The Lightning Launch Big News for the 2024-25 Season

When the Lightning face off against the Carolina Hurricanes on September 24th, they’ll drop the puck on season ticket holder history.

6,000 names of ‘Bolt for Life’ members, partners and suite holders have now been frozen into the Bolt at center ice—a first-of-its-kind fan initiative and a tribute to the team’s key supporters. On Friday, many of those names packed the house at AMALIE Arena for the team’s official Lightning Launch 2024 event. But that was only the start of the evening.

It was a Hollywood premiere-worthy presentation for a stacked lineup of announcements and new initiatives for the 2024-25 season. New Bolts took the spotlight. New jersey partners were revealed. All of which was led by some of the Lightning’s biggest names. Here are our biggest takeaways from Friday’s slew of big news for Bolts fans.

Dave Randorf, Phil Esposito, Dave Mishkin and Greg Wolf warm up the crowd

The great Dave Randorf MCed most of the night, but it was the Bolts’ founder who got the crowd going early. The Espo quips came in hot, as the hockey great confessed almost immediately that he's so ready for hockey season, he’s spent his entire summer watching YouTube games from 1972. (A good year.) He also predicted a big upcoming season for goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy, to which the crowd largely and loudly agreed.

Lightning announce ‘Patch with a Purpose’ program

The Bolts joined much of the NHL ranks in partnering up with a jersey patch Friday night. To start the 2024-25 season, two partners woven into the fabric of Tampa Bay will make their debut as the Lightning’s inaugural jersey patches: the Tampa Metropolitan Area YMCA and AdventHealth. And as part of the program, the Bolts will donate more than $1 million to local, non-profit organizations within the first five years.

The YMCA will see its signature ‘Y’ logo on the Bolts’ blue sweater and black third jersey for home games. And AdventHealth’s patch will be sewn into Tampa Bay’s white away jerseys when the Bolts hit the road. As displayed handsomely by former Bolts captains Vinny Lecavalier and Dave Andreychuk.

Big updates coming to AMALIE Arena

New 3D, LED displays are hitting Thunder Alley in the coming weeks, including special digital kiosks bordering the sidewalk—so when the Lightning score a goal, even the folks walking around outside will know it.

Gabby Shirley welcomes “New In Blue” Bolts

Jake Guentzel, J.J. Moser and Ryan McDonagh received a warm welcome from fans before dishing on their new lives in Tampa—with McDonagh receiving one of the loudest ovations of the night upon his return to the bay area. One new guy missing from the night: forward Cam Atkinson, whose latest "New In Blue" spotlight with Gabby is one of the best segments going on the Lightning YouTube channel.

Jon Cooper introduces the captain

The “COOP”s were roaring as the Lightning head coach took center stage to talk the importance of the captaincy. Cooper then brought out new captain Victor Hedman to the biggest standing ovation of the night. Who in turn brought out his alternate captains Nikita Kucherov and Ryan McDonagh to present the inaugural “Patch with a Purpose” check. It was a nice bow on the evening and also came alongside one of the biggest highlights of the night—Dave Andreychuk on what it means to wear the C.