Picking the Lightnings all-time lineup as they celebrate their 30th anniversary

May 21, 2024

TAMPA, Fla. — Phil Esposito has an opinion on everything.

He will talk politics. Travel. Restaurants. And, of course, hockey.

One of the greatest players of all-time, he’s forgotten more about the game than most of us know.

But when it comes to one topic, the Hall of Famer didn’t have much to say. I was trying to build an all-time Lightning lineup for their 30th anniversary season: four lines, three defense pairs, two goalies and a head coach. It’s fitting timing with Friday’s induction of the inaugural class of the franchise’s Hall of Fame, with Esposito joining Martin St. Louis and Vinny Lecavalier.

For an all-time lineup, who would have better insight than Esposito? He is the Lightning founder and has seen it all.

“I honestly think this is very difficult,” Esposito said. “Because everybody will be in the moment, not what happened in the past.”

That’s what made this task challenging. How do you not have recency bias after watching the “golden age” of Lightning hockey, with the current core group going to three straight Stanley Cup Finals and winning two Cups. Tampa Bay’s first group, the 1992 expansion team, played in a bit of a different era, too.

My first attempt at an all-time team four years ago came before this run of championships, so you knew it’d have to change. But how much?

As I did for that project, for this story I polled key figures from the team, past and present, from Esposito and their first All-Star, Brian Bradley, to 2004 Cup general manager Jay Feaster, coach Jon Cooper and Victor Hedman. I even asked for opinions from video coach Nigel Kirwan, the only staff member who has been here all 30 years. I reached out to former beat writers like Damian Cristodero and Tom Jones, both of whom covered the team for the Tampa Bay Times.

How’d I do with my list?

“Looks good,” Hedman said.

“Hard to argue with that,” Feaster said.

“You’re close,” St. Louis said.

This lineup could look different in another five years, of course, but it’s a pretty good blend of the three decades in Tampa Bay hockey history. There’s their inaugural pick, defenseman Roman Hamrlik, some ’04 Cup winners and plenty of members of the current group.

Esposito and I went back and forth on a few choices, but he felt comfortable enough for one pick.

“All I know,” Esposito said. “Is (Andrei Vasilevskiy) is the No. 1 goalie.”

That was a slam dunk. The rest? Enjoy the debate.

(Note: All stats are from the players’ Lightning careers only.)

Forwards

Steven Stamkos

Games: 989

Goals: 508

Points: 1,038

St. Louis said Stamkos has surpassed him as the greatest player in franchise history. Stamkos has pretty much all of the team’s main offensive records, including career goals and points. He recently reached the rarefied air 500-goal milestone. And Stamkos has the championships to back up the numbers, winning two Cups. Stamkos came to Tampa with ample hype — the “Seen Stamkos?” billboards welcoming the No. 1 pick in 2008 — and has lived up to it as the face of the franchise.

“I’m just more proud of the fact that I probably proved a lot of people wrong”
How @RealStamkos91 evolved into a complete player – and champion. Our deep dive on @TBLightning captain, who overcame doubters from inside and outside. With @hayyyshayyy https://t.co/TshAqyQp8d

— Joe Smith (@JoeSmithNHL) November 9, 2022

Vinny Lecavalier

Games: 1,037

Goals: 383

Points: 874

Owner Art Williams labeled Lecavalier the “Michael Jordan of Hockey” on draft day, and it’s hard to go anywhere but down from there. But he was one of the franchise’s most gifted players, a dynamic center and play-driver on the ’04 Cup team. He was the face of the franchise before Stamkos, and his philanthropic efforts in creating a pediatric cancer and blood disorders center will live on forever.

Martin St. Louis

Games: 972

Goals: 365

Points: 953

St. Louis might be the best story of anyone on this list, the undrafted underdog betting on himself and willing a Hall of Fame career. He scored the biggest goal in franchise history, the double OT winner in Game 6 of the Cup Final against Calgary in ’04, and is one of two Lightning players to win a Hart Trophy (Nikita Kucherov the other). St. Louis and Lecavalier were the most dynamic one-two punch in the league for a couple of years, and some of St. Louis’ best work came as Stamkos’ early winger and mentor.

