The Tampa Bay Lightning

Tampa Bay Lightning

The Tampa Bay Lightning are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They have one Stanley Cup championship in their history, in 2003–04. They are often referred to as the...

 are a professional ice hockey

Ice hockey

Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...

 team based in Tampa, Florida

Tampa, Florida

Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....

. The Lightning were founded in 1992 as an expansion team

Expansion team

An expansion team is a brand new team in a sports league. The term is most commonly used in reference to the North American major professional sports leagues, but is applied to sports leagues worldwide that use a closed franchise system of league membership. The term comes from the expansion of the...

 in the Norris Division

Norris Division

The NHL's Norris Division was formed in 1974 as part of the Prince of Wales Conference. The division moved to the Clarence Campbell Conference in 1981, with the Detroit Red Wings being the only member to remain from the previous season. The division existed for 19 seasons until 1993. The...

 of the Campbell Conference. They are a member of the Southeast Division

Southeast Division (NHL)

The NHL's Southeast Division was formed in 1998 as part of the Eastern Conference due to expansion.The Southeast Division is the only one of the six divisions that does not have a precursor from the Wales/Campbell conference era ....

 of the Eastern Conference

Eastern Conference (NHL)

The Eastern Conference is one of two conferences in the National Hockey League used to divide teams. Its counterpart is the Western Conference....

 of the National Hockey League

National Hockey League

The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...

 (NHL). The Lightning played in Expo Hall

Expo Hall

Expo Hall is an indoor arena located at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa, Florida. It's used primarily as an exhibition hall during the Florida State Fair, but has also hosted concerts and sporting events....

 for their inaugural season, and moved to Tropicana Field

Tropicana Field

Tropicana Field is a domed stadium in St. Petersburg, Florida, which has been the home of Major League Baseball's Tampa Bay Rays since the team's inaugural season in 1998, when they were the Devil Rays. It has also served as the host stadium for the Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl, an NCAA-sanctioned college...

 for the 1993–94 season

1993–94 Tampa Bay Lightning season

The 1993–94 Tampa Bay Lightning season was the Lightning's second season of operation. The team finished last in the Atlantic Division and did not qualify for the playoffs.-Offseason:...

. They moved to their current home in 1996, the Ice Palace, which has since been renamed St. Pete Times Forum

St. Pete Times Forum

The St. Pete Times Forum is an arena in Tampa, Florida, that has been used for ice hockey, basketball, and arena football games, as well as concerts....

.

The Lightning have qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs six times in nineteen completed seasons and won the 2004 Stanley Cup

2004 Stanley Cup Finals

The 2004 Stanley Cup Finals was a best-of-seven playoff series that determined the National Hockey League champion for the 2003–04 season. As a culmination of the 2004 Stanley Cup playoffs, the Eastern Conference champion Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Western Conference champion Calgary Flames...

. The Tampa Bay Lightning have won over 500 regular season games, the 25th-highest victory total among NHL teams. They have lost over 600 games during the regular season, the ninth-lowest loss total in the NHL. The Lightning have over 1,000 points

Point (ice hockey)

Point in ice hockey has three official meanings:* A point is awarded to a player for each goal scored or assist earned. The total number of goals plus assists equals total points. In some European leagues, a goal counts as two points, and an assist counts as one...

 in their 19 seasons, the fifth-lowest point total in the league.

Tampa Bay made their first playoffs in the 1995–96 season

1995–96 Tampa Bay Lightning season

The 1995–96 Tampa Bay Lightning season was the Lightning fourth season of operation in the National Hockey League. The Lightning finished with a record of 38-32-12 and qualified for the playoffs for the first time in franchise history....

. The team's worst year was the 1997–98 season

1997–98 Tampa Bay Lightning season

-Game log:-Regular season:ScoringGoaltendingNote: Pos = Position; GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/- = plus/minus; PIM = Penalty minutes; PPG = Power-play goals; SHG = Short-handed goals; GWG = Game-winning goals-External links:...

