God King Fudge
Championship Swag
- Oct 13, 2017
- 6,308
- 6,793
A reddit user (linked below) did this and I thought it was a very cool rundown. I think someone on here did something really similar for their team not too long ago. I thought it might just be an interesting thread, but if this should be on the TB board, let me know and I'll delete.
July 31, 2000
January 7, 2002
- Lightning sign Martin St. Louis from Free Agency - Exhibit A why you don’t overlook a player because of their size. After clearing waivers, the Lightning make the best transaction in team history… and no one knew it at the time. Martin St. Louis was a little man trying to play in a big man’s league. Having amassed only 4 goals and 16 assists in 69 games with the Calgary Flames, St. Louis was sent to the metaphorical trash bin of unconditional waivers. Rick Dudley, then GM of the Lightning, gave Marty his second chance and the rest is history.
June 22, 2007
- Lightning trade 2003 5th Round pick to Florida for Dan Boyle - In Rick Dudley’s final move as Lightning GM, he brought in one of the best offensive defensemen in team history and it only cost a 5th rounder. Boyle had accumulated 10 goals and 29 assists in 129 games with the Panthers before finding his groove in Tampa to the tune of 66 goals and 187 assists in 394 games. Boyle, along with St. Louis, was a cornerstone on the 2004 Stanley Cup winning team. Little did we know that this signing was the first step in a long series of moves that led to Tampa getting their hands on a Vezina finalist…
July 3, 2007
- Lightning select Alex Killorn in the 3rd Round, 77th Overall - It may come as a surprise to some newer fans that Killorn is the longest-tenured member of the Lightning organization. Despite the ire his contract has drawn, Killorn has been a model of consistency in his time with the Bolts. In five full seasons he has scored 41, 38, 40, 36, and 47 points and is on pace for another 40 point season in 2018-19.
June 20, 2008
- Lightning sign Brad Lukowich from Free Agency - After the 2004 Cup win and subsequent full-season lockout, Lukowich was signed by the New York Islanders. After two fairly unsuccessful seasons spent on Long Island and later in New Jersey, the Lightning signed Lukowich for a second stint in Tampa.
July 4, 2008
- Lightning select Steven Stamkos in the 1st Round, 1st Overall - This pick was a slam dunk. Stamkos was coming off a two year stretch with the Sarnia Sting of the OHL where he scored 100 goals in 123 games and had the Lightning salivating with the first overall selection. Although Stamkos had a slow start in his rookie campaign scoring only 23 goals, he took off in his sophomore season scoring 166 goals in his next three seasons combined. Despite being plagued with a litany of “weird” injuries, Stamkos is the franchise’s active leader in every offensive stat category and has a potential to be the all-time leader in all of them by the end of his current contract.
- Lightning trade Dan Boyle and Brad Lukowich to San Jose for Matt Carle, Ty Wishart, a 2009 1st, and a 2010 4th - Raise your hand if you forgot about this Matt Carle stint with the Lightning? Yeah, me too
November 7, 2008
- . This trade is fairly insignificant for the time being as Carle didn’t last a full season, Wishart appeared in a whopping 26 NHL games (5 with the Lightning), the 1st was traded in a package for Andrej Meszaros, and the 4th used to select James Mullin (ever heard of him?). So you’re probably wondering, “why is a trade where the Lightning got practically nothing of value in return being included?” More to come later…
June 26th, 2009
- Lightning trade Matt Carle and a 2009 3rd to Philadelphia for Steve Downie, Steve Eminger, and a 2009 4th - It’s later! Matt Carle lasted 12 games with the Lightning before being shipped off to Broad Street. The return was decent as Steve Downie amassed 84 points in 159 games with the Bolts. Sure, he played like an asshole… but he was our asshole. Eminger didn’t make it a full season before being traded to Florida and the 4th was used to select Alex Hutchings who never cracked an NHL roster.