“Show them Marty.” From humble beginnings in Laval, his many heartbreaks along the way, former #TBLightning star @mstlouis_26 took an improbable path to Hall of Fame. “I didn’t think it was possible.” The HOF is the only thing he didn’t have to wait for https://t.co/KDXIYkmK1f pic.twitter.com/jbAF2u7HLp

— Joe Smith (@JoeSmithNHL) November 8, 2018

Ondrej Palat

Games: 628

Goals: 143

Points: 423

It only makes sense to reunite the top line — Palat, Point and Kucherov — from the 2020 and ’21 Cup teams on the all-time team. Palat, a seventh-rounder in 2011, could end up being the best late-round gem in team history. He’s the epitome of a 200-foot player and has shown his clutchness with the most game-winners (12) and second-most goals (48) in team postseason history. He made his mark with the “Triplets” in the 2015 run to Cup Final and continued to be a top player until leaving in the summer for the Devils in free agency. “He’s gonna go down as one of the top players that ever was a Bolt,” coach Jon Cooper said.

Every time Ondrej Palat scores a goal, his dad buys some rum. “The bigger the goal, the better the rum.” With Palat’s clutch play, there’s a lot of top-shelf stuff. Behind scenes of 2 am watch party in Frýdek-Místek, how Czech town celebrates their “hero.” https://t.co/UzRp0IUtGs pic.twitter.com/2hhovSaiKM

— Joe Smith (@JoeSmithNHL) June 25, 2022

Brayden Point

Games: 485

Goals: 210

Points: 448

Point has been the team’s No. 1 center the past four years and is in the midst of his second 40-goal season and on pace for his first 50-goal season. He’s one of the best centers in the NHL, with as much speed as anyone but Connor McDavid. The former third-rounder was a game-changing pick back in 2014. Had he not been injured in last year’s playoffs, the Lightning may well have three-peat.

Nikita Kucherov

Games: 630

Goals: 273

Points: 712

One of the game’s most elite hockey minds, Kucherov has been the team’s best offensive weapon and top playoff performer. He won the Hart Trophy in 2019 after his Russian-record-breaking 128-point season. But the Lightning don’t win back-to-back Cups without his transformation and maturity. His playoff numbers are off the charts.

“I don’t have the speed, right? I don’t have a crazy shot.. I had to use my brain.”
Nikita Kucherov opens up on how he developed his elite hockey IQ, his humble beginnings, how he studies other stars. On the artist of his generation, w/@domluszczyszyn https://t.co/13eTd0ykEX

— Joe Smith (@JoeSmithNHL) November 12, 2022

Vinny Prospal

Games: 468

Goals: 127

Points: 371

Prospal was a strong offensive player, one of John Tortorella’s favorites, who often got paired with Lecavalier. “There was no one else that really knew and understood how to play with Vinny,” Feaster said. “He was here at the right time to help change the culture. It was his enthusiasm for the game. The way he approached it, it was the right attitude to have.” Said Cristodero: “Smart player who could play all three forward positions, could handle the puck and was a reliable scorer.” When Prospal left Tampa Bay for the last time in 2009, his 127 Lightning goals were fifth on the team’s list and his 371 points were fourth, per Hockey-Reference.

Brad Richards

Games: 552

Goals: 150

Points: 489

Richards was part of the Lightning’s big three with St. Louis and Lecavalier and won the Conn Smythe on their ’04 Cup run with 12 goals and 26 points in 23 games. He was a gifted skater and playmaker with a great hockey IQ. Some of the biggest goals of their first Cup run were scored by Richards, who was dealt to Dallas in 2008. Richards later beat the Lightning with the Blackhawks in the 2015 Cup Final. For this lineup, it made sense to have him center a line with former teammates Modin and Prospal.

Fredrik Modin

Games: 445

Goals: 145

Points: 286

Modin had a terrific shot and was a workhorse along the boards. He had eight goals and 19 points in 23 playoff games in the first Cup season. As Cristodero put it, “His cycling on a line with Brad Richards and Marty St. Louis was a thing of beauty.” Cristodero added: “He played hurt a lot and never complained or even acknowledged an injury when asked, even though he would drag his leg away from you after the conversation.” Feaster said Modin was “one of the main engines” of that title group and a very popular teammate, adding that he regrets trading the winger in June 2006 in the Marc Denis deal. “That was a bad move,” Feaster said. “And it was difficult to start with. Certainly hindsight proved it even worse. I would do that over in a heartbeat.”

Eighteen years ago today, @TBLightning won their first Stanley Cup. If fans are in a nostalgic mood, here’s some untold stories from that team’s run – on and off the ice. “It was our ‘Last Dance’.” https://t.co/1yrCxQSjDx

— Joe Smith (@JoeSmithNHL) June 7, 2022

Alex Killorn

Games: 791

Goals: 192

Points: 454

Believe it or not, Killorn is the Lightning’s longest-tenured current player. Well, when it comes to draft year. Killorn was taken in the third round in 2007, one year before the team drafted Stamkos. He turned pro after his college career at Harvard and joined a Jon Cooper-led AHL Norfolk team that went on a pro-hockey-record 28-game win streak and won the Calder Cup. Killorn has been a key part of the core and leadership group for years, a rare power forward. This is likely his final year with Tampa Bay as he’s a pending unrestricted free agent for the cap-strapped club, but it was fitting he assisted on Stamkos’ 500th career goal.

Tyler Johnson

Games: 589

Goals: 161

Points: 361

For a few years at the beginning of the Lightning’s current contention window, Johnson was their No. 1 center, their most dynamic offensive player. He centered the “Triplets” line that carried Tampa Bay to the 2015 Cup Final. There are many in the organization who believe if Johnson didn’t break his wrist in that series, the Lightning would have one more Cup to their name. Johnson, signed as an undrafted free agent, graciously adapted his role to a bottom-sixer on the 2020 and ’21 Cup teams before getting dealt to Chicago in a cap-cutting move.

Brian Bradley

Games: 328

Goals: 111

Points: 300

Bradley was the Lightning’s first All-Star. He was picked in the expansion draft from the Maple Leafs, which he now says was the best thing that could have happened to him. Esposito said Bradley should get credit for being such a good player and producer on those bad early teams. Bradley scored 42 goals in the team’s inaugural season and had another two 20-goal seasons before concussions ended his career. He’s still part of the organization in more of an ambassador role, working with sponsors and ticket holders.

Extra forwards: Anthony Cirelli, Rob Zamuner, Dave Andreychuk

Cirelli was very close to being in the top-12 forwards on this team, and he very well could be in a few years. He’s played in 339 games (183 points), won two Cups and been a shutdown, Selke Trophy-caliber center. Andreychuk was the captain of the ’04 team, and while his stay in Tampa Bay wasn’t terribly long, his impact on the ice and more importantly in the room were significant. Zamuner was a forward who could check the other team’s top lines — a strong penalty killer and leader. “He was the captain here for a reason,” Feaster said.

Defense

Victor Hedman

Games: 961

Goals: 140

Points: 646

The best defenseman in franchise history, Hedman won the Norris Trophy in 2018 and was a finalist for five straight years — something that hadn’t been done since Nicklas Lidstrom. Taken with the No. 2 pick in 2009, he became a cornerstone, along with good friend Stamkos. He won the Conn Smythe during the 2020 Cup run.

Victor Hedman first saw Cup when he was five, as Forsberg brought it to Örnsköldsvik, Sweden. He didn't touch it – just in case. On Hedman's 'defining moment' w/ Conn Smythe, path to hero status in Ovik. "He's the biggest star we have," Markus Naslund said https://t.co/lE9Ep2JQzM

— Joe Smith (@JoeSmithNHL) September 29, 2020

Anton Stralman

Games: 355

Goals: 29

Points: 130

The smooth-skating Swede was a calming, stabilizing presence for the Lightning in his years there. He was Hedman’s partner, so it made sense to have him on Hedman’s right side for this all-time lineup. Tampa Bay signed Stralman as a free agent in the summer of 2014, and he was a top-four force for the playoff runs until he left in free agency in 2019. He was a plus-80 in those five years in Tampa.

Ryan McDonagh

Games: 267

Goals: 20

Points: 99

The trade to acquire McDonagh from the Rangers in 2018 stands as one of the best in franchise history. McDonagh gave the Lightning the type of shutdown defender they needed to build a Cup winner, providing relief to Hedman. McDonagh took on the toughest matchups, was a captain of the penalty kill and had a significant voice in the dressing room. It’s why McDonagh’s trade to Nashville over the summer, when he was asked to waive his no-trade clause, hit everyone so hard.

“His body was going through stuff that seemed outside the realm of hockey and he kept going. I’m like, ‘Holy shit.’”
With Ryan McDonagh breaking record for career playoff blocked shots, we collected craziest stories on @TBLightning d-man – aka “Mac Truck” https://t.co/XsX5lA1fz4 pic.twitter.com/K3eehuQtT5

— Joe Smith (@JoeSmithNHL) May 19, 2022

Dan Boyle

Games: 394

Goals: 66

Points: 253

The gifted puck-moving defenseman was the top right shot and power-play quarterback for the ’04 Cup team. In fact, once Boyle was moved in 2008, the Lightning looked for years for a replacement. He had 20 goals and 63 points in his best season with Tampa Bay, spending six years with the team.

Roman Hamrlik

Games: 377

Goals: 52

Points: 185

Hamrlik was the first draft pick in franchise history and immediately gave the team a backbone on the blue line. He had the size, he could skate, and he took the tough matchups while on some very lean teams. There’s a chance that Sergachev takes his spot on this lineup in the coming years, but it’s hard to imagine an all-time lineup for the Lightning and Hamrlik not in it.

Pavel Kubina

Games: 662

Goals: 72

Points: 243

Kubina was another important defender on the 2004 Cup team. The affable Czech right shot delivered punishing hits, was a key penalty-killer and was beloved in the room. He played 10 years in Tampa Bay, averaging nearly 22 minutes per game through it all. Coincidentally, it was at Kubina’s Cup day in ’04 where future Lightning forward Palat first saw hockey’s holy grail.

Extra defenseman: Mikhail Sergachev

Sergachev is close to being on this list and will likely be added as he continues his eight-year extension. He was eased into big responsibilities with Hedman and McDonagh ahead of him on the left side, but now he’s pretty much the 1A defenseman with Hedman. Cory Sarich was another defenseman in the honorable mention category. Erik Cernak could get there too.

Goaltenders

Andrei Vasilevskiy

Games: 416 (259-118-28)

Save percentage: .919

Goals-against average: 2.52

This was an easy choice. Not only is Vasilevskiy the best goalie in franchise history; he’s put himself in the conversation for the Mount Rushmore of all NHL goalies. Vasilevskiy played every minute during back-to-back Cup runs. He’s won a Vezina Trophy and a Conn Smythe. Many people consider him the standard among goalies in the game.

Martin Brodeur says Andrei Vasilevskiy makes the game "look easy." Ken Dryden called him "imposing." Dominik Hasek loves how he "never gives up." Is Vasilevskiy on pace to be an all-time great? "He's a Mount Rushmore guy." Our story on @TBLightning No. 1 https://t.co/1ZIfhTThkj

— Joe Smith (@JoeSmithNHL) May 23, 2022

Nikolai Khabibulin

Games: 192 (83-74-28)

Save percentage: .914

Goals-against average: 2.39

This was one of the bigger debates of the lineup: Khabibulin vs. Ben Bishop. Bishop had the longevity, the Vezina Trophy finalist recognitions, and really was a game-changer in the Lightning finally getting stability in net. He also helped mentor and groom Vasilevskiy. But Khabibulin gets the edge, having backstopped Tampa Bay to the Cup in 2004. Tortorella famously brought Khabibulin and goaltender John Grahame into his office in February of ’04 and told them, “Whoever wins the net, keeps it.” Khabibulin grabbed the net and never let go, including his impressive Cup run (16-7, 1.71, .933, five shutouts). “We don’t win the Cup without him,” Feaster said. Khabibulin was under contract for the 2004-05 season, which was wiped away by a lockout, and he left as an unrestricted free agent. St. Louis didn’t think that we should “punish greatness” on this list for that early exit, though, and we’ll take his advice.

Head coach

Jon Cooper

Record: 474-242-67 (.648 points percentage)

Playoff record: 84-55 (.604 win percentage)

On our last all-time lineup, John Tortorella got the nod because he was the only Lightning coach to win a Cup. That’s changed in a big way, with Cooper winning back-to-back titles and putting himself in position for a Hall of Fame career. Cooper has transformed the Lightning culture, starting with the raucous and record-setting AHL Norfolk title team. And while he’s never won a Jack Adams Award, Tampa Bay’s patience with him paid off.

With Jon Cooper signing a three-year extension today, it’s worth looking back to how patience by @TBLightning paid off. “No point looking for the next Coop,” BriseBois said. “When I’ve got the original.” https://t.co/iKWEhIRzxx

— Joe Smith (@JoeSmithNHL) October 11, 2021

(Top photo of Steven Stamkos, Victor Hedman and Andrei Vasilevskiy in 2018: Mike Ehrmann / Getty Images)

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