block numbers with drop shadows.

1993: Bobby "The Chief" Taylor served as color commentator

Bobby "The Chief" Taylor served as the Tampa Bay Lightning's color commentator since the 1993–94 season, which was the team's second year of existence.

1993: Italicized Font

In 1993, the Tampa Bay Lightning italicized their font.

1993: Move to the ThunderDome

In 1993, the Tampa Bay Lightning moved to the Florida Suncoast Dome, which was reconfigured for hockey and renamed the "ThunderDome".

1993: Jacques Demers and Stanley Cup Win with Montreal Canadiens

Jacques Demers had presided over the resurgence of the Detroit Red Wings in the 1980s and helmed a Stanley Cup run with the Montreal Canadiens in 1993.

1994: IRS Investigation Begins

In 1994, The Internal Revenue Service investigated the Tampa Bay Lightning and nearly threatened to put a tax lien on the franchise for $750,000 in back taxes.

1994: 1993-94 Season

In 1994, The Lightning finished last in the Atlantic Division in the 1993-94 season with a record of 30–43–11 for 71 points

1995: Rick Peckham television play-by-play announcer

From 1995 to 2020, Rick Peckham was the television play-by-play announcer for Tampa Bay Lightning.

1995: IRS Investigation Continues

In 1995, The Internal Revenue Service continued to investigate the Tampa Bay Lightning and nearly threatened to put a tax lien on the franchise for $750,000 in back taxes.

1995: Detroit Red Wings Regular Season Wins Record

In 1995, the Detroit Red Wings achieved 62 regular season wins, which was later tied by the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2019.

1995: Playoff Qualification

In 1995, the Lightning qualified for the playoffs, posting a 38–32–12 record, finishing ahead of the New Jersey Devils. Daren Puppa was a finalist for the Vezina Trophy.

1996: Move to the Ice Palace

For the 1996-97 season, the Lightning moved into a new arena in downtown Tampa, the Ice Palace (now Benchmark International Arena). They acquired Dino Ciccarelli during the 1996 off-season.

1996: "Electrified" Number Font

From 1996 to 1998, an "electrified" number font was used on the blue alternate jersey of the Tampa Bay Lightning.

1996: Introduction of Third Jersey

In 1996, the Tampa Bay Lightning added a third jersey, primarily blue with a sublimated wave and rain design, lightning bolts down the sleeves, a silver-gray shoulder yoke, and black gussets.

1996: Used design of the third jersey from 1996 to 1999 for "Reverse Retro" uniform

Their 2022–23 "Reverse Retro" uniform used the design of the third jersey from 1996 to 1999, but with a white base.

1997: Forbes Article on Lightning's Financials

In late 1997, Forbes wrote an article calling the Lightning a financial nightmare, with a debt equal to 236% of its value, the highest of any major North American sports franchise. The team was also behind on paying state sales taxes and federal payroll taxes.

1997: Crisp Fired

Terry Crisp was fired 11 games into the 1997-98 season. Jacques Demers replaced him.

1997: Lightning Fail to Reach 60 Points

The Lightning showed some signs of life, earning more than 60 points for the first time since 1997 during the 2001-02 season.

1998: Williams Loses Money

Art Williams lost $20 million in the 1998-99 season alone, as much money in one year as he had estimated he could have reasonably lost in five years.

1998: Ten Game Losing Streak

Early in the 1998–99 season, the Lightning lost ten games in a row, all but ending any chance of making the playoffs. They ended up losing 54 games that year, more than the expansion Nashville Predators.

1998: "Electrified" Number Font on Alternate Jersey

From 1996 to 1998, an "electrified" number font was used on the blue alternate jersey of the Tampa Bay Lightning.

1998: Art Williams Buys the Team

In 1998, Art Williams bought the Tampa Bay Lightning. Two games into the 1998-99 season, Williams fired the Espositos and gave Demers complete control of hockey operations. The Lightning also drafted Vincent Lecavalier first overall.

