Former Tampa Bay Lightning color bearer Anatoly Semenov had already requested a trade for a rather unusual reason.
Lightning founders Phil Esposito and Henry Paul revealed in a video recounting some of the organization’s highlights that the Russia forward asked to be traded from Tampa because his wife was afraid of alligators.
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Her life partner was very scared when she spotted this animal in a pond near her home. Also, she didn’t seem to like the hot Florida sun.
Semenov’s stint on the Florida team lasted just 13 games during the 1992-1993 season. He was later traded to the Vancouver Canucks.
In seven full seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL), the center player has 194 points, including 68 goals in 362 games at Bettman Circuit. He also played for the Edmonton Oilers, Anaheim Mighty Ducks, Philadelphia Flyers, and Buffalo Sabers.
Then why are we called the lightning bolts at all?
Phil has all the details on how we got our namesake.
— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) July 10, 2023