Breakaway on SI

Steven Stamkos Sends Heartfelt Goodbye to Lightning

Steven Stamkos went down memory lane after 16 years with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Nick Horwat

Apr 4, 2024; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Tampa Bay Lightning center Steven Stamkos (91) looks on against the Montreal Canadiens during the second period at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 4, 2024; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Tampa Bay Lightning center Steven Stamkos (91) looks on against the Montreal Canadiens during the second period at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-USA TODAY Sports / David Kirouac-USA TODAY Sports
In this story:

Steven Stamkos was drafted by the Tampa Bay Lightning first overall in 2008, and it didn’t take long for him to become a superstar talent. In just his second NHL season, Stamkos scored 51 goals, falling just one tally shy of the franchise record. Two years later, he would score 60 times to set a new Lightning record.

After 16 seasons with the Lightning, 11 of them as captain, Stamkos has departed Tampa Bay for the Nashville Predators. On the opening day of free agency, Stamkos signed a four-year deal in Nashville worth $8 million annually.

It’s never easy for a long-time veteran to leave the only team he’s known, and Stamkos understands that. He penned a letter in the Players Tribune thanking Tampa Bay for the memories, the ups and downs, and how the city became home.

“I never thought I’d have to do one of these,” Stamko wrote. “It doesn’t quite feel real that I won’t be a Bolt this fall. But over the past few weeks, I’ve had this really deep sense of how lucky I was to be one for 16 years.”

Stamkos details every aspect of his career with the Lightning, from his first memories after being drafted to winning the Stanley Cup in back-to-back years in 2020 and 2021, even to some of the brutal injuries and off-ice moments.

In 16 seasons with the Lightning, Stamkos scored a franchise-leading 555 goals and 1,137 points. He’s the only player in Lightning history to exceed 400 goals and 1,000 points, and he blew past those markers during his time in Tampa Bay.

The Lightning weren’t a threatening team in their first decade or so of existence. They won the Cup in 2004, but it wasn’t until Stamkos got there that the Lightning became a powerhouse in the NHL.

Stamkos calls Tampa Bay home and thanks them for the memories, but he’s looking forward to a new chapter.

Make sure you bookmark Breakaway OnSI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, recruiting coverage, and more! 

Published
Nick Horwat
NICK HORWAT