Tampa Bay 96 AAA Lightning

The Tampa Bay 96' AAA Lightning began as a spring/summer tournament team in 2005.  The team was formed by Brian Bradley, former NHL player and All Star, and was the first 96' AAA team from the west coast of Florida.

The Lightning assembled players from AA teams throughout the Central Florida Hockey League.  In just three tournaments, the Lightning competed against, and beat several of North America's premier teams. 

Having experienced such great success, the Lightning decided to play together full time.  In 2006, the Lightning registered as an Independent AAA USA Hockey team, and participated in Elite Tier 1 hockey tournaments throughout North America. 

The teams goal was to establish themselves as a highly ranked team in North America.  During their inaugural season, the Lightning reached #7 in the North American Hockey Rankings, and stunned many people in the youth hockey world by winning the 2007 Bell Capital Cup in Ottawa.

The Lightning hope for continued success in 2008 and beyond.