Yanni Gourde (© Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images) [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/b0722cd9-42e7-48ec-8093-ec38feaddf67.jpeg] Yanni Gourde (© Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images) Hockey is almost here, as the Tampa Bay Lightning [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/tampa-bay-lightning] are only 37 days away from their regular season opener against the Ottawa Senators [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/ottawa-senators] on Oct. 9. With this, we are only a little bit over a month away from the Lightning's season officially starting. With the Lightning being 37 days away from their season opener, let's take a look at each player who has worn No. 37 in the Atlantic Division club's history. In total, there have been seven players who have worn the number, but it is clear that one player certainly stands out from the rest. STEVE MALTAIS, LW (1992-93) The first Lightning player to wear No. 37 in franchise history was forward Steve Maltais. Maltais sported the number for the Bolts during the 1992-93 season after they selected him from the Quebec Nordiques at the 1992 NHL Expansion Draft. In 63 games with the Lightning during the 1992-93 campaign, he recorded career highs with seven goals, 13 assists, and 20 points in 63 games. This would be Maltais' only season with the Lightning, as he spent the 1993-94 season with the Detroit Red Wings [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/detroit-red-wings]. From there, he did not play again at the NHL level until the 2000-01 campaign with the Columbus Blue Jackets [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/columbus-blue-jackets]. This would end up being his final season at the NHL level. DMITRY AFANASENKOV, LW (2000-01) The next Lightning player to sport No. 37 was forward Dmitry Afansenkov. The 1998 third-round pick did so during the 2000-01 season with the Lightning, where he posted one goal, one assist, four penalty minutes, and a plus-1 rating. Following this season, he changed to No. 29 and wore that number for the remainder of his time with the Lightning. In 186 games over five seasons with the Lightning, Afanasenkov recorded 19 goals, 20 assists, 39 points, and a minus-17 rating. He was also a part of the Lightning's 2004 Stanley Cup winning team. He later played for the Philadelphia Flyers [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers] during the 2006-07 season, where he posted eight goals and 15 points in 41 games. BRAD LUKOWICH, D (2002-03 TO 2003-04 & 2007-08) Brad Lukowich would be the next Lightning player to wear No. 37, as he did so during the 2002-03 and 2003-04 seasons and also when he returned to the Bolts during the 2007-08 campaign. In 208 games over three seasons and two stints with the Lightning, he recorded seven goals, 34 assists, 41 points, and a plus-18 rating. He also won the Stanley Cup with the Lightning back in 2004. Lukowich's first stint with the Lightning ended when he joined the New York Islanders [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-islanders]. As for his second stint with the Lightning, that came to an end when he joined the San Jose Sharks [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/san-jose-sharks] for the 2008-09 season. OLAF KOLZIG, G (2008-09) Olaf Kolzig is certainly known for his excellent 16-year stint with the Washington Capitals [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/washington-capitals]. However, some hockey fans may forget that the veteran goaltender spent his final NHL season with the Lightning during the 2008-09 campaign. During it, he posted a 2-4-1 record, a .898 save percentage, and a 3.66 goals-against average. In 719 career NHL games split between the Capitals and Lightning, Kolzig had a 303-297-87 record, a .906 save percentage, and a 2.71 goals-against average. He was a two-time All-Star and won the Vezina Trophy as the NHL's best goalie in 2000. MARK PARRISH, RW (2009-10) Mark Parrish was the next player to wear No. 37 for the Lightning, as he did during the 2009-10 season. The Minnesota native played in 16 games for the Bolts that season, where he posted two assists, 11 hits, and a minus-5 rating. Parrish then played his final NHL season with the Buffalo Sabres [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/buffalo-sabres] in 2010-11, where he recorded zero points, two hits, and a minus-2 rating. In 722 career NHL games over 12 seasons, he recorded 216 goals, 171 assists, and 387 points. This included setting career highs with 30 goals, 30 assists, and 60 points in 78 games with the Islanders during the 2001-02 season. KRISTERS GUDLEVSKIS, G (2013-14) Kristers Gudlevskis would be the next Lightning player to wear No. 37. In one game for the Lightning during the 2013-14 season while sporting No. 37, he saved 36 out of 38 shots he faced. Gudlevskis would later switch to No. 50 during his two final seasons with the Bolts in 2015-16 and 2016-17. In three games over three seasons as a member of the Lightning, he had a 1-0-1 record, a .959 save percentage, and a 1.37 goals-against average. YANNI GOURDE, C (2017-18 TO 2020-21 & 2024-25 TO PRESENT) Yanni Gourde currently sports No. 37 for the Lightning, just like he did during his first stint with the club from 2017-18 to 2020-21. He is undoubtedly the most notable Lightning player to wear No. 37, as he has had plenty of success while playing for the Bolts. He also has won the Stanley Cup twice with Tampa Bay. In 331 games over seven seasons and two stints with the Bolts, Gourde has recorded 81 goals, 120 assists, 201 points, and 332 hits. He is also set to remain a member of the Lightning for a long time, as he re-signed with the Lightning for six years earlier this off-season. Lightning Star Just Keeps Getting Better [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/95c391cf-3f4b-4c87-b621-7681ba4ed58b.webp] Lightning Star Just Keeps Getting Better Anthony Cirelli has been an important part of the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/tampa-bay-lightning">Tampa Bay Lightning</a>'s roster for quite some time now. This is because the 28-year-old is a proven top-six forward who plays a strong two-way game and kills penalties. [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/tampa-bay-lightning/latest-news/lightning-star-just-keeps-getting-better]
