List_of_Tampa_Bay_Lightning_seasons

List of Tampa Bay Lightning seasons

List of Tampa Bay Lightning seasons

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The Tampa Bay Lightning are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They are members of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL).[1] The Lightning were founded in 1992 as an expansion team in the Norris Division of the Campbell Conference. The next year, the Lightning were placed in the NHL's new Eastern Conference as members of the Atlantic Division. The Lightning were moved to the Southeast Division as part of the NHL's 1998 expansion to three divisions per conference. In 2013, as part of another realignment and return to a two division format, the Lightning became part of a reconstituted Atlantic Division. The Lightning played in Expo Hall for their inaugural season, and moved to Tropicana Field (then called the ThunderDome) for the 1993–94 season. They moved to their current home in 1996, the Ice Palace, which has since been renamed Amalie Arena.

The interior of Amalie Arena (then named the St. Petersburg Times Forum) during a Lightning home game in 2007

The Lightning have qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs thirteen times in twenty-eight completed seasons and won the Stanley Cup three times, once in 2004 and back-to-back in 2020 and 2021. The Tampa Bay Lightning have won over 1,000 regular season games, the 23rd-highest victory total among NHL teams.[2] They have also lost 1,000 games during the regular season, the ninth-lowest loss total in the NHL.[2] The Lightning have over 2,400 points in their 30 seasons, the tenth-lowest point total in the league.[2]

Tampa Bay made their first playoffs in the 1995–96 season. The team's best year was the 2018–19 season, in which they finished 62–16–4. The team's worst year was the 1997–98 season, in which they finished 17–55–10. Tampa Bay moved to the Southeast Division in 1998, and won the division for the first time in the 2002–03 season. The Lightning won the Eastern Conference and their first Stanley Cup in the following season.[3] As part of the 2013–14 NHL season realignment, the Lightning were relocated into the Atlantic Division after the league reduced from six divisions to four.[4]

Table key

Tampa Bay Lightning opponents by city (1992–2011)
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Year by year

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Notes

  • a In 1992, the NHL expanded the season to 84 games, and each team played two games at a neutral site. After the 1995 lockout, the neutral site games were eliminated, and the season was reduced to 82 games.[16]
  • b The NHL realigned into Eastern and Western conferences prior to the 1993–94 season. Tampa Bay was placed in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference.[17]
  • c The season was shortened to 48 games because of the 1994–95 NHL lockout.[18]
  • d The NHL added 4 expansion teams prior to the 1998–99 season and split the Eastern Conference into three divisions: Northeast, Atlantic, and Southeast. Tampa Bay was moved into the new Southeast division.[19]
  • e Beginning with the 1999–2000 season, teams received one point for losing a regular season game in overtime.[20]
  • f The season was canceled because of the 2004–05 NHL lockout.[21]
  • g Before the 2005–06 season, the NHL instituted a penalty shootout for regular season games that remained tied after a five-minute overtime period, which prevented ties.[22]
  • h The season was shortened to 48 games because of the 2012–13 NHL lockout.[23]
  • i The NHL realigned prior to the 2013–14 season. Tampa Bay was placed in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference.[24]
  • j The regular season was cut short, and the playoffs were modified as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • k The season was shortened to 56 games because of the COVID-19 pandemic. [25]

References

  1. [1]
    "Rosters, Arena Information, and Aerial Maps". National Hockey League. Retrieved August 27, 2013.
  2. [2]
    "Team Index". Hockey-Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
  3. [3]
    "Calgary Flames vs. Tampa Bay Lightning Recap". ESPN. June 7, 2004. Retrieved January 17, 2011.
  4. [4]
    "Guide to 2013-14 NHL realignment". Reuters. October 1, 2013. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
  5. [5]
    "Tampa Bay Lightning Statistics and History". The Internet Hockey Database. Retrieved April 25, 2016.
  6. [6]
    "Tampa Bay Lightning Franchise Index". Hockey-Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved April 25, 2016.
  7. [7]
    "1996 NHL Playoff Summary". Hockey-Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved January 17, 2011.
  8. [8]
    "2003 NHL Playoff Summary". Hockey-Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved January 17, 2011.
  9. [9]
    "2004 NHL Playoff Summary". Hockey-Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved January 17, 2011.
  10. [10]
    "2006 NHL Playoff Summary". Hockey-Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved January 17, 2011.
  11. [11]
    "2007 NHL Playoff Summary". Hockey-Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved January 17, 2011.
  12. [12]
    "2011 NHL Playoff Summary". Hockey-Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved June 22, 2011.
  13. [13]
    "2014 NHL Playoff Summary". Hockey-Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved April 22, 2014.
  14. [14]
    "2015 NHL Playoff Summary". Hockey-Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved April 25, 2016.
  15. [15]
    "2016 NHL Playoff Summary". Hockey-Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
  16. [16]
    Morrison, Scott (December 1, 2007). "84 game schedule a lock". SLAM! Sports. Archived from the original on July 16, 2012. Retrieved June 14, 2010.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  17. [17]
    Lapointe, Joe (April 1, 1993). "Hockey; N.H.L. Redraws Map In Realignment Plan". The New York Times. Retrieved June 14, 2010.
  18. [18]
    Swift, E. M. (January 23, 1995). "Drop Those Pucks!". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on May 17, 2009. Retrieved June 14, 2010.
  19. [19]
    "N.H.L. Names 4 Cities For Its New Franchises". The New York Times. June 18, 1997. Retrieved June 14, 2010.
  20. [20]
    Lapointe, Joe (September 30, 1999). "Hockey: Preview '99–'00; Overtime Is Now Five Minutes in Hockey Heaven". The New York Times. Retrieved June 14, 2010.
  21. [21]
    "Lockout over salary cap shuts down NHL". ESPN. Associated Press. February 16, 2005. Retrieved June 14, 2010.
  22. [22]
    "Shootouts are fan-friendly". The Washington Times. October 19, 2005. Retrieved June 14, 2010.
  23. [23]
    "NHL Announces 2012-13 Season Schedule". Lightning.nhl.com. Tampa Bay Lightning. January 12, 2013. Retrieved April 27, 2013.
  24. [24]
    "NHL slate, division names revealed". ESPN.com news services. ESPN. July 20, 2013. Retrieved April 10, 2015.
  25. [25]
    Knoll, Andrew (December 20, 2020). "N.H.L. and Players' Union Reach Framework for 2020-21 Season". The New York Times. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
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