List of Tampa Bay Lightning seasons explained

The Tampa Bay Lightning are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They are members of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL).[1] The Lightning were founded in 1992 as an expansion team in the Norris Division of the Campbell Conference. The next year, the Lightning were placed in the NHL's new Eastern Conference as members of the Atlantic Division. The Lightning were moved to the Southeast Division as part of the NHL's 1998 expansion to three divisions per conference. In 2013, as part of another realignment and return to a two division format, the Lightning became part of a reconstituted Atlantic Division. The Lightning played in Expo Hall for their inaugural season, and moved to Tropicana Field (then called the ThunderDome) for the 1993–94 season. They moved to their current home in 1996, the Ice Palace, which has since been renamed Amalie Arena.

The Lightning have qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs thirteen times in twenty-eight completed seasons and won the Stanley Cup three times, once in 2004 and back-to-back in 2020 and 2021. The Tampa Bay Lightning have won over 1,000 regular season games, the 23rd-highest victory total among NHL teams.[2] They have also lost 1,000 games during the regular season, the ninth-lowest loss total in the NHL. The Lightning have over 2,400 points in their 30 seasons, the tenth-lowest point total in the league.

Tampa Bay made their first playoffs in the 1995–96 season. The team's best year was the 2018–19 season, in which they finished 62–16–4. The team's worst year was the 1997–98 season, in which they finished 17–55–10. Tampa Bay moved to the Southeast Division in 1998, and won the division for the first time in the 2002–03 season. The Lightning won the Eastern Conference and their first Stanley Cup in the following season.[3] As part of the 2013–14 NHL season realignment, the Lightning were relocated into the Atlantic Division after the league reduced from six divisions to four.[4]

Table key

Color/symbol!scope="col"
Explanation
Stanley Cup champions
Conference champions
Division champions
Led league in points
Key of terms and abbreviations
Term or abbreviationDefinition
FinishFinal position in division or league standings
GPNumber of games played
WNumber of wins
LNumber of losses
TNumber of ties
OTNumber of losses in overtime (since the 1999–2000 season)
PtsNumber of points
GFGoals for (goals scored by the Lightning)
GAGoals against (goals scored by the Lightning's opponents)
Does not apply

Year by year

Year by year listing of all seasons played by the Tampa Bay Lightning
NHL seasonLightning seasonConferenceDivisionRegular season[5] [6] Postseason
FinishGPWLTOTPtsGFGAGPWLGFGAResult
1992–93CampbellNorris6th842354753245332Did not qualify
1993–94EasternAtlantic7th8430431171224251Did not qualify
1994–95EasternAtlantic6th481728337120144Did not qualify
1995–96EasternAtlantic5th82383212882382486241326Lost conference quarterfinals to Philadelphia Flyers, 2–4[7]
1996–97EasternAtlantic6th8232401074217247Did not qualify
1997–98EasternAtlantic7th8217551044151269Did not qualify
1998–99EasternSoutheast4th821954947179292Did not qualify
1999–2000EasternSoutheast4th8219479754204310Did not qualify
2000–01EasternSoutheast5th8224476559201280Did not qualify
2001–02EasternSoutheast3rd82274011469178219Did not qualify
2002–03EasternSoutheast1st8236251659321921011562229Won conference quarterfinals vs. Washington Capitals, 4–2
Lost conference semifinals to New Jersey Devils, 1–4[8]
2003–04EasternSoutheast1st82462286106245192231676043Won conference quarterfinals vs. New York Islanders, 4–1
Won conference semifinals vs. Montreal Canadiens, 4–0
Won conference finals vs. Philadelphia Flyers, 4–3
Won Stanley Cup Finals vs. Calgary Flames, 4–3[9]
2004–05EasternSoutheastNo playoffs due to lockout
2005–06EasternSoutheast2nd8243336922522605141323Lost conference quarterfinals to Ottawa Senators, 1–4[10]
2006–07EasternSoutheast2nd8244335932532616241419Lost conference quarterfinals to New Jersey Devils, 2–4[11]
2007–08EasternSoutheast5th823142971223267Did not qualify
2008–09EasternSoutheast5th8224401866210279Did not qualify
2009–10EasternSoutheast3rd8234361280217260Did not qualify
2010–11EasternSoutheast2nd82462511103247240181175945Won conference quarterfinals vs. Pittsburgh Penguins, 4–3
Won conference semifinals vs. Washington Capitals, 4–0
Lost conference finals to Boston Bruins, 3–4[12]
2011–12EasternSoutheast3rd823836884235281Did not qualify
2012–13EasternSoutheast4th481826440148150Did not qualify
2013–14EasternAtlantic2nd82462791012402154041016Lost first round to Montreal Canadiens, 0–4[13]
2014–15EasternAtlantic2nd82502481082622112614126562Won first round vs. Detroit Red Wings, 4–3
Won second round vs. Montreal Canadiens, 4–2
Won conference finals vs. New York Rangers, 4–3
Lost Stanley Cup Finals to Chicago Blackhawks, 2–4[14]
2015–16Eastern Atlantic2nd824631597227201171164840Won first round vs. Detroit Red Wings, 4–1
Won second round vs. New York Islanders, 4–1
Lost conference finals to Pittsburgh Penguins, 3–4[15]
2016–17Eastern Atlantic5th8242301094234227Did not qualify
2017–18Eastern Atlantic1st8254235113296236171165048Won first round vs. New Jersey Devils, 4–1
Won second round vs. Boston Bruins, 4–1
Lost conference finals to Washington Capitals, 3–4
2018–19EasternAtlantic1st8262164128325222404819Lost first round to Columbus Blue Jackets, 0–4
2019–20EasternAtlantic2nd704321692245195251877857Finished second in seeding round-robin (2–1)
Won first round vs. Columbus Blue Jackets, 4–1
Won second round vs. Boston Bruins, 4–1
Won conference finals vs. New York Islanders, 4–2
Won Stanley Cup Finals vs. Dallas Stars, 4–2
2020–212020–21Central3rd563617375181147231677545Won first round vs. Florida Panthers, 4–2
Won second round vs. Carolina Hurricanes, 4–1
Won Stanley Cup semifinals vs. New York Islanders, 4–3
Won Stanley Cup Finals vs. Montreal Canadiens, 4–1
2021–222021–22EasternAtlantic3rd8251238110287233231496761Won first round vs. Toronto Maple Leafs, 4–3
Won second round vs. Florida Panthers, 4–0
Won conference finals vs. New York Rangers, 4–2
Lost Stanley Cup Finals to Colorado Avalanche, 2–4
2022–232022–23EasternAtlantic3rd8246306982832546242123Lost first round to Toronto Maple Leafs, 2–4
2023–242023–24EasternAtlantic4th8245298982912685141420Lost first round to Florida Panthers, 1–4
Totals2,4401,1271,0291121722,5387,0777,40121912495617576Playoff series record: 25–13