, in which they finished 17–55. Tampa Bay moved to the Southeast Division in 1998, and won the division for the first time in the 2002–03 season

2002–03 Tampa Bay Lightning season

The 2002–03 Tampa Bay Lightning season was the 11th National Hockey League season in Tampa Bay, Florida. The Lightning made it back to the playoffs for the first time since 1996.-Game log:-Eastern Conference Quarter-finals vs. Washington Capitals:...

. The Lightning won the Eastern Conference

Eastern Conference (NHL)

The Eastern Conference is one of two conferences in the National Hockey League used to divide teams. Its counterpart is the Western Conference....

 and their only Stanley Cup

Stanley Cup

The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...

 in the following season.

Table key

Finish	Final position in division or league standings
GA	Goals against (goals scored by the Lightning's opponents)
GF	Goals for (goals scored by the Lightning)
GP	Number of games played
L	Number of losses
OT	Number of losses in overtime (since the 1999–00 season)
Pts	Number of points
T	Number of ties
TG	Two-game total goals series
W	Number of wins

Year by year

Stanley Cup champions

Conference Eastern Conference (NHL) The Eastern Conference is one of two conferences in the National Hockey League used to divide teams. Its counterpart is the Western Conference....  champions *

Division Atlantic Division (NHL) The NHL's Atlantic Division was formed in 1993 as part of the Eastern Conference in a league realignment, the predecessor of which was the Patrick Division. It is the only division in the NHL where all of its current members have won the Stanley Cup at least twice, though only three teams have won...  champions ^

Led league in points Presidents' Trophy The Presidents' Trophy is an award presented by the National Hockey League to the team that finishes with the most points in the league during the regular season. If two teams tie for the most points, then the trophy goes to the team with the most wins. The winning team is also awarded C$350,000... #

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center; font-size: 95%"
|-
!rowspan="2"|Lightning season
!rowspan="2"|Conference
!rowspan="2"|Division
!colspan="9"|Regular season

Season structure of the NHL

The structure of the National Hockey League season is divided into the regular season and the Stanley Cup playoffs. In the regular season, teams play 82 games which determine their standings...

!colspan="7"|Postseason
|-
!Finish
!GP
!W
!L
!T
!OT
!Pts

Point (ice hockey)

Point in ice hockey has three official meanings:* A point is awarded to a player for each goal scored or assist earned. The total number of goals plus assists equals total points. In some European leagues, a goal counts as two points, and an assist counts as one...

!GF
!GA
!GP
!W
!L
!GF
!GA
!Result
|-
|1992–93

1992–93 Tampa Bay Lightning season

The 1992–93 Tampa Bay Lightning season was the team's inaugural season in the National Hockey League . They finished sixth in the Norris Division with a record of 23 wins, 54 losses, and 7 ties for 53 points.-Manon Rheaume:...

|Campbell
|Norris

Norris Division

The NHL's Norris Division was formed in 1974 as part of the Prince of Wales Conference. The division moved to the Clarence Campbell Conference in 1981, with the Detroit Red Wings being the only member to remain from the previous season. The division existed for 19 seasons until 1993. The...

|6th
|84
|23
|54
|7
|—
|53
|245
|332
|—
|—
|—
|—
|—
|Did not qualify
|-
|1993–94

1993–94 Tampa Bay Lightning season

The 1993–94 Tampa Bay Lightning season was the Lightning's second season of operation. The team finished last in the Atlantic Division and did not qualify for the playoffs.-Offseason:...

|Eastern

Eastern Conference (NHL)

The Eastern Conference is one of two conferences in the National Hockey League used to divide teams. Its counterpart is the Western Conference....

|Atlantic

Atlantic Division (NHL)

The NHL's Atlantic Division was formed in 1993 as part of the Eastern Conference in a league realignment, the predecessor of which was the Patrick Division. It is the only division in the NHL where all of its current members have won the Stanley Cup at least twice, though only three teams have won...