1998: NHL Considers Taking Control

In the summer of 1998, there were serious concerns about the Lightning's financial situation, leading to rumors that the NHL was considering taking control of the team if Okubo failed to find a buyer.

1998: Jacques Demers Becomes Coach

Terry Crisp was fired 11 games into the 1997-98 season and replaced by Jacques Demers. In 1998, the Lightning lost 55 games.

1998: Retirement of Third Jersey

The third jersey of the Lightning was retired after the 1998-99 season.

December 1999: Brian Bradley Retirement

Brian Bradley retired from hockey in December 1999, due to lingering concussion issues.

1999: Sale to William Davidson

In 1999, Art Williams sold the Tampa Bay Lightning to Detroit Pistons owner William Davidson for $115 million.

1999: Continued Struggles

The damage from the last few seasons under Kokusai Green was too much for Ludzik to overcome. the Lightning lost 54 games in 1999–2000.

1999: Used design of the third jersey from 1996 to 1999 for "Reverse Retro" uniform

Their 2022–23 "Reverse Retro" uniform used the design of the third jersey from 1996 to 1999, but with a white base.

2000: Lowest Point Total Since 2000-01 Season

After the firing of Melrose, the Lightning went 19–33–14 and would finish the season 24–40–18 with 66 points, their lowest point total since the 2000–01 season.

2000: Daren Puppa Retirement

Due to continuing back troubles, Daren Puppa retired from hockey in 2000, after only playing a total of 50 games from 1996 until his retirement.

2000: Continued Struggles

The damage from the last few seasons under Kokusai Green was too much for Ludzik to overcome. the Lightning lost 52 games in 2000-01.

2001: Dudley Fired, Feaster Replaces Him

By mid-February of 2001, the Lightning were well out of playoff contention, and Dudley, who had guaranteed a playoff berth before the season, was fired and replaced by his assistant, Jay Feaster. Tortorella stripped Lecavalier of the captaincy.

2001: Used design from 2001 to 2007 for "Reverse Retro" uniform

For the 2020–21 season, the Tampa Bay Lightning released a "Reverse Retro" uniform, using the design they wore from 2001 to 2007. Unlike the originals, blue served as the base color while black was relegated to trim color.

2001: Change to Traditional Block Letters and Darkened Blue

In 2001, the Tampa Bay Lightning replaced the old fonts with traditional block letters and numbers, and darkened their shades of blue from royal blue to speed (Indy) blue.

2001: Ludzik Replaced by Tortorella

In early 2001, Ludzik was replaced as coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning by John Tortorella. The team also acquired goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin from the Phoenix Coyotes.

2003: ThunderDome Crowd Record

During a 1995 playoff game, the ThunderDome had a crowd of 28,183, which was the largest crowd for an NHL game until the 2003 Heritage Classic and remains the largest crowd at a Stanley Cup playoffs game.

2003: Season of Superlatives

In 2003, the Tampa Bay Lightning achieved a record of 46–22–8–6 for 106 points, marking their first 100-point season. Martin St. Louis led the team and the NHL with 94 points, earning him the Hart Memorial Trophy and the Lester B. Pearson Award. Jay Feaster was named executive of the year.

2003: St. Louis sets points record

In the 2003-04 Stanley Cup-winning year, Martin St. Louis set the franchise record for most points in a season.

June 7, 2004: Lightning win Stanley Cup

On June 7, 2004, the Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Calgary Flames 2-1 in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final, winning their first Stanley Cup. Ruslan Fedotenko scored both goals for the Lightning. Brad Richards won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the playoffs.

2004: Waiting to defend the title

Due to the 2004–05 NHL lockout, the Tampa Bay Lightning had to wait a year to defend their Stanley Cup title.

2004: First Stanley Cup Championship since 2004

In 2004, the Tampa Bay Lightning secured their first Stanley Cup championship since 2004, marking a significant milestone for the team.

