The Tampa Bay Lighting have emerged not just as the first place team in the Atlantic Division but are quickly establishing themselves as a model organization that is among the best in all of professional sports. For skeptics who deride “sun belt” hockey in a nontraditional market, the Lighting are a shining example of what is possible with the right leadership. Tampa Bay is among the top teams in home attendance with a passionate fan base that proves that with the right leadership hockey can work anywhere.
It starts at the Top
Chairman Jeffrey Vinik wasted no time in stating that he wanted the Lightning to become a world class organization upon acquiring the franchise in 2010. Vinik has shown that his aspiration was not an empty phrase. He immediately established strong community relations and a fan friendly environment.
He immediately hired Steve Yzerman as general manager and that decision has already paid dividends. Yzerman has quickly built one of the youngest and most talented rosters in the game that will keep Tampa Bay in contention for years to come. Yzerman’s heist of the New York Rangers of top draft picks and heart and soul leader Ryan Callahan while having a gun to his head with the petulant trade demands of Martin St. Louis will go down as one of the best and most significant in recent memory.
Head coach John Cooper was brought in midway through the 2013 season and is widely regarded as one of the top young coaches in the game. Cooper combines the personal touch with outstanding motivational skills and great player relations to go with an up-tempo playing style that is a refreshing departure from the paint dry hockey that so many other coaches prefer. Cooper was at his best last year when he kept the Lightning at a top level of play while superstar C Steven Stamkos missed half the season due to injury. Cooper and the Bolts defied the conventional wisdom that their season was done when Stamkos went down.
Loaded Lineup
Tampa Bay ranks second in the NHL for goal scoring led by superstar center Steven Stamkos. Stamkos had 20 goals and 18 assists for 38 points and scored the game winning goal in Monday night’s home win over Toronto. Second year C Tyler Johnson has broken out with 13 goals and 24 assists this season and had a hat trick in last week’s 4-3 win over Pittsburgh. The best news is that Stamkos and Johnson are each just 24 years of age with plenty more upside. Defensemen Jason Garrison and Victor Hedman, along with forwards Callahan, Nikita Kucherov, Valtteri Filppula, and Ondrej Palat complete a top of the roster that nobody will want to face come playoff time.
