The 2010–11 Tampa Bay Lightning season was the team's 19th season in the National Hockey League (NHL). For the first time since the 2006–07 season, the Lightning qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Pre-season On May 25, 2010, the Lightning announced Hockey Hall of Fame player and former Detroit Red Wings executive Steve Yzerman as their new general manager. On June 9, 2010, Yzerman hired Guy Boucher, head coach of the American Hockey League (AHL)'s Hamilton Bulldogs, as the Lightning's new head coach.

Regular season In October, the Lightning compiled a 7–2–1 record and with 15 points, leading not only the Southeast Division, but also the entire Eastern Conference. This was the first time the Lightning had ever led the East after the first month of the season. Steven Stamkos was named one of the League's Three Stars for the month of October, with Stamkos himself coming away with the honor of First Star. Stamkos led the League with 19 points, scoring nine goals and assisting on ten, and was tied for the second-best plus-minus rating at +9.

The Lightning's record started to slide in November, as they earned only three points in their first seven games of the month. On November 11, Vincent Lecavalier suffered a fracture to his right hand. He underwent surgery on November 15 and was placed on the injured reserve list, expected to miss four-to-five weeks. He would ultimately return one month later on December 15, having missed 15 games. Despite losing their captain, the Lightning were able to win six of the month's final nine games, a stretch that included a streak of five consecutive wins. With a 14–8–3 record and 31 points, the Lightning fell to second place in the Division and fifth in the Conference.

On January 1, 2011, Nate Thompson scored just 19 seconds into the overtime period to give the Lightning a 2–1 home win over the New York Islanders. It would prove to be the fastest overtime goal scored during the 2010–11 regular season.

The Lightning scored the fewest shorthanded goals in the league with just one, and allowed the most shorthanded goals in the league with 16.

Playoffs After defeating the Pittsburgh Penguins 2–1 on March 31, the Lightning clinched a playoff spot for the first time since the 2006–07 season. They defeated the Penguins in the first round, 4–3, and swept the top-seeded Washington Capitals in the second round. However, the Lightning lost in the Conference Final to the Boston Bruins 4–3.

Standings

Divisional standings

Conference standings

Schedule and results

Pre-season 2010 Pre-season game log: 4–1–1 (Home: 1–0–0; Road: 2–1–1; Neutral: 1–0–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Record Recap 1 September 21 Tampa Bay Lightning 4 – 2 Dallas Stars Ellis 1–0–0 2 September 22 (in Winnipeg, MB) Chicago Blackhawks 2 – 4