2004: Stanley Cup Victory

In 2004, the Tampa Bay Lightning won their first Stanley Cup championship.

2005: Barely made the playoffs

In the 2005–06 season, the Tampa Bay Lightning barely made the playoffs with a record of 43–33–6 for 93 points.

2006: Brian Bradley's Record Broken

Brian Bradley scored 42 goals during the inaugural season which set a team record that lasted until the 2006-07 season.

2006: Inconsistent Start

In 2006, Johan Holmqvist received the majority of playing time and most of the club's wins. The first half of 2006-07 was inconsistent for the Lightning, maintaining an 18–19–2 record throughout the first few months.

2006: Lost to the Senators

In the 2006 playoffs, the Tampa Bay Lightning lost to the Ottawa Senators in five games in the first round.

2006: Greg Wolf became in-game host

Since the 2006–07 season, Greg Wolf has been the Tampa Bay Lightning's in-game host.

March 16, 2007: Lecavalier breaks franchise record

On March 16, 2007, Vincent Lecavalier broke the Tampa Bay Lightning's franchise record for most points in a season, reaching 95 points. He finished the season with 108 points. Lecavalier also broke the franchise's goal-scoring record with 52 goals.

April 6, 2007: Lightning Lose Division Title

On April 6, 2007, the Tampa Bay Lightning lost to the Florida Panthers, and the Atlanta Thrashers clinched the Southeast Division title.

August 7, 2007: Purchase Agreement Announced

On August 7, 2007, Absolute Hockey Enterprises, led by Doug MacLean, announced a purchase agreement for the Tampa Bay Lightning and the leasehold on the St. Pete Times Forum. The deal later collapsed.

August 25, 2007: New logo unveiled

On August 25, 2007, the Tampa Bay Lightning unveiled their new logo, which was similar to the inaugural one but with a more modern look, retaining the same theme but with updated text placement.

2007: Used design from 2001 to 2007 for "Reverse Retro" uniform

2007: New Reebok "Rbk Edge" jerseys

In 2007, the Tampa Bay Lightning, like all NHL teams, debuted new Reebok "Rbk Edge" jerseys and updated their team logo.

January 25, 2008: Lightning in Last Place

On January 25, 2008, at the start of the All-Star Break, the Tampa Bay Lightning were in last place in both the Southeast Division and the Eastern Conference with a 20–25–5 record and 45 points.

February 13, 2008: Lightning to be sold to OK Hockey LLC

On February 13, 2008, Palace Sports & Entertainment agreed to sell the Tampa Bay Lightning to OK Hockey LLC, led by Oren Koules and Len Barrie.

July 4, 2008: Dan Boyle Traded

On July 4, 2008, Dan Boyle and Brad Lukowich were traded to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for Matt Carle, Ty Wishart, a first-round draft pick in 2009, and a fourth-round pick in 2010.

July 29, 2008: Stamkos Signs Entry-Level Contract

On July 29, 2008, Steven Stamkos signed an entry-level contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning, potentially earning up to $8.55 million in performance bonuses.

October 21, 2008: Melrose records first win

On October 21, 2008, Barry Melrose recorded his first win as head coach in over 13 years with a 3–2 victory over the Atlanta Thrashers.

2009: First round draft pick

In 2009, San Jose gave Tampa Bay a first-round draft pick as part of the trade for Dan Boyle.

April 12, 2010: Firing of Coach Tocchet and GM Lawton

On April 12, 2010, following a late-season collapse, team owner Jeffrey Vinik fired head coach Rick Tocchet and general manager Brian Lawton one day after the season ended.

May 2010: Hiring of Steve Yzerman and Guy Boucher

In May 2010, Jeffrey Vinik hired Steve Yzerman from the Detroit Red Wings as the new general manager on a five-year contract. Two weeks later, Yzerman hired Guy Boucher from the Montreal Canadiens to be the new head coach.

