# 25 Ji-Man Choi
Tampa Bay Rays 2018-Present
We kick the list off with one of the best personalities in all of baseball. Choi is much more than an entertainer on the baseball field though. Last season he hit .261 with 19 home runs and 63 rbis. For the majority of the season, Choi did a wonderful job as the 1st baseman for the Rays. All of that wouldn't be enough to make the list though after a year and a half. There are some great athletes that missed the cut. Choi turned an unassisted double play in Game 4 of the ALDS last season that was key in forcing a game 5 against the Astros. He also hit a big home run in the Game 3 victory over Houston. Nobody gave Tampa a chance against the Astros before the series, but Ji-Man certainly made it a fun and exciting series. The success in the playoffs allow Choi to beat a few deserving contenders and make the list.
# 24 Cameron Brate
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2014-Present
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2014-Present
Let's call this one the lifetime achievement award. Brate has spent 6 seasons with the Bucs. He could be 3rd on the depth chart this season, but Brate has done some big things with the Buccaneers. The Bucs TE has caught 27 touchdowns and racked up 2, 156 yards receiving. That ranks him 23rd in Bucs history in yards. The 27 TDS rank tied for 5th all-time in franchise history. His 195 catches ranks 20th in team history. He has made an impact in Tampa for sure.
# 23 Yanni Gourde
Tampa Bay Lightning 2015-Present
The lowest ranked Lightning player to make the list, Yanni Gourde is still special. He may not seem like he is producing as much since his big contract, but Yanni makes his presence felt on the ice. Gourde ranks 23rd in points, 23rd in goals, and 11th in +/- all-time. His 16 game winning goals are tied for 13th in franchise history. He hasn't done as much in the playoffs, but he does have a postseason game winning goal and 8 postseason points. Gourde's gritty style of play is a huge benefit for Tampa.
# 22 Vita Vea
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2018-Present
Vea was a controversial draft pick for the Buccaneers at the time he was selected. This was through no fault of his own, a lot of people just wanted Derwin James. While James has been a transformative player for the Chargers, it's hard to be mad about this selection now. Vea has been a constant force for the Buccaneers defense and has been incredible up the middle. It doesn't show up on the stat sheet, but Vea has been amazing. As one of the top defensive tackles in the league, Vea has played a major part for Tampa and their improved defense. There is a great chance that Vea will be much higher on this list in future years.
# 21 Tyler Glasnow
Tampa Bay Rays 2018-Present
Tampa Bay Rays 2018-Present
Glasnow was traded from the Pirates to the Rays during the 2018 trade deadline in the Chris Archer deal. That deal may go down as the best trade in the history of the Rays. He could be a dominant starter for the Rays for many seasons. With Tampa he is 7-6 with a 2.94 ERA. Last season, Glasnow was 6-1 with a 1.78 ERA. The AL Pitcher of the Month in April 2019 has a very bright future for Tampa.
# 20 Austin Meadows
Tampa Bay Rays 2018-Present
Did I mention the Chris Archer trade? That trade also brought the Rays Austin Meadows. He was an all-star in 2019 and has been incredible for the Rays. The September 2019 AL Player of the Month was simply brilliant in 2019. Meadows struggled a bit in the postseason, but still drove in 3 and had 2 extra base hits against the Astros. His efforts in the regular season helped propel Tampa Bay to their postseason birth. He hit .291 with 33 home runs and 89 rbis in 2019. The young outfielder has an incredibly bright future for the Rays and is still pre-arbitration until 2022.
# 19 Ryan McDonagh
Tampa Bay Lightning 2018-Present
Ryan McDonagh was traded from the Rangers to the Lightning in the 2017-2018 season and has been a key member of the Lightning ever since. His impact isn't felt in the stat sheet, but on what he brings to the ice as an outstanding defenseman. There is no stat that tells you how wonderful McDonagh has been, he just has been awesome. McDongh was second in the entire league in +/- during the 2018-2019 season with 38. His ability as a defender has him 9th all-time for the Lightning in that stat. Hopefully, he can fulfill his ultimate purpose in coming here and deliver Lord Stanley to Tampa Bay.