|7th
|84
|30
|43
|11
|—
|71
|224
|251
|—
|—
|—
|—
|—
|Did not qualify
|-
|1994–95

1994–95 Tampa Bay Lightning season

The 1994-95 Tampa Bay Lightning season was the third season in franchise history. The team traded away defenseman Shawn Chambers to the New Jersey Devils and forward Denis Savard to the Chicago Blackhawks; both players went on to have memorable playoff performances in 1995...

|Eastern
|Atlantic
|6th
|48
|17
|28
|3
|—
|37
|120
|144
|—
|—
|—
|—
|—
|Did not qualify
|-
|1995–96

1995–96 Tampa Bay Lightning season

The 1995–96 Tampa Bay Lightning season was the Lightning fourth season of operation in the National Hockey League. The Lightning finished with a record of 38-32-12 and qualified for the playoffs for the first time in franchise history....

|Eastern
|Atlantic
|5th
|82
|38
|32
|12
|—
|88
|238
|248
|6
|2
|4
|13
|26
|Lost in Conference Quarterfinals

1996 Stanley Cup Playoffs

The 1996 Stanley Cup playoffs, the championship of the National Hockey League , began in April, 1996. The sixteen teams that qualified, eight from each conference, played best-of-7 series for conference quarterfinals, semifinals and championships, and then the conference champions played a...

 vs. Philadelphia Flyers

Philadelphia Flyers

The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...

, 2–4
|-
|1996–97

1996–97 Tampa Bay Lightning season

-Game log:-Regular season:ScoringGoaltendingNote: Pos = Position; GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/- = plus/minus; PIM = Penalty minutes; PPG = Power-play goals; SHG = Short-handed goals; GWG = Game-winning goals-External links:...

|Eastern
|Atlantic
|6th
|82
|32
|40
|10
|—
|74
|217
|247
|—
|—
|—
|—
|—
|Did not qualify
|-
|1997–98

1997–98 Tampa Bay Lightning season

-Game log:-Regular season:ScoringGoaltendingNote: Pos = Position; GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/- = plus/minus; PIM = Penalty minutes; PPG = Power-play goals; SHG = Short-handed goals; GWG = Game-winning goals-External links:...

|Eastern
|Atlantic
|7th
|82
|17
|55
|10
|—
|44
|151
|269
|—
|—
|—
|—
|—
|Did not qualify
|-
|1998–99

1998–99 Tampa Bay Lightning season

The 1998–99 Tampa Bay Lightning season was the Lightning's seventh season of operation. The club again failed to make the playoffs.-All-Star Game:...

|Eastern
|Southeast

Southeast Division (NHL)

The NHL's Southeast Division was formed in 1998 as part of the Eastern Conference due to expansion.The Southeast Division is the only one of the six divisions that does not have a precursor from the Wales/Campbell conference era ....

|4th
|82
|19
|54
|9
|—
|47
|179
|292
|—
|—
|—
|—
|—
|Did not qualify
|-
|1999–2000

1999–2000 Tampa Bay Lightning season

The 1999–2000 Tampa Bay Lightning season was the Lightning's eighth season of operation. The club placed fourteenth overall in the Eastern Conference and failed to make the playoffs.-Regular season:...

|Eastern
|Southeast
|4th
|82
|19
|47
|9
|7
|54
|204
|310
|—
|—
|—
|—
|—
|Did not qualify
|-
|2000–01

2000–01 Tampa Bay Lightning season

The 2000–01 Tampa Bay Lightning season was the Lightning's ninth season of operation. The club again failed to make the playoffs.-Regular season:...

|Eastern
|Southeast
|5th
|82
|24
|47
|6
|5
|59
|201
|280
|—
|—
|—
|—
|—
|Did not qualify
|-
|2001–02

2001–02 Tampa Bay Lightning season

-Game log:-Player stats:-External links:...