July 1, 2010: Drafting of Brett Connolly and Signing Martin St. Louis

On July 1, 2010, the Lightning drafted Brett Connolly and traded Andrej Meszaros to the Philadelphia Flyers. Also on July 1, 2010, Martin St. Louis signed a four-year, $22.5 million contract extension.

2010: Fourth round draft pick

In 2010, San Jose gave Tampa Bay a fourth-round draft pick as part of the trade for Dan Boyle.

2010: Team Colors Change

Since 2010, the Tampa Bay Lightning's colors have been blue, black, and white, with a stylized lightning bolt as their logo, leading to the nickname "Bolts".

January 23, 2011: Filed paperwork with the NHL to change logo and colors

On January 23, 2011, it was reported that the Tampa Bay Lightning had filed paperwork with the NHL to change their logo and colors, beginning with the 2011–12 season.

January 31, 2011: New logo and jerseys unveiled

On January 31, 2011, the Tampa Bay Lightning unveiled the new logo, as well as the new home and away jerseys at a press conference at the St. Pete Times Forum.

February 4, 2011: Began to integrate the new logo

On February 4, 2011, the Tampa Bay Lightning began to integrate the new logo onto center ice, and even distributed free T-shirts with the simplified logo.

July 1, 2011: Effective Date of St. Louis Contract Extension

On July 1, 2011, the four-year, $22.5 million contract extension signed by Martin St. Louis in the previous year came into effect.

2011: Conference Finals

In 2011, the Tampa Bay Lightning went to the conference finals.

March 2013: Jon Cooper Named Head Coach

In March 2013, Jon Cooper became the head coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning. He currently has the longest tenure as head coach in the NHL.

March 25, 2013: Dismissal of Guy Boucher and Hired Jon Cooper

On March 25, 2013, the Lightning dismissed head coach Guy Boucher. Jon Cooper was announced as the eighth head coach in franchise history.

June 27, 2013: Compliance Buyout of Vincent Lecavalier

On June 27, 2013, the Lightning announced they would exercise a compliance buyout on captain Vincent Lecavalier due to salary cap considerations.

November 11, 2013: Steven Stamkos Suffers Broken Tibia

On November 11, 2013, Steven Stamkos suffered a broken right tibia after sliding into a goalpost during a game against the Boston Bruins.

2013: Sonya Bryson-Kirksey started singing the US national anthem

In 2013, Sonya Bryson-Kirksey started singing the US national anthem for the Tampa Bay Lightning.

January 2014: St. Louis Not Initially Named to Olympic Roster

In January 2014, Steve Yzerman did not initially name Martin St. Louis to Canada's Olympic roster, but later added him as an injury replacement.

March 5, 2014: Stamkos Cleared to Play

On March 5, 2014, Steven Stamkos was cleared to return to play after recovering from a broken tibia.

June 25, 2014: Signing of Ryan Callahan and Buyout of Ryan Malone

On June 25, 2014, the Lightning signed Ryan Callahan to a contract extension. The same day, the Lightning used a compliance buyout on Ryan Malone.

September 27, 2014: New black third sweater unveiled

On September 27, 2014, the Tampa Bay Lightning unveiled a new black third sweater to replace the existing "BOLTS" sweaters. The new sweaters retained the "BOLTS" wordmark and added white accents, with the secondary roundel logo on the sleeves and the metro name on the collar.

December 10, 2014: Bobby "The Chief" Taylor announced retirement

On December 10, 2014, Bobby "The Chief" Taylor announced he would be retiring from the broadcast booth at the end of the 2014–15 season. Taylor had served as the team's color commentator since the 1993–94 season. Bobby desired to be home with his wife more.

August 11, 2015: Brian Engblom replacement on color commentary

On August 11, 2015, Fox Sports Sun, the regional television home of the Tampa Bay Lightning, announced Brian Engblom as Bobby Taylor's replacement on color commentary for the 2015–16 season.

