Inside the Lightning locker room late Saturday, the stars moved around in their sweaty jerseys hugging one another. There was Vinny Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis and Brad Richards.
Joining in the celebration, wearing a bright blue blazer, was another star, the Lightning's original All-Star: Brian Bradley.
Now retired, Bradley was the Lightning's first best player. In the inaugural 1992-93 season, Bradley scored 42 goals, still a Lightning record. That season, he became the first Lightning player to appear in an All-Star Game and he did it again the next season. Until this season, he stood as the franchise's all-time leading scorer and remains second behind Lecavalier with 300 points in 328 games.
His career came to a bizarre and unfortunate end during the 1997-98 season at age 33 when he was forced to retire because of post-concussion syndrome.
These days, Bradley has a hand in several businesses, including a car radio satellite that gives constant traffic updates. He also worked as a sideline reporter during Lightning broadcasts on Sunshine Network in the playoffs.
He still considers himself part of the Lightning family.
"This is the greatest," Bradley said Saturday night. "We're going to the Stanley Cup."
