Tampa Bay Lightning

Lore & Background

The Lightning were founded as an expansion team on December 6, 1990, and began play in the 1992–93 NHL season. The team has won three Stanley Cup championships, and also played in two additional Stanley Cup Final series. The team's sustained success in the time period from 2015 to 2022 led some outlets to regard the Lightning as a modern NHL dynasty within that time span. Additionally, the Lightning won the Presidents' Trophy in 2019 after they tied the then-all-time record for regular season wins in the 2018–19 season with 62.

Reader's Guide

The Lightning play their home games at Benchmark International Arena in Downtown Tampa. The franchise is owned by Vinik Sports Group, with an investor group led by Doug Ostrover and Marc Lipschultz holding a majority stake. Jeffrey Vinik remains chairman and governor during a transition period, while Julien BriseBois is the general manager. Jon Cooper has served as head coach since March 2013, and is the longest-tenured active head coach in the NHL.

Did You Know?

• The Lightning were named after Tampa Bay's status as the 'Lightning Capital of North America.'
• Manon Rhéaume became the first woman to play in any major professional sports league when she suited up for the Lightning in a preseason game in 1992.
• The Lightning's first regular season game was on October 7, 1992, a 7–3 win over the Chicago Blackhawks.
• The Lightning once drew a crowd of 28,183 for a playoff game at the ThunderDome, the largest crowd at a Stanley Cup playoffs game.