|Eastern
|Southeast
|3rd
|82
|27
|40
|11
|4
|69
|178
|219
|—
|—
|—
|—
|—
|Did not qualify
|-
|2002–03

2002–03 Tampa Bay Lightning season

The 2002–03 Tampa Bay Lightning season was the 11th National Hockey League season in Tampa Bay, Florida. The Lightning made it back to the playoffs for the first time since 1996.-Game log:-Eastern Conference Quarter-finals vs. Washington Capitals:...

|Eastern
|style="background: #FFE6BD;"|Southeast ^
|1st
|82
|36
|25
|16
|5
|93
|219
|210
|9
|5
|6
|22
|29
|align="left"|Won in Conference Quarterfinals

2003 Stanley Cup Playoffs

The 2003 Stanley Cup playoffs, the National Hockey League championship, began on April 9, 2003, following the 2002–03 regular season. The playoffs concluded on June 9, 2003, with the New Jersey Devils defeating the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in seven games.The sixteen qualifying teams played...

 vs. Washington Capitals

Washington Capitals

The Washington Capitals are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Since their founding in 1974, "The Caps" have won one conference championship to reach the 1998 Stanley Cup...

, 4–2
Lost in Conference Semifinals vs. New Jersey Devils

New Jersey Devils

The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey, United States. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...

, 1–4
|-
|style="background: #D0E7FF;"|2003–04

2003–04 Tampa Bay Lightning season

The Tampa Bay Lightning season involved winning the Stanley Cup. On December 27, the Lightning scored three short-handed goals in a 4-2 win over the Boston Bruins.-Offseason:The Lightning did not have a first-round pick...

|style="background: #DDFFDD;"|Eastern *
|style="background: #FFE6BD;"|Southeast ^
|1st
|82
|46
|22
|8
|6
|106
|245
|192
|23
|16
|7
|60
|43
|align="left" style="background: #D0E7FF;"|Won in Conference Quarterfinals

2004 Stanley Cup Playoffs

The 2004 Stanley Cup playoffs for the National Hockey League began on April 7, 2004, following the 2003–04 regular season. The playoffs ended with the Tampa Bay Lightning securing the Stanley Cup with a seven-game series win over the Calgary Flames on June 7. It was Tampa Bay's first Stanley Cup...

 vs. New York Islanders

New York Islanders

The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...

, 4–1
Won in Conference Semifinals vs. Montreal Canadiens

Montreal Canadiens

The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...

, 4–0
Won in Conference Finals vs. Philadelphia Flyers

Philadelphia Flyers

The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...

, 4–3
Won in Stanley Cup Finals

2004 Stanley Cup Finals

The 2004 Stanley Cup Finals was a best-of-seven playoff series that determined the National Hockey League champion for the 2003–04 season. As a culmination of the 2004 Stanley Cup playoffs, the Eastern Conference champion Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Western Conference champion Calgary Flames...

 vs. Calgary Flames

Calgary Flames

The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the...

, 4–3
|-
|2004–05

2004–05 Tampa Bay Lightning season

The 2004–05 Tampa Bay Lightning season was the franchise's 13th season in the National Hockey League. Its games were cancelled due to the National Hockey League lockout of players.-Farm teams:...

|Eastern
|Southeast
|—
|—
|—
|—
|—
|—
|—
|—
|—
|—
|—
|—
|—
|—
|No playoffs
|-
|2005–06

2005–06 Tampa Bay Lightning season

The 2005–06 Tampa Bay Lightning season was the 14th National Hockey League season in Tampa Bay, Florida. The Lightning hoped to defend their Stanley Cup championship, which they won in 2003–04.-Game log:-Forwards:...

|Eastern
|Southeast
|2nd
|82
|43
|33
|—
|6
|92
|252
|260
|5
|1
|4
|13
|23
|align="left"|Lost in Conference Quarterfinals

2006 Stanley Cup Playoffs

The 2006 Stanley Cup playoffs for the National Hockey League championship began on April 21, 2006, following the 2005–06 regular season. The sixteen teams that qualified, seeded one through eight from each conference, played best-of-seven series with re-seeding after the conference quarterfinals...

 vs. Ottawa Senators

Ottawa Senators

The Ottawa Senators are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...

