Weekend will showcase Tampa as hockey town
TAMPA, Fla. — The NHL All-Star Game is being hosted by Tampa Bay for the first time since Wayne Gretzky made his last appearance in the showcase and many still questioned whether the league could prosper in a non-traditional market better known for sunshine and beaches than winning hockey.
Nearly two decades later, the answer is a resounding yes.
Not only has the league flourished in Tampa and other Sun Belt locations where the game continues to grow, the hometown Lightning have evolved into what generally is regarded as a model franchise.
Now a community that’s hosted four Super Bowls, the World Series, two Stanley Cup Finals and last year’s college football national championship game welcomes the spotlight for its first NHL All-Star Game since 1999.
Gretzky made the last of his 18 All-Star appearances that year and had a goal and two assists to capture MVP honors.
“It’s very special to be named to an All-Star Game, regardless of where it’s played. But when it’s in your home city, it’s that much more special,” said Lightning center Steven Stamkos, a five-time selection.
“I know the amount of work that’s gone into preparing for it,” Stamkos, one of four Tampa Bay players in Sunday’s game, said. “It’s going to be a great showcase of a hockey city . ... I’m sure we’ll put on a great show.”
Downtown Tampa, along with 19,000-seat Amalie Arena, has been transformed into a colorful tribute to the league’s biggest stars.
Media Day and the All-Star Skills Competition are Saturday, followed by Sunday’s main event featuring teams from the Atlantic, Metropolitan, Central and Pacific divisions playing a three-game tournament in a popular three-on-three format adopted in 2016.
All-Star weekend is being held in conjunction with Tampa’s annual Gasparilla Pirate Invasion, an event that attracts about 200,000 people for a parade along the city’s downtown waterfront.
“It’s a big block party. There’s something for everyone, whether you’re a seasonticket member or somebody who just enjoys catching an occasional Lightning game on TV,” former Lightning general manager Jay Feaster, now the club’s executive director of community hockey development, said.
Feaster assembled the team that won Tampa Bay’s only Stanley Cup title in 2004. He is excited about a resurgence led by owner Jeff Vinik, coach Jon Cooper and Hall of Famer Steve Yzerman, who as the general manager has composed a talented young roster.
The Lightning, celebrating their 25th season, reached the All-Star break with the league’s best record.
The Lightning will be represented by four players in Sunday’s game — Stamkos, goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy and forwards Nikita Kucherov and Bryden Point, a replacement for injured Tampa Bay defenseman Victor Hedman.