2015: First Stanley Cup Final since 2015

In 2015, The win against the New York Islanders earned the Lightning their first trip to the Stanley Cup Final since 2015.

2015: Chicago Blackhawks Win the Cup Against the Lightning

In 2015, the Chicago Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup against the Tampa Bay Lightning, the last time the Lightning won in their own arena until 2021.

2015: Stanley Cup Finals Appearance

In 2015, the Tampa Bay Lightning played in the Stanley Cup Final series.

March 5, 2016: Lightning set franchise record with nine consecutive wins

On March 5, 2016, the Tampa Bay Lightning secured their ninth consecutive win, setting a new franchise record. Alex Killorn scored the game-winning goal with 42.5 seconds left in overtime, leading the Lightning to a 4–3 victory against the Carolina Hurricanes at Amalie Arena.

March 26, 2016: Anton Stralman suffers fractured leg

On March 26, 2016, Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Anton Stralman suffered a fractured leg during a home game against the New York Islanders, sidelining him for an indefinite period.

2016: Eastern Conference Finals

In 2016, the Tampa Bay Lightning reached the Eastern Conference Finals.

September 11, 2018: Steve Yzerman resigns as general manager

On September 11, 2018, Steve Yzerman resigned from his position as general manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Julien BriseBois, the assistant general manager, was announced as his replacement.

2018: Eastern Conference Finals

In 2018, the Tampa Bay Lightning reached the Eastern Conference Finals.

February 7, 2019: New black uniform unveiled

On February 7, 2019, the Tampa Bay Lightning unveiled a new black uniform, lacking any blue and white elements and featuring sublimated black and grey patterns on the sleeves, socks and back numbers.

March 18, 2019: Lightning clinch Presidents' Trophy and division title

On March 18, 2019, the Tampa Bay Lightning clinched their first Presidents' Trophy and their second consecutive division title with a 4–1 victory over the Arizona Coyotes.

2019: Last time the Lightning failed to advance to the Stanley Cup Final.

2019 was the first time since 2019 that the Lightning failed to advance to the Stanley Cup Final.

2019: Patrick Maroon Wins Stanley Cup with St. Louis Blues in 2019

In 2019, Patrick Maroon won the Stanley Cup with his hometown team, the St. Louis Blues before winning two consecutive cups with the Lightning in 2020 and 2021.

2019: Rick Peckham announced that he would be retiring following the 2019–20 season

Rick Peckham announced that he would be retiring following the 2019–20 season.

2019: Presidents' Trophy Win

The Tampa Bay Lightning won the Presidents' Trophy in 2019, tying the all-time record for regular season wins.

2019: Lightning Girls official dance team performed at all home games and community events

Until the 2019–20 season, an official dance team known as the Lightning Girls performed at all Tampa Bay Lightning home games and community events.

February 16, 2020: Lightning acquire Blake Coleman

On February 16, 2020, the Tampa Bay Lightning acquired forward Blake Coleman from the New Jersey Devils in exchange for Nolan Foote and a 2020 first-round draft pick.

March 12, 2020: NHL suspends season due to COVID-19 pandemic

On March 12, 2020, the NHL suspended the season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. At the time of suspension, the Tampa Bay Lightning had played 70 games and held a record of 43–21–6, placing them second in their conference.

December 2020: Nikita Kucherov's hip surgery

In December 2020, Nikita Kucherov underwent hip surgery, causing him to miss the entire regular season for the Tampa Bay Lightning.

2020: Lightning released "Reverse Retro" uniform

2020: Playoff Series Win against Dallas and Clinching Shutout Streak Carried over From 2020

In 2020 the Tampa Bay Lightning won their series against the Dallas Stars and clinched a playoff series clinching shutout streak that had carried over from the 2020 Stanley Cup Final against Dallas.

