Steven Stamkos Leaves Unforgettable Legacy With Lightning

Arguably the greatest player to ever wear a Tampa Bay Lightning sweater is gone, and it still doesn't feel real.

Jul 7, 2021; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning center Steven Stamkos (91) kisses the Stanley Cup after the Lightning defeated the Montreal Canadiens 1-0 in game five to win the 2021 Stanley Cup Final at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Douglas DeFelice-USA TODAY Sports / Douglas DeFelice-USA TODAY Sports

It's been two weeks since the Tampa Bay Lightning lost Steven Stamkos, arguably the greatest player in franchise history. Other players come and go, but losing a player like Stamkos, the face of the franchise for more than a decade, hurts on a different level.

On the ice, few players could even dream to accomplish what Stamkos has, let alone with one team. The first overall pick in 2008 spent 16 years in Tampa, and leaves as the all-time leader in games played (1,082), goals (555), points (1,137) and several other stats. Of course, he's also a two-time Stanley Cup champion and led his team to four Stanley Cup Final appearances in the past decade.

Speaking of leadership, Stamkos was in a class all his own in that department. The 34-year-old became Tampa Bay's captain in 2014, which not only ushered in the golden age of Lightning hockey, but cemented him as the leader he was always destined to be. Countless teammates and coaches have praised Stamkos for his leadership skills, but he also won the Mark Messier Leadership Award in 2023.

Then there's the impact he had on the community, which was also one of a kind. From his charitable work to the way the city rallied around him, Stamkos was truly an icon of Tampa Bay sports, and will continue to be even after his departure.

So how do you replace someone like that? Say what you will about Stamkos relying on the power play lately or his contract, but his impact in the locker room and in the city is irreplaceable. Even when Victor Hedman inevitably becomes captain, even years down the line, it's going to be very difficult for anyone to live up to Stamkos' legacy.

In his Players' Tribune article on Monday, Stamkos said he never imagined that he'd have to say goodbye to Tampa, and Lightning fans didn't either. Much like Vincent Lecavlier and Martin St. Louis before him, though, he tragically won't get to finish his career in the uniform he's most known for.

Stamkos will return to Tampa Bay as a member of the Nashville Predators on Oct. 28, and when that tribute video plays, there may not be a single dry eye among the 19,000 fans at Amalie Arena.

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