# 18 Mikhail Sergachev
Tampa Bay Lightning 2017-Present
Sergachev has been with the Lightning for about the same period of time as McDonagh, so why is he in front. While Mac is a vital piece of the Lightning franchise, don't sleep on Sergachev who has had an outstanding season so far. Sergachev is a fantastic offensive game for a defenseman which is further evidenced by his place on the Lightning power play unit. Sergachev's 7 postseason points are good for 32nd on the all-time franchise list. Sergachev is tied for 30th on the teams all-time scoring list for the regular season also. Sergachev is tied with Gourde for 11th all-time in +/- for the Bolts despite 2 fewer seasons with the team. The youngster is still only 21 years old! He has career highs this season in goals, and +/- in the shortened season. Awesome young career from Sergachev with much more to come.
# 17 Charlie Morton
Tampa Bay Rays 2019-Present
Charlie Morton has only spent one season with the Rays, but its hard to imagine that season going much better. Morton was an all-star and finished 3rd in Cy Young voting. He finished 16-6 for a 3.05 ERA. His brilliant pitching all season long are a big reason why the Rays made the postseason. Not just that, but Morton won the wild card game for the Rays and then beat the eventual AL Champion Astros in the divisional round. He beat the team that cheated off pitchers in the playoffs.
# 16 Shaquil Barrett
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2019-Present
A guy with only one season makes the top 20? Yes, they do when that season was as good as the one Shaquil Barrett had in 2019. During that season, Shaq set the single season team record for sacks. Those 19.5 sacks put Barrett at 18th in franchise history in sacks and only 9 sacks away from being 6th place on the all-time franchise sack list. When you consider that the Bucs have 2 Hall of Fame defensive tackles, a hall of fame linebacker, and several other notable defenders in franchise history, that is quite the accomplishment. The 2019 for Shaquil Barrett was one of the best sports seasons that Tampa Bay has ever seen from a single athlete. Shaq looks to perhaps get into the top 10 next season.
# 15 Anthony Cirelli
Tampa Bay Lightning 2018-Present
Cirelli is in only his 2nd full season with the Lightning and he has already made a major mark on the franchise. The center is 8th all time in +/- for the Lightning. This is a team that has won a cup and Cirelli is 8th all-time in +/-. He already has 8 game winning goals in 2 years also. 37th all-time in goals and points might not seem like a big deal, but Cirelli is already there for both stats after just 2 seasons. The crazy young forward is a free agent after this season, but the Lightning will likely look to lock him up long term. He brings crazy energy and skill every night and is an absolute fan favorite. This city could use a few players more like Cirelli. You never have to question Cirelli's effort and that is a special thing.
# 14 Chris Godwin
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2017-Present
Godwin is the only player in the top 15 who spent three years or less with Tampa Bay. His 3 seasons with the Buccaneers have been very good, especially last year. Last year, he made the Pro Bowl and was a 1st team all-pro from Pro Football Focus. 2019 saw Godwin haul in 86 catches for 1,333 yards and 9 touchdowns. His career totals are 179 catches for 2,700 yards and 17 TDs. Those 17 TDs rank 13th on the Bucs all-time list. The catches rank 23rd in franchise history and yards rank 16th in franchise history. A healthy 2020 should see Godwin move into the top 10 in all three categories and perhaps into the top 10 for our list next year.
# 13 Ali Marpet
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2015-Present
Marpet has been one of the best guards in the NFL during his 5 seasons in the league. There are not a lot of stats to back up offensive lineman on the list, but Marpet has been outstanding. The Bucs offensive line has caught a lot of flack in recent years, but it has nothing to do with Ali. Marpet is a great offensive lineman and has been incredible for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The team and city are lucky to have Ali Marpet.
# 12 Brayden Point
Tampa Bay Lightning 2016-Present
This is just Point's 4th season with the Lightning, but he is already making an impact. Point already has 25 game winning goals which is 7th all-time for the team. +/- is another favorable metric for Point, who already ranks 7th all-time in that stat. He also ranks 13th all-time in points and 10th all-time in goals. During the playoffs, Point is 15th in scoring and 12th in goals. He's young and locked up for the lightning for many seasons. Two years ago, Point led the league in game winning goals, and last year he led the league in power play goals. The 2018 all-star is one of the fastest skaters in the NHL and an absolutely dynamic goal scorer. Pointer lights up the scoreboard for Tampa Bay and shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon.