February 5, 2010
- Lightning select Victor Hedman in the 1st Round, 2nd Overall - If you could design a perfect NHL defenseman in a lab, Victor “Big Dick Vic” Hedman would be your result. Actually, I have no proof that Hedman wasn’t created in a lab… It took Hedman a few seasons to reach his potential, as it normally does for NHL defensemen, but he has truly blossomed into an elite NHL defenseman. His unique combination of size, skating ability, and puck-moving prowess are what make him a perennial Norris contender.
May 25, 2010
- Lightning are purchased by Jeffrey Vinik - This may be the most important piece of the timeline. Not only has Vinik made the Lightning organization better from top to bottom, he has done the same in the Tampa community. For those unfamiliar, Vinik has spearheaded a $3B project to rejuvenate downtown Tampa and also recognizes a "Community Hero" during each Lightning home game since 2011 that receives $50k to further a charity or initiative they are involved in. The Community Hero program has given over $16M since its inception.
July 2, 2010
- Lightning hire Steve Yzerman as General Manager - When Ken Holland declined a promotion that would have made room for Steve Yzerman to become Detroit's next GM, Yzerman decided it was time to cut ties. The two teams most interested in the Hall of Famer's services were the Minnesota Wild and the Tampa Bay Lightning. Jeffrey Vinik, the new owner of the Lightning, made it his mission to secure Yzerman and that's exactly what he did.
July 16, 2010
- Lightning sign Pavel Kubina from Free Agency - Another veteran defensemen signed to his second stint with the Lightning. Nothing to see here… until later.
August 9, 2010
- Lightning hire Julien BriseBois as Assistant General Manager and General Manager of the Norfolk Admirals - Yzerman's right-hand man that was with him for nearly his entire tenure with the Bolts. BriseBois' work as an AHL GM earned him a spot on The Hockey News' "Top 40 Under 40" for NHL executives and his teams made the Calder Cup finals in 3 of 8 seasons he was GM, winning it all in 2012.
March 7, 2011
- Lightning hire Jon Cooper as Head Coach of the Norfolk Admirals - BriseBois' first act as GM of the Norfolk Admirals was to bring in Jon Cooper who was fresh off back-to-back USHL championship seasons with the Green Bay Gamblers. Cooper had three successful seasons in Norfolk (and later Syracuse when the Lightning's AHL affiliate changed) including one Calder Cup win.
June 24, 2011
- Lightning sign Tyler Johnson from Free Agency - Exhibit B why you don’t overlook a player because of their size. Tyler Johnson went undrafted in his three draft-eligible years… passed on 630 separate times. He finally got his shot when the Lightning signed him and assigned him to the Norfolk Admirals, their then AHL affiliate. Johnson did what he has done his whole life, win. The Admirals, with Jon Cooper at the helm and Julien BriseBois building the roster, won a professional hockey record 28 consecutive games on their way to a Calder Cup championship.
June 25, 2011
- Lightning select Vladislav Namestinkov in the 1st Round, 27th Overall - This was the first pick in arguably what is, to date, the best draft in franchise history. Vladdy, aka “Russian Bieber,” became a regular in the Lightning lineup in 2015-16 as a very serviceable 3rd line center. However, he got the opportunity to shine in the 2017-18 season when he was put on the left wing alongside Steven Stamkos and the player who the Lightning would draft with their second pick in the 2011 draft…
February 8, 2012
- Lightning select Nikita Kucherov in the 2nd Round, 58th Overall - The Lightning have a history of not following “the norm” when it comes to player evaluation. Kucherov was small at 5’10” and 165lbs. Russians hardly ever got drafted this high unless the team drafting them was certain they were coming to the NHL. The Lightning took their shot and did it ever pay off. Kucherov leads the entire NHL in points/60 over the last four seasons and his 8-year/$76M contract extension hasn’t even kicked in yet. This is 1A for “Best Draft Pick in Lightning History.”
