<P> The Tampa Bay Lightning are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida . They are members of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Lightning were founded in 1992 as an expansion team in the Norris Division of the Campbell Conference . The next year, the Lightning were placed in the NHL's new Eastern Conference as members of the Atlantic Division . The Lightning were moved to the Southeast Division as part of the NHL's 1998 expansion to three divisions per conference . In 2013, as part of another realignment and return to a two division format, the Lightning became part of a reconstituted Atlantic Division . The Lightning played in Expo Hall for their inaugural season, and moved to Tropicana Field for the 1993--94 season . They moved to their current home in 1996, the Ice Palace, which has since been renamed Amalie Arena . </P> <P> The Lightning have qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs ten times in twenty - six completed seasons and won the 2004 Stanley Cup . The Tampa Bay Lightning have won over 800 regular season games, the 25th - highest victory total among NHL teams . They have also lost over 800 games during the regular season, the tenth - lowest loss total in the NHL . The Lightning have over 1,900 points in their 26 seasons, the seventh - lowest point total in the league . </P> <P> Tampa Bay made their first playoffs in the 1995--96 season . The team's best year was the 2017--18 season, in which they finished 54--23--5 . The team's worst year was the 1997--98 season, in which they finished 17--55--10 . Tampa Bay moved to the Southeast Division in 1998, and won the division for the first time in the 2002--03 season . The Lightning won the Eastern Conference and their only Stanley Cup in the following season . As part of the 2013--14 NHL season realignment, the Lightning were relocated into the Atlantic Division after the league reduced from six divisions to four . Eleven years after their first cup win, the Lightning again won the Eastern Conference title and qualified for the 2015 Stanley Cup Finals . </P>

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