# 11Ondrej Palat
Tampa Bay Lightning 2012-Present
Palat is not what he once was, but he has been special for the lightning. Who can forget the triplets line? Palat is 8th all-time in playoff scoring and 7th all-time in postseason goals. He also has 4 game winning goals for the Bolts in the playoffs. Additionally, Palat is the franchise's all-time leader in +/- during the regular season. During the regular season, Palat ranks 9th in points all-time. He's been a really solid player for the Lightning for many seasons. He is widely regarded as one of the Lightning's top defensive forwards as well.
# 10 Andrei Vasileviskiy
Tampa Bay Lightning 2014-Present
Tampa Bay Lightning 2014-Present
You are probably shocked to see him as just the 10th ranked player on this list. Vasy may very well be the best goalie in the game and he has been terrific in the regular season. Unfortunately, he has been very pedestrian in the playoffs with a 15-15 record. His save percentage is 6th all-time for the Lightning in the playoffs. Vasy's underwhelming postseasons should not allow us to forget how brilliant he has been for the Tampa Bay Lighting in the regular season though. Vasileviskiy is 2nd all-time in save percentage for the Lightning. He is also the all-time franchise leader in games played out of the goalie spot. It's easy to see how Vasy could be ranked higher and how he likely will be ranked higher the next time we do this list.
# 9 Blake Snell
Tampa Bay Rays 2016-Present
Tampa Bay Rays 2016-Present
Technically Blake Snell is the only league champion on this list. Snell recently won the 2020 Players League Championship on MLB the Show. This success in the video game can't be counted on our countdown, but it does show another reason why Blake Snell is awesome. The Rays have had many really good pitchers and Snell is 6th all-time in pitching WAR for the Rays. He's 10th in wins and 5th in win percentage. Snell ranks number 1 in strikeouts per nine and number 1 in adjusted ERA all-time for the franchise. You can make a good argument that Snell is the best pitcher in franchise history and that is a big deal. Despite his recent comments, Snell still finds his way in the top 10.
# 8 Alex Killorn
Tampa Bay Lightning 2012-Present
Tampa Bay Lightning 2012-Present
Killorn might be the most clutch athlete in all of Tampa Bay. While the Tampa Bay Lightning have struggled in the postseason, Kilorn always seems to bring a little bit extra. He is 9th all-time for the Bolts in playoff scoring. That only tells part of the story. Killorn is the all-time leader for the Lightning in +/- during the playoffs. Tampa Bay is +13 with Killorn in the lineup during the postseason. His 5 game winning goals during the playoffs, rank 5th all time for Tampa. Killorn ranks 10th all-time in scoring for the Bolts during the regular season as well. His 26 regular season game winning goals rank 6th in franchise history. Killorn's 131 goals rank 8th as well. Killer is one of the most underrated and underappreciated players in all of Tampa Bay and the Bay Area is quite lucky to have him.
# 7 Kevin Kiermaier
Tampa Bay Rays 2013-Present
Kiermaier is not the Rays best player, but he is their longest tenured and he has been a very productive player on a very good team. He is 4th all-time among position players for the Rays in WAR. Offensive WAR all-time for the Rays, Kiermaier ranks 8th. Kiermaier's real value is on the defensive side. He ranks #1 all-time for the franchise in defensive WAR. Three gold gloves also belong to Kiermaier as he won that award in 2015, 2016, and 2019. He can still produce on the offensive side though, Kiermaier is 7th all-time for the Rays in runs scored. The Rays have been so brilliant for so long, its a shame that their top guy is 7th on the list, but their athletes just haven't done what the other 6 guys have done.
# 6 Tyler Johnson
Tampa Bay Lightning 2012-Present
Tampa Bay recently had a Tyler Johnson infusion after the Buccaneers also selected a Tyler Johnson. We are talking about the hockey Tyler here at #6. He is not quite the same player as he was in 2015 when he made the all-star team and finished 3rd in +/-, but he's still great. Johnson is 5th all-time in playoff scoring for the Lightning and 3rd all-time in goals during the playoffs for the Bolts. Johnny leads all current Lightning players and is 2nd all-time with 7 game winning goals during the postseason. He's long been one of the best playoff performers for Tampa. Johnson's no slouch in the regular season though. Tyler is 4th all-time in +/-, 5th in game winning goals, 5th in goals, and 8th in points all-time for the Lightning in the regular season. Johnny be good.