- Lightning select Ondrej Palat in the 7th Round, 208th Overall - The final piece of the famed “Triplets” line. Since becoming a regular in the 2014-15 season, Palat has been one of Tampa’s best two-way forwards despite battling injuries for most of that time. Scoring at a reliable 55-point pace for his career, Ondrej has proven to be one of the NHL’s best late-round picks in the past decade.
February 21,2012
- Lightning trade Pavel Kubina to Philadelphia for 2012 2nd Round pick and 2013 4th Round pick - In a seemingly insignificant trade, the Lightning deal aging 2004 Cup winner Pavel Kubina for two picks before the 2012 deadline. More on this trade later.
March 1, 2012
- Lightning trade Steve Downie to Colorado for Kyle Quincey - Now things are heating up. Bolts acquire a key piece in their rebuild in Kyle Quincey and he looks sure to make an immediate impact…
- Lightning trade Kyle Quincey to Detroit for Sebastien Piche and a 2012 1st Round pick - Almost instantly, fan favorite Kyle Quincey is traded for Sebastien Piche who never managed to crack an NHL roster, and an incredibly important 1st Round pick in the upcoming 2012 draft.
June 22, 2012
- Lightning sign Cory Conacher from Free Agency - After a hot start to the lockout-shortened season, 5’8” Cory Conacher was, maybe unfairly, hailed as the “next” Marty St. Louis. Conacher started his NHL career with 9 goals and 15 assists in his first 35 games.
June 23, 2012
- Lightning select Andrei Vasilevskiy in the 1st Round, 19th Overall - The path that started all the way back in 2002 with a 5th rounder sent to Florida for Dan Boyle finally reached its destination. A 5th for Boyle, Boyle for Carle, Carle for Downie, Downie for Quincey, Quincey for the 1st Round pick used to select Vasilevskiy. What a ride. Andrei “Big Cat” Vasilevskiy is widely considered one of the best goaltenders in the NHL with his cat-like reflexes and penchant for saves that make the viewer’s groin hurt. As a franchise that dealt with lackluster goaltending for just shy of a decade, they had just drafted what they hoped to be their future.
March 25, 2013
- Lightning select Cedric Paquette in the 4th round, 101st Overall - The Lightning continue the trend of getting value out of late round picks. Paquette has embraced his role as the 4th line grinder and has become a very well-rounded player with a knack for scoring clutch goals when needed, including two goals in the 2015 Stanley Cup Final (one winning Game 3 with under 3:00 left).
April 3, 2013
- Lightning hire Jon Cooper as Head Coach - Replacing noted Bond villain, Guy Boucher, Cooper was “called up” from the AHL affiliate Syracuse Crunch. Cooper is now the winningest coach in franchise history and currently the longest tenured coach in the NHL.
June 30, 2013
- Lightning trade Cory Conacher and a 2013 4th Round pick to Ottawa for Ben Bishop - At the time, this chapped a lot of Lightning fans’ asses. Mine included. Conacher looked destined to be a star and Yzerman traded him for a goalie who hadn’t shown any signs of being successful in his brief NHL career. The 4th round pick came from the “seemingly insignificant” trade of Pavel Kubina mentioned earlier. I think I can safely say that this is the trade that made most of us stop questioning our GM’s decisions. Although injury-prone, Bishop backstopped the Bolts to some of their best seasons, and postseasons, ever.
March 5, 2014
- Lightning select Jonathan Drouin in the 1st Round, 3rd Overall - Jonathan Drouin. A very divisive pick among the Lightning faithful as many wanted the brass to select right-handed defenseman, 6’4” Seth Jones to compliment Victor Hedman on the left. However in the end the Bolts went with the flashy forward from the Halifax Mooseheads, Jonathan Drouin. Much maligned for most of his time with Tampa, Drouin never fully earned the trust of the coaching staff and only lasted parts of three seasons with the Lightning.
- Lightning select Adam Erne in the 2nd Round, 33rd Overall - If there is one word to accurately describe Adam Erne, it is “workhorse.” For the past three seasons, Erne has spent much time as the 13th forward in the Tampa lineup and only getting occasional playing time when injuries hampered the team. He has handled that role perfectly, providing much needed depth to the organization.
