The Tampa Bay Lightning has come a long way since its inception in 1992. It all started with the dream of one man, Phil Esposito, who believed the great sport of ice hockey could survive here in the one place in the world you would never expect a sheet of ice, the Sunshine State.
Like any team in the National Hockey League, the Tampa Bay Lightning has seen its fair share of ups and downs over the course of the last twenty-three years and counting. We have gone from the little team that no one believed belonged in the league to a top contender, Eastern Conference Champions, and eventually Stanley Cup Champions.