Like Stamkos, Lecavalier arrived in 1998 as a teenage No. It helped make former Lightning captain Vinny Lecavalier an unlikely Tampa lifer, too, returning to live here with his family after his 2016 retirement. "To be in a market where everyone appreciates and understands the game, sees you and supports you but at the same time allows you to have that little privacy, whether it is with your friends or your family, it's unbelievable," he said. He could explore Tampa Bay without getting mobbed by autograph seekers. Pete Beach, where his family had friends. He could get his mind off the game by playing golf or walking along the beach in St. But when he went through tough stretches, he found his new home a safe sanctuary. Stamkos found a comfort zone his second season in Tampa. It doesn't feel like 10 years (since his rookie season), but you can remember what they're going through." "To just look around and see some of those young guys coming up, you can appreciate what they're doing and how they're feeling. "To be one of the elder statesmen of the team, it's pretty surreal," said Stamkos, who turns 28 next week. He tells them to bring their wives or girlfriends. These days it's Stamkos inviting over younger players who are living in hotels during training camp. "I'd go over and play with the kids, play mini-sticks and babysit a bit." "Both had families, so it meant that much more to me that they were taking time," Stamkos said. Roberts and Recchi took turns inviting him over for home-cooked dinners with their families. Stamkos lived in their Westshore neighborhood. Veteran teammates Gary Roberts and Mark Recchi took care of the rookie, whom Roberts dubbed a "wet noodle." Said son: "I wasn't doing a lot of cooking at 18. 1 overall by the Lightning in 2008, he was living on his own in another country. Steven played in the Ontario League for Sarnia, a three-hour drive away, and lived with a host family that treated him as its own. When his son left the family home in Markham, Ontario, to play juniors, Chris Stamkos took comfort in Steven not being that far away. And we were able to see this team and city grow together. We saw what it was like, the losing seasons, and it wasn't fun. You look at 'Heddy' and I being here through all the changes. "I grew up in the city, and going to the (Stanley Cup) finals and losing (in 2015), there's obviously some unfinished business. Both signed eight-year contract extensions three days apart in 2016. Vinik" transformed the organization.Īlong with friend and fellow franchise pillar Victor Hedman, Stamkos wanted to see the transformation through. Stamkos said a big reason why he decided to stay in Tampa Bay was Lightning owner Jeff Vinik. Low-key by nature, he loves that the area's passionate hockey fans still allow him to "fly under the radar" on date nights at Ocean Prime or on trips to the dog beach with his and Sandra's 100-pound Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, Trigger. Two days before he could have become the NHL's most coveted free agent in a generation, he chose to stay with the Lightning. Now, Stamkos, whom veterans took turns having over for dinner as a rookie, is married and building a Davis Islands home with his high school sweetheart, Sandra.įacing free agency two years ago, Stamkos could have played anywhere in the world. 1 overall draft pick on the ice but a shy kid off it. He arrived at age 18 in 2008 as a prized and precocious No. Stamkos is from Toronto, but he became a man, became a star, in Tampa Bay. "This really is my second home," he said. Professional athletes typically lend a hand in their communities at times like these, but for Stamkos, this night meant something more. And he's the unofficial host of this weekend's NHL All-Star festivities in Tampa.īut in December, Stamkos and two other Lightning players were asked to help support Seminole Heights, a neighborhood that had been terrorized by four seemingly random shooting deaths in the fall. Stamkos is the biggest star on the market's most successful team. Bucs quarterback Jameis Winston is still unproven. Tampa Bay: Lightning captain Steven Stamkos.Įvan Longoria is gone, traded by the Rays this offseason. Many had waited for several hours, all for the chance to meet the face of the franchise. Some had walked there from down the street, others drove from as far as Daytona Beach. More than 200 Lightning fans were vying for stool space. TAMPA - The snug, 1,000-square-foot Brew Bus Brewery in Seminole Heights was packed from the bar to the back.
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