How the 2015 Stanley Cup finalist Tampa Bay Lightning were built

Tampa Bay Lightning timeline graphic: the trades, free agents, draft picks and hirings that built the 2015 Stanley Cup finalists.
How the 2015 Stanley Cup finalist Tampa Bay Lightning were built
How the 2015 Stanley Cup finalist Tampa Bay Lightning were built /

The Tampa Bay Lightning are playing in their first Stanley Cup finals since 2004, the year the franchise defeated the Calgary Flames in seven games for its first championship. No players remain from that club, but by scrolling down through our timeline, you can trace the trades, free agent signings, draft picks and hirings that year by year created the team’s current postseason roster.

• Cup finals schedule | series breakdown | How Blackhawks were built

Total personnel

Draft picks: 11
Via trade: 5
Free agents: 8

  • C Alex Killorn2007
    Draft: 3rd round (#77)
  • C Steven Stamkos2008
    Draft: 1st round (#1)
  • D Mark Barberio2008
    Draft: 6th round (#152)
  • D Victor Hedman2009
    Draft: 1st round (#2)
  • VP/GM Steve Yzerman2010
    Hired: (5/25), ex-VP with Red Wings (2006-10)
  • C Tyler Johnson2011
    Free agent: (3/7), WHL Spokane
  • C Vladislav Namestnikov2011
    Draft: 1st round (#27)
  • RW Nikita Kucherov2011
    Draft: 2nd round (#58)
  • D Nikita Nesterov2011
    Draft: 5th round (#148)
  • LW Ondrej Palat2011
    Draft: 7th round (#208)
  • RW J.T. Brown2012
    Free agent: WCHA Minnesota-Duluth (3/28)
  • G Andrei Vasilevskiy2012
    Draft: 1st (#19)
  • C Cedric Paquette2012
    Draft: 4th round (#101)
  • D Matt Carle2012
    Free agent: Philadelphia (7/4)
  • Coach Jon Cooper2013
    Hired: (3/25), ex-coach of Tampa Bay’s AHL affiliates Norfolk (2010-12) and Syracuse (2012-13)
  • D Andrej Sustr2013
    Free agent: WCHA Nebraska-Omaha (3/21)
  • G Ben Bishop2013
    Trade: from Ottawa for C Cory Conacher, 2013 4th round pick (4/3)
  • LW Jonathan Drouin2013
    Draft: 1st round (#3)
  • C Valtteri Filppula2013
    Free agent: Detroit (7/5)
  • RW Ryan Callahan2014
    Trade: with 2014 2nd round pick, 2015 1st round pick — from NY Rangers for RW Martin St. Louis (3/5)
  • C Jonathan Marchessault2014
    Trade: with LW Dalton Smith — from Columbus for F Dana Tyrell, D Matt Taormina (3/5)
  • D Jason Garrison2014
    Trade: with rights to F Jeff Costello, 2015 7th round pick — from Vancouver for 2014 2nd round pick (6/27)
  • C Brian Boyle2014
    Free agent: NY Rangers (7/1)
  • D Anton Stralman2014
    Free agent: NY Rangers (7/1)
  • LW Brenden Morrow2014
    Free agent: St. Louis (7/11)
  • D Braydon Coburn2015
    Trade: from Philadelphia for D Radko Gudas, 2015 1st round (conditional) and 3rd round picks (3/2)

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