, 1–4
|-
|2006–07

2006–07 Tampa Bay Lightning season

The 2006–07 Tampa Bay Lightning season was the 15th National Hockey League season in Tampa Bay, Florida. The Lightning hoped to rebound from their disappointing first round exit in 2005–06...

|Eastern
|Southeast
|2nd
|82
|44
|33
|—
|5
|93
|253
|261
|6
|2
|4
|14
|19
|align="left"|Lost in Conference Quarterfinals

2007 Stanley Cup Playoffs

The 2007 Stanley Cup playoffs of the National Hockey League began on April 11, 2007. The sixteen teams that qualified, eight from each conference, played best-of-7 series for conference quarterfinals, semifinals and championships, and then the conference champions played a best-of-7 series for the...

 vs. New Jersey Devils

New Jersey Devils

The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey, United States. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...

, 2–4
|-
|2007–08

2007–08 Tampa Bay Lightning season

The 2007–08 Tampa Bay Lightning season began October 4, 2007. It is the Tampa Bay Lightning's 16th season in the National Hockey League.The Lightning introduced a new logo design prior to the start of the season. The new, "modernized" logo is similar to the team's original logo, with the edges on...

|Eastern
|Southeast
|5th
|82
|31
|42
|—
|9
|71
|223
|267
|—
|—
|—
|—
|—
|Did not qualify
|-
|2008–09

2008–09 Tampa Bay Lightning season

The 2008–09 Tampa Bay Lightning season was the 17th season for the franchise in Tampa Bay. After a season of turnover in ownership, management and players, the team had a turbulent regular season...

|Eastern
|Southeast
|5th
|82
|24
|40
|—
|18
|66
|210
|279
|—
|—
|—
|—
|—
|Did not qualify
|-
|2009–10

2009–10 Tampa Bay Lightning season

The 2009–10 Tampa Bay Lightning season was the 18th season for the National Hockey League team. Unlike the previous off-season, the Lightning did not make a lot of changes. The Lightning improved on their regular season record, but failed to qualify for the playoffs again. The team was sold during...

|Eastern
|Southeast
|3rd
|82
|34
|36
|—
|12
|80
|217
|260
|—
|—
|—
|—
|—
|Did not qualify
|-
|2010–11

2010–11 Tampa Bay Lightning season

The 2010–11 Tampa Bay Lightning season was the 19th season for the Lightning franchise of the National Hockey League . For the first time since the 2006–07 season, the Lightning qualified for the playoffs.-Pre-season :...

|Eastern
|Southeast
|2nd
|82
|46
|25
|—
|11
|103
|247
|240
|18
|11
|7
|59
|44
|align="left"|Won in Conference Quarterfinals

2011 Stanley Cup playoffs

The 2011 Stanley Cup playoffs of the National Hockey League began on April 13, 2011, after the conclusion of the 2010–11 NHL regular season. Game 1 of the Finals was held on June 1, while Game 7 was held on June 15...

 vs. Pittsburgh Penguins

Pittsburgh Penguins

The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...

, 4–3
Won in Conference Semifinals vs. Washington Capitals

Washington Capitals

The Washington Capitals are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Since their founding in 1974, "The Caps" have won one conference championship to reach the 1998 Stanley Cup...

, 4–0
Lost in Conference Finals vs. Boston Bruins

Boston Bruins

The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...

, 3–4
|--
|-
!colspan="4"|Totals
|1,446
|550
|696
|112
|88
|1,300
|3,823
|4,561
|67
|37
|32
|181
|184
|