# 5 Mike Evans
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2014-Present
Mike Evans was one name that everyone probably expected in the Top 5 and he deserves it. Evans is rightfully recognized as one of the greatest receivers in the NFL. He has been selected to 2 pro bowls in his 6 seasons in Tampa. There is a lot more to Mike Evans though. Mike has 7,260 career receiving yards which are the most in franchise history. Not only is Evans #1 though, he is 2,200 yards up on the next closest receiver on the list. His 462 receptions is also tops in franchise history. The 48 touchdown receptions that Evans have are 14 more than the next closest Buccaneer. As the top WR in the history of the franchise, Evans is an easy choice in the top 5.
# 4 Lavonte David
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2012-Present
Lavonte David is one of the most underrated athletes in Tampa Bay history. He may be the most underrated player this city has ever seen. This dude just makes tackles and makes plays. He's been brilliant for Tampa for 8 years and he has only made 1 Pro-Bowl. What has he done in those 8 years? How about 1,008 tackles, 724 of which were solo tackles. Those 724 tackles rank 3rd in Buccaneer history. The two guys in front of him are Derrick Brooks and Ronde Barber. His 116 tackles for loss are the most in Buccaneer history. Let me repeat that, 116 tackles for loss which is the most in franchise history. He has more tackles for loss than Hall of Fame linebacker Derrick Brooks. Some people consider Brooks the greatest outside linebacker ever and David has more tackles for loss. Lavonte has been and continues to be brilliant for this franchise. Hopefully this team can deliver him the Super Bowl title that he so rightly deserves.
# 3 Nikita Kucherov
Tampa Bay Lightning 2013-Present
Many believe Kucherov is the most skilled player in the entire NHL. He drives another segment of the fanbase crazy with his turnovers. There is no doubt though that Kuch has done some special things with the Bolts. Kucherov is 2nd all-time in playoff scoring for the Bolts. He is also 2nd in goals, 3rd in game winning goals, and third in +/- during the postseason all-time. Regular season all-time, Kucherov is 4th in points, 4th in goals, 4th in game winning goals, and 2nd in +/-. The guy is an incredible talent. His best season was last season where he won the Hart Memorial Trophy, the Ted Lindsay Award, and the Art Ross Trophy. He led the league in points and assists for 2018-2019. This wasn't the only time he led the league in a stat, as he led the league in power play goals in 2016-2017. For the 2014-2015 seasons, Kuch led the league in +/-. He's been a really good player for the Bolts for a long-time and has been fantastic for the city. At just 26 years old and after just signing an extension, there is a lot more Kucherov for the Tampa Bay area.
# 2 Victor Hedman
Tampa Bay Lightning 2009-Present
The longtime Lightning defenseman has already had a brilliant career for the Bolts. His 11 seasons in blue and white have seen him pick up numerous awards and all-star appearances. He is widely regarded as one of the best defenders in the national hockey league today. Hedman even won the Norris award for the 2017-2018 season as the top defender in the entire league. The guy has been a finalist for that award the past three seasons and was likely on pace to be named a finalist for the 4th straight season this year. Hedman is 6th all-time for the Bolts in playoff scoring despite being a defenseman. Don't forget that he was hurt during that playoff collapse last season. This guy is vital to the Lightning's success and has been a great asset for the Tampa Bay Lightning for the past 11 seasons. He's higher than Kucherov because of longer sustained excellence, but his tenure hasn't been quite as amazing as our #1 guy.
And your # 1 ranked athlete for the Tampa Bay Area is.....
Steven Stamkos
Tampa Bay Lightning 2008-Present
Tampa Bay Lightning 2008-Present
When you think about it, this was the clear-cut choice for #1. The superstar captain of the best team in Tampa Bay had to be the top choice here. He has already had a legendary career as a member of the Lightning. Stammer is already 3rd all-time in points in lightning history. He's also 3rd all-time in scoring for the postseason. His 422 regular season goals rank as #1 all-time for the Lightning. The guy has 61 game winning goals which rank just 3 behind Martin St. Louis for #1 all-time. He will go down as the most prolific goal scorer in Tampa Bay Lightning history. Should he deliver a cup to Tampa Bay, there is an argument for him as the #1 athlete all-time in this area. Stamkos is number one and his legacy can only grow by hoisting a Stanley Cup one day.
- Noland
- Noland
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