March 10, 2014
- Lightning trade Martin St. Louis and a 2014 2nd Round pick to New York for Ryan Callahan, a conditional 2014 1st Round pick, a 2015 1st Round pick, and a 2015 7th Round pick - This one hurt. You knew why it had to happen from a business perspective, but it was a punch to the gut from the fan perspective. The 2014 1st Round pick was later traded to the Islanders for two 2nd Round picks, the first of which was used to select defensive prospect Dominik Masin. The 2015 1st Round pick was again traded to the Islanders for the 33rd overall (Mitchell Stephens) and the 72nd overall (More on that later).
June 27, 2014
- Lightning sign Yanni Gourde from Free Agency - Exhibit C why you don’t overlook a player because of their size. Gourde spend much of his time before the Lightning bouncing between the ECHL and the AHL. He finally got his opportunity in 2016-17 and hasn’t looked back since. He cashed in with a 5-year/$31M extension that starts in the 2019-20 season.
June 28, 2014
- Lightning select Anthony DeAngelo in the 1st Round, 19th Overall - Another pick that the Lightning faithful hyped up, admittedly a little too high. DeAngelo played one season with the Syracuse Crunch and never got a shot with the NHL team.
July 1, 2014
- Lightning trade 2014 3rd Round pick (80) and 2015 7th Round pick for 2014 3rd Round pick (79) - The Lightning traded an extra 7th Round pick to move up one spot? Why???
- Lightning select Brayden Point in the 3rd Round, 79th Overall - Oh, that’s why. Exhibit D why you don’t overlook a player because of their size. Brayden Point was 5’10” and 160lbs soaking wet on draft day, but the Lightning weren’t deterred and moved up to nab the Moose Jaw Warriors captain. Remember when I said Kucherov was 1A for “Best Draft Pick in Franchise History”? Well, Point is 1B. He finished 8th in Selke voting in his sophomore season and is on pace for 100 points in only his third.
March 2, 2015
- Lightning sign Anton Stralman from Free Agency - This one was a bit of a head scratcher. Not for the Lightning, for the Rangers who apparently didn’t want to re-sign the defensive stalwart. The best way to describe Stralman’s play is in a quote from Jon Cooper. “He may never win a Norris, but his partner will.” Stralman’s defensive capabilities allowed his partners, mostly fellow Swede Victor Hedman, join the rush and create offense.
June 27, 2015
- Lightning trade Radko Gudas, 2015 1st Round pick, and a 2015 3rd Round pick to Philadelphia for Braydon Coburn - This… felt like a panic over-payment to bolster the blue-line ahead of the playoffs. While I have been one of Coburn’s harshest critics, he is having a beautiful resurgence in 2018-19 and I am having no minimal issues trusting him on the 3rd pairing. With it being the last year of his contract and the Lightning having solid depth at LD, this may be the last season with Tampa for Coburn.
July 21, 2015
- Lightning select Anthony Cirelli in the 3rd Round, 72nd Overall - This pick was referenced above as the Lightning acquired it by trading one of the 1st Round selections obtained in the Martin St. Louis trade. Cirelli made his debut in 2017-18 against Dallas to the tune of 1 goal and 1 assists in only 8:00 of ice time. Since then, he has played his way firmly into the 3C position and has become one of the bigger short-handed threats in the league.
- Lightning select Mathieu Joseph in the 4th Round, 120th Overall - Joseph came into the 2018-19 training camp with a mission and played his way onto the opening night roster of one of the deepest teams in the NHL. His speed and persistent forechecking have earned him a spot on the 3rd line and 2nd PK unit with fellow 2015 draftee, Anthony Cirelli.
June 24, 2016
- Lightning sign Tye McGinn from Free Agency - Who?
