"I never thought I’d have to do one of these."
— Steven Stamkos, The Players' Tribune
The former Tampa Bay Lightning captain and newest member of the Nashville Predators took to The Players' Tribune to reflect on his Florida tenure, which came to end earlier this month in free agency.
"These past few weeks have been bittersweet," Stamkos wrote. "I never thought this day would 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. But my family and I, we’re human, you know? Tampa is home. It’s where our three kids were born … it’s where our memories are. It’s always going to mean so much to us."
The expectations were high for the Markham, Ontario, native after being drafted first overall in 2008, but Stamkos praised the organization's support in the transition from Sarnia in the OHL to the pros.
"When I got down to Tampa … I was nervous. The very first time I walked into the rink ... I couldn’t believe it: There were hundreds of employees lined up all the way down the hall, clapping for me as I walked by," Stamkos wrote. "I’ll always remember how that made me feel, how welcome I felt. That’s really stuck with me. I felt connected to the organization right away. And that connection never left me."
And Stamkos felt the need to repay the favour.
It would take some time, but 12 years later the Stamkos-led squad hoisted the Stanley Cup in back-to-back years, in 2020 and 2021 — and it was worth the wait.
"When I raised the Cup over my head…," Stamkos wrote. "I felt this relief. Like I can’t even explain. All the stress, the tension, the anxiety I had been carrying for so long, it just went away."
Stamkos joined Vincent Lecavalier by suiting up for more than 1,000 games with Tampa when he hit the milestone at the end of 2023. Stamkos played 1,082 games, tallied 555 goals and 1,137 points — franchise records — and he sits only six behind Marty St. Louis' career assists record, with 582.
"I wish this last season had ended differently, but I’ll remember those good times for as long as I live," Stamkos wrote. "It has been the honor of my life to represent this team, and to be your captain."
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