TAMPA, Fla. — In a heartfelt letter, former Lightning captain Steven Stamkos said his final goodbye to Tampa Bay fans as he gets ready to join the Nashville Predators.
He detailed his start in Tampa as the first overall pick in 2008, winning not one, but two Stanley Cups, back to back and all of the challenges he and his team had to overcome throughout his 16 years on the team.
Stamkos started the letter with a sweet memory of his son eating his favorite cereal out of the Stanley Cup the day after they won against the Montreal Canadiens to win their second Cup.
"I'll remember that image forever. Forever," he wrote. "It just kind of captured so much about what our time in Tampa has meant — how it became home."
He questioned how he would say goodbye to a place like Tampa — a place that welcomed him as an 18-year-old to his first NHL team. Fans are likely thinking the same about how will they possibly say farewell to one of their star players.
Stamkos is the all-time leader in games (1,082), goals (555), points (1,137), even-strength goals (336), even-strength points (707), power-play goals (214), power-play points (422), overtime goals (13), game-winning goals (85) and shots (3,332).
He's also a seven-time NHL All-Star, and is one of 18 players in NHL history to record at least seven 40-goal seasons and is one of four active skaters with at least two 50-goal campaigns.
Later on in the letter, he points out the Bolts' fanbase and the bond the team has with the fans.
"The bond that the Lightning have with Tampa is a really special thing. It’s easy to just say that, you know? Every team thinks they have it. But down there, it’s been built up for years and years, and it’s real," he said.
Stamkos also opened up about his struggles with his injuries and how "Tampa had my back."
He referenced the pandemic in 2020 when NHL players were in the "Bubble," which consisted of two arenas in Edmonton and Toronto where hockey games could be played without any spectators. While Stamkos was in the Bubble, he realized something was wrong with his wife. He left the Bubble, against the protocols and rules, and when he got there, the couple lost their unborn baby.
"It’s one of those times in my life where I was thankful for everyone we had around us. The support from our loved ones, our friends, the Lightning organization. It saved us," he wrote.
At the end of the letter he said while he wished this last season ended differently, he'll always remember the good times. He also mentioned how he thought this day would never come.
"I did everything I felt I could do to make it work, but sometimes things just happen. It didn’t work. And I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t heartbreaking," he wrote.
He signed a 4-year, $32 million deal with the Nashville team after the Tampa Bay Lightning did not heavily pursue him. Stamkos will put on the new jersey in the upcoming NHL season starting with pre-season in September and regular season in October. He will be back at Amalie Arena on Oct. 28.