2020: Rick Peckham retirement and Dave Randorf named replacement

In 2020, Rick Peckham's final game for the Tampa Bay Lightning was game five of their first round series during the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs, in which the Lightning won in overtime to win the series. Dave Randorf was named as his replacement prior to the 2020–21 season.

2020: Sonya Bryson-Kirksey started singing the Canadian national anthem

In 2020, Sonya Bryson-Kirksey started singing the Canadian national anthem for the Tampa Bay Lightning and is accompanied by organist, Krystof Srebrakowski.

2020: Second Stanley Cup Championship

In 2020, the Tampa Bay Lightning secured their second Stanley Cup championship.

2021: Second Consecutive Stanley Cup

In 2021, the Tampa Bay Lightning won their second consecutive Stanley Cup, defeating the Montreal Canadiens. Andrei Vasilevskiy won the Conn Smythe Trophy. Patrick Maroon won his third consecutive Stanley Cup. During the celebration, Patrick Maroon dented the Stanley Cup.

2021: Third Stanley Cup Championship

The Tampa Bay Lightning won their third Stanley Cup championship in 2021.

February 26, 2022: First Outdoor Game

On February 26, 2022, the Tampa Bay Lightning played their first outdoor game in franchise history, defeating the Nashville Predators 3–2 in the 2022 NHL Stadium Series at Nissan Stadium. Steven Stamkos was named first star.

April 14, 2022: Playoff Berth Clinched

On April 14, 2022, the Tampa Bay Lightning clinched a playoff berth after a 4–3 overtime win against the Anaheim Ducks.

2022: WHPT replaced WFLA as flagship radio outlet

As of the 2022–23 NHL season, WHPT replaced WFLA as the Tampa Bay Lightning's flagship radio outlet.

2022: New white uniform unveiled for the 2022 NHL Stadium Series

For the 2022 NHL Stadium Series, the Tampa Bay Lightning unveiled a white uniform with a stylized blue stripe shaped like a thunderbolt at the bottom, featuring an updated "BOLTS" wordmark and numbers with pointed accents.

2022: Loss against the Toronto Maple Leafs

In 2022 the Toronto Maple Leafs avenged their loss and eliminated the Lightning 4–2 after winning the first game.

2022: Stanley Cup Finals Appearance

The Tampa Bay Lightning played in the Stanley Cup Final series in 2022.

2022: Lightning released "Reverse Retro" uniform using design of the third jersey from 1996 to 1999

Their 2022–23 "Reverse Retro" uniform used the design of the third jersey from 1996 to 1999, but with a white base.

2023: Mark Messier Leadership Award

In 2023, Steven Stamkos was named the recipient of the Mark Messier Leadership Award, recognizing his leadership qualities both on and off the ice.

2023: Nikita Kucherov recorded 44 goals

In 2023, Winger Nikita Kucherov recorded 44 goals and a league high 100 assists for 144 points

2023: New black alternate uniform unveiled

In the 2023–24 season, the Tampa Bay Lightning unveiled a new black alternate uniform, putting the roundel logo as the main crest and bringing back the "victory stripes" on the sleeves. The white numbers with black trim and blue drop shadows were heavily inspired by the team's first uniforms.

2024: Eliminated by Florida Panthers

In 2024, the Tampa Bay Lightning were eliminated by their in-state rivals, the Florida Panthers, in five games in the first round of the playoffs.

2024: Steven Stamkos Signs with Nashville Predators

In the 2024 off-season, Steven Stamkos signed with the Nashville Predators after failing to reach a contract extension agreement with the Lightning.

2024: Lightning placed second in the Atlantic Division

In the 2024-25 season, the Lightning placed second in the Atlantic Division and the third seeding in the Eastern Conference.

May 14, 2025: Scripps Sports acquired the regional rights

On May 14, 2025, after Main Street Sports Group invoked an exit clause in its contract, it was announced that Scripps Sports had acquired the regional rights to the Tampa Bay Lightning, with games to be carried over the air on WXPX. A subscription streaming platform will also be available.