June 25, 2016
- Lightning select Brett Howden in the 1st Round, 27th Overall - Howden was a highly touted prospect who played alongside Brayden Point for the Moose Jaw Warriors. In his two seasons following his draft year, he put up 156 points in 107 games in the WHL. He never got his chance with the Lightning, but he did eventually get his shot at the NHL.
February 26, 2017
- Lightning trade Anthony DeAngelo to Arizona for a 2016 2nd Round Pick (37) - Slow development and some off-ice issues led to the Lightning cutting their losses and trading DeAngelo. That being said, he had already played his part in one of the most important deadline deals in franchise history.
- Lightning select Libor Hajek in the 2nd Round, 37th Overall - Hajek was another defensive prospect that the Lightning we very high on, but we never got to see in action. More on this later…
June 15, 2017
- Lightning trade Ben Bishop to Los Angeles for Peter Budaj, Erik Cernak, and a 2017 7th Round pick - With the expansion draft looming and the Lightning needing to make a decision about the future in front of their own goal, the Lightning traded Ben Bishop who was the leader in almost every statistical category for franchise goaltending. They picked up a “serviceable” backup and even got Los Angeles to throw in a player for depth. Well, just so happens that player is now playing Top-4 minutes night in and night out and looking damn good doing it.
July 1, 2017
- Lightning trade Jonathan Drouin to Montreal for Mikhail Sergachev - After a pretty tumultuous time with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Jonathan Drouin is sent home to Montreal for 2016 9th Overall selection Mikhail Sergachev. It didn’t take long for Sergachev to make an impact as he scored 40 points in his rookie campaign with the Bolts. In his second year, he has become a much more rounded defenseman while playing as a lefty on the right side.
November 14, 2017
- Lightning sign Dan Girardi from Free Agency - Girardi was the recipient of much criticism in his last few years in Manhattan. The signing was questioned by most, but aside from the occasional lapse, Girardi has proven to be a decent depth signing by Yzerman. Like Coburn, Girardi is in the last year of his current deal and his status for next season is uncertain.
- Lightning sign Michael Leighton from Free Agency - At the time this just looked like an AHL depth signing.
February 26, 2018
- Lightning trade Tye McGinn and Michael Leighton to Arizona for Louis Domingue - Domingue had just about been run out of town in Arizona and Budaj was looking rough as Vasilevskiy’s backup so the Lightning made a move to acquire their now full-time backup. “King Louis” turned in a clutch stretch of 13 performances (going 11-2-0) when Vasilevskiy went down with a broken foot earlier in the year. A run I’m not confident Budaj could have made.
September 11, 2018
- Lightning trade Vladislav Namestnikov, Brett Howden, Libor Hajek, a 2018 1st Round pick, and a conditional 2019 2nd Round pick to New York for Ryan McDonagh and JT Miller - This trade saw the Lightning trade away two former 1st Round picks, a player who was acquired by trading a former 1st round pick, and potentially two future 1st Round selections… and I’d still make the deal 11 times out of 10. McDonagh has been the Lightning’s second 1D since finding his comfort zone at the start of the 2018-19 season. Think about how lucky we are to have one of Victor Hedman and Ryan McDonagh on the ice for almost 50 minutes per game. Not to be forgotten in the trade is JT Miller, a perennial 55-point player who can play any position and any role. When it comes to trades, this was Yzerman’s masterpiece.
September 22, 2018
- Lightning promote Julien BriseBois to General Manager - In a move that shocked every outside of the notoriously tight-lipped Tampa front office, Steve Yzerman stepped down from his role as General Manager. No one knows for sure what the motivation was for the move, but the prevailing theory is that Yzerman was ready to move on after his contract was up after the 2018-19 season and the Lightnign didn't want to lose BriseBois to an open GM position in the meantime.
- Lightning claim Dannick Martel off of waviers from Philadelphia - The final piece of the current roster. With the depth of this team, Martel hasn’t been given many opportunities this season whether he’s pulling spin-o-rama dishes or causing an internet outrage with a fist bump, his effort has always been noticeable when on the ice.
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