Steven Stamkos officially says goodbye to the Tampa Bay Lightning

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Tom Banks
July 15, 2024 (11:29)

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After 16 years with the Tampa Bay Lightning, captain Steven Stamkos has officially moved on, and now he says his goodbyes to his former organization.

When the Tampa Bay Lightning picked Steven Stamkos No. 1 overall in the 2008 NHL Draft, they could never have dreamed of the success that he would ultimately have, captaining this team for over a decade and leading them to two Stanley Cup title wins.

For some reason however, the team let their franchise star leave in free agency, and now as he heads to the Nashville Predators, he's officially said his goodbyes.

«I wanted to be the one who lived up to the hype, who took the organization where it dreamt to go.»

The fans of Tampa Bay and neutral NHL fans were all shocked beyond belief that Stamkos was allowed to leave the only team he's ever known, and in his goodbye on The Players Tribune, Stamkos reveals feeling the exact same way.

I never thought I'd have to do one of these. 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. So I just want to share some memories, and say some thanks to everyone who has been a part of this journey.

For over 15 years, Stamkos was a model of consistency on and off the ice, playing in 1,082 games and tallying 1,137 points, and he was embraced in every way by the organization and the city, and it's safe to say that they'll miss him as much as he will miss them.

These past few weeks have been bittersweet. I never thought this day would come. I did everything I felt I could do to make it work, but sometimes things just happen. It didn't work. And I'd be lying if I said it wasn't heartbreaking. But my family and I, we're human, you know? Tampa is home. It's where our three kids were born it's where our memories are. It's always going to mean so much to us.

The Predators visit Tampa Bay on the 29th of October in the upcoming season, so both parties will prepare for an emotional night, but for now, Stamkos has said his goodbyes to an incredible run.