Steven Stamkos
T-Mobile Arena stands in Las Vegas before an NHL hockey game between the Vegas Golden Knights and the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday, Feb. 1, 2022, in Las Vegas. The arena is the site for this year's NHL All-Star game. (AP Photo/David Becker)
NHL All-Stars sad to miss Olympics, but happy to be in Vegas

By Greg Beacham Feb. 04, 2022 04:21 PM EST

FILE - Russia forward Vladimir Tarasenko wraps the puck around the goal against Slovakia forward Branko Radivojevic in the first period of a men's ice hockey game at the 2014 Winter Olympics, Sunday, Feb. 16, 2014, in Sochi, Russia. A handful of NHL players are voicing frustration over the decision not to allow them to go to the upcoming Winter Olympics in Beijing. Tarasenko said on Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2021, he would have gone if given the choice. Keeping the season going while allowing individual players to choose whether to go was not something that was ever considered.(AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, File)
NHL players vent frustration over being barred from Olympics

By Stephen Whyno Dec. 29, 2021 05:54 AM EST

FILE -Russia forward Yevgeni Malkin seals off the puck from USA defenseman Ryan McDonagh in the first period of a men's ice hockey game at the 2014 Winter Olympics, Saturday, Feb. 15, 2014, in Sochi, Russia. NHL players will not take part in the upcoming Winter Olympics in Beijing after all. A person with direct knowledge of the decision tells The Associated Press the league is going to withdraw from the Olympics after the regular-season schedule was disrupted by coronavirus outbreaks, Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2021. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, File)
NHL announces players won't be allowed to go to Olympics

By Stephen Whyno Dec. 22, 2021 10:53 AM EST

Nashville Predators defenseman Ryan Ellis (4) falls with his stick and the stick of an opponent in the third period of an NHL hockey game between the Nashville Predators and the Dallas Stars Saturday, May 1, 2021, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
'Everybody's tired' as condensed NHL schedule takes its toll

By Stephen Whyno May. 04, 2021 03:22 PM EDT

The Latest: Lightning's Stamkos added to NHL’s COVID-19 list

By The Associated Press Feb. 12, 2021 02:15 PM EST
The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world: ___ Tampa Bay Lightning captain...

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady (12) celebrates during the second half of the NFL Super Bowl 55 football game against the Kansas City Chiefs Sunday, Feb. 7, 2021, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
Bucs, Lightning, Rays transform Tampa Bay into Titletown

By Fred Goodall Feb. 08, 2021 05:40 PM EST

FILE - Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans cheer during a military fly over before an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers in Tampa, in this Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009, file photo. Hall of Famer Warren Sapp wishes the Tampa Bay Buccaneers could pack the stands for the first Super Bowl played in a host team’s home stadium. (AP Photo/Brian Blanco, File)
Bucs fans set to cheer inside, outside Super Bowl stadium

By Fred Goodall Jan. 27, 2021 04:18 PM EST

FILE - Dallas Stars goaltender Anton Khudobin (35) makes a save against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the third period of Game 4 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final in Edmonton, Alberta, in this Friday, Sept. 25, 2020, file photo. Khudobin signed a $10 million, three-year contract to stay with the Stars. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP, File)
Stanley Cup finalists land in NHL's altered Central Division

By Larry Lage Jan. 08, 2021 04:29 PM EST

Lightning embrace challenge of defending Stanley Cup title

By Fred Goodall Jan. 05, 2021 07:45 PM EST
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Winning Stanley Cup championships in consecutive seasons is rare. The Tampa Bay Lightning are confident they can do it. ...

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady throws during the first half of an NFL football game against the New York Giants, Monday, Nov. 2, 2020, in East Rutherford, N.J. This has been a year for Tampa Bay sports like no other, though the area's three successful professional teams haven't had a chance to truly capitalize on the boom and connect with re-energized fan bases. It has been — and continues to be —- a missed opportunity because of the coronavirus pandemic.(AP Photo/Corey Sipkin, File)
Missed opportunity: Tampa teams soar, fans watch from afar

By Fred Goodall Nov. 03, 2020 02:54 PM EST

Kameron Bush, 3, poses with the Stanley Cup at the Children's Cancer Center in Tampa, Fla., on Oct. 16, 2020. The Tampa Bay Lightning took the Stanley Cup to the Children's Cancer Center as part of their local tour of stops after winning the National Hockey League's championship trophy Sept. 28 in Edmonton, Alberta. (Kristina Hjertkvist/Tampa Bay Lightning via AP)
Stanley Cup visits children's cancer center in Tampa

By Stephen Whyno Oct. 26, 2020 01:41 PM EDT

FILE - In this Friday, April 24, 2015, file photo, New York Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist (30) celebrates after Game 5 against the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoffs in New York. The Rangers won 2-1. The New York Rangers have bought out the contract of star goaltender Henrik Lundqvist. The Rangers parted with one of the greatest netminders in franchise history on Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2020, when they paid off the final year of his contract. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II, File)
Goalies get shuffled in NHL free agency; Lightning depleted

By John Wawrow Oct. 09, 2020 01:04 PM EDT

Members of the Tampa Bay Lightning NHL hockey team hold up the Stanley Cup during the first half of an NFL football game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Los Angeles Chargers Sunday, Oct. 4, 2020, in Tampa, Fla. The Lightning defeated the Dallas Stars earlier this week to win the cup. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
The Latest: Ramsey, Tate fight after Rams-Giants game

By The Associated Press Oct. 04, 2020 12:38 PM EDT

Tampa Bay Lightning players surround NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman as they celebrate after defeating the Dallas Stars to win the Stanley Cup in Edmonton, Alberta, on Monday, Sept. 28, 2020. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)
Bubble hockey champions: Tampa Bay Lightning win Stanley Cup

By Stephen Whyno Sep. 28, 2020 11:05 PM EDT

Security guards stand by at a section of the street outside Toronto's Royal York hotel, which is closed off as NHL teams arrive at the "bubble" ahead of the return of the league's season following a disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in Toronto, Sunday, July 26, 2020. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)
Bubble hockey begins: NHL playoff teams adjust to quarantine

By Stephen Whyno Jul. 27, 2020 07:19 PM EDT

FILE - In this Feb. 20, 2020, file photo, Edmonton Oilers goalie Mike Smith warms up for the team's NHL hockey game against the Winnipeg Jets in Edmonton, Alberta. Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly told The Associated Press on Sunday, July 5, that the NHL and NHL Players’ Association have agreed on protocols to resume the season. Daly said the sides are still negotiating a collective bargaining agreement extension. A CBA extension is still crucial to the process. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP, File)
Illness and injury uncertainty abound as NHL camps open

By Stephen Whyno Jul. 12, 2020 05:54 PM EDT

FILE - In this Oct. 31, 2019, file photo, Calgary Flames defenseman Travis Hamonic (24) plays against the Nashville Predators during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Nashville, Tenn. The Flames won't have Hamonic for the resumption of the hockey season after he decided to opt out for family reasons. Hamonic on Friday night, July 10, 2020, became the first player to publicly choose not to play in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski, File)
Oilers' Green joins list of players opting out of NHL return

By Stephen Whyno Jul. 11, 2020 11:47 AM EDT