Notes

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Rosters, Arena Information, and Aerial Maps . August 27, 2013 . National Hockey League.
  2. Web site: Team Index. Hockey-Reference. Sports Reference LLC. September 2, 2015.
  3. Web site: Calgary Flames vs. Tampa Bay Lightning Recap. https://web.archive.org/web/20040812011706/http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/recap?gameId=240607020. dead. August 12, 2004. ESPN. June 7, 2004. January 17, 2011.
  4. Web site: Guide to 2013-14 NHL realignment. October 1, 2013. Reuters. September 2, 2015.
  5. Web site: Tampa Bay Lightning Statistics and History. The Internet Hockey Database. April 25, 2016.
  6. Web site: Tampa Bay Lightning Franchise Index. Hockey-Reference. Sports Reference LLC. April 25, 2016.
  7. Web site: 1996 NHL Playoff Summary. Hockey-Reference. Sports Reference LLC. January 17, 2011.
  8. Web site: 2003 NHL Playoff Summary. Hockey-Reference. Sports Reference LLC. January 17, 2011.
  9. Web site: 2004 NHL Playoff Summary. Hockey-Reference. Sports Reference LLC. January 17, 2011.
  10. Web site: 2006 NHL Playoff Summary. Hockey-Reference. Sports Reference LLC. January 17, 2011.
  11. Web site: 2007 NHL Playoff Summary. Hockey-Reference. Sports Reference LLC. January 17, 2011.
  12. Web site: 2011 NHL Playoff Summary. Hockey-Reference. Sports Reference LLC. June 22, 2011.
  13. Web site: 2014 NHL Playoff Summary. Hockey-Reference. Sports Reference LLC. April 22, 2014.
  14. Web site: 2015 NHL Playoff Summary. Hockey-Reference. Sports Reference LLC. April 25, 2016.
  15. Web site: 2016 NHL Playoff Summary. Hockey-Reference. Sports Reference LLC. May 26, 2016.
  16. News: Morrison. Scott. 84 game schedule a lock. https://archive.today/20120716063226/http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Hockey/NHL/2007/12/01/4700338-sun.html. usurped. July 16, 2012. SLAM! Sports. December 1, 2007. June 14, 2010.
  17. News: Lapointe. Joe. Hockey; N.H.L. Redraws Map In Realignment Plan. The New York Times. April 1, 1993. June 14, 2010.
  18. Swift . E. M. . Drop Those Pucks! . . January 23, 1995 . June 14, 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090517111547/http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1006188/index.htm . May 17, 2009 .
  19. News: N.H.L. Names 4 Cities For Its New Franchises. The New York Times. June 18, 1997. June 14, 2010.
  20. News: Lapointe . Joe . Hockey: Preview '99–'00; Overtime Is Now Five Minutes in Hockey Heaven . . September 30, 1999 . June 14, 2010 .
  21. Web site: Lockout over salary cap shuts down NHL . Associated Press . . February 16, 2005 . June 14, 2010.
  22. News: Shootouts are fan-friendly . . October 19, 2005 . June 14, 2010 .
  23. Web site: NHL Announces 2012-13 Season Schedule . January 12, 2013 . Lightning.nhl.com . Tampa Bay Lightning . April 27, 2013.
  24. Web site: NHL slate, division names revealed . April 10, 2015 . July 20, 2013 . ESPN . ESPN.com news services .
  25. Web site: Knoll . Andrew . N.H.L. and Players' Union Reach Framework for 2020-21 Season . The New York Times . May 15, 2021 . December 20, 2020.