TAMPA, Fla. – It was July 2 when the Lightning announced the schedule for the 2024-25 season. It was only 24 hours earlier that Tampa Bay fans knew for certain it would be a season without beloved captain Steven Stamkos, who had spent his entire 16-year career wearing the lightning bolt on the front of his jersey.
Stamkos, the all-time leading scorer (1,137 points) and goal scorer (555) in team history, signed with the Nashville Predators on July 1, the first day of NHL free agency.
The schedule revealed it would be less than one month into the season before he would return to Amalie. And what a welcome he received from the 19,902 who packed the venue Monday evening.
READ: Lightning Look To Strike Down Nashville Predators As Steven Stamkos Returns To Tampa
The 34-year-old Stamkos was saluted for two-and-a-half minutes in the form of a video tribute highlighting many of his accomplishments and a rousing reception as No. 91 saluted the fans. That was shortly followed by fans chanting, “Steven Stamkos, Steven Stamkos.”
The No. 1 selection in the 2008 draft twice led the NHL goals, including a franchise-best 60 in 2011-12. He has not had a good start to this season (1-0-1, minus-7 in eight games) with his new team, but on this night, nobody cared.
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