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Greg Wyshynski, ESPNOct 29, 2024, 12:11 AM ET
CloseGreg Wyshynski is ESPN’s senior NHL writer.
TAMPA — Tampa Bay Lightning coach Jon Cooper stared up at the Jumbotron as an emotional tribute video highlighted Steven Stamkos’s 16 years with the franchise.
Near the opposing bench stood Stamkos, now a member of the Nashville Predators, returning to Tampa for the first time in another uniform.
“I was thinking about how soft I’ve gone in my elder years. I just start welling up,” said Cooper on Monday night, after his team’s 3-2 overtime win. “How do you fit 16 years into a two-minute video? It almost doesn’t feel right. It was extremely well done. But in the end, it doesn’t matter how well you do it. You’ll never do it justice.”
Stamkos is the Lightnings’ all-time leader in games (1,082), goals (555) and points (1,137). He’s a superstar who grew the sport in Tampa and was a fixture in the community.
But Stamkos, 34, and the Lightning parted ways after last season when they couldn’t come to terms on a new contract, after an impasse that was both public and contentious. The Tampa Bay captain signed a four-year, $32-million contract with the Predators. The Lightning would replace Stamkos on their top line with free-agent winger Jake Guentzel, who is four years his junior.
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Monday night offered Stamkos his first chance to reconnect with Lightning fans since leaving for Nashville.
“I don’t think it’s goodbye. I think it’s more of a ‘thank you, see you later’ type of thing,” he said after the game. “It was pretty emotional. You see where it all began as an 18-year-old kid. Where I grew up from a boy to a man and a Stanley Cup champion. A husband, a father, a son. Most of my life has been here.”
Fans roared as Stamkos skated out for warmups, as signs in support of the former Lightning star papered the glass. A few fans had messages critical of Tampa Bay management for not getting a deal with Stamkos done. But most took the moment to celebrate his accomplishments with…
Source link : https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/42064562/lightning-honor-stamkos-return-emotional-tribute
Author : Greg Wyshynski
Publish date : 2024-10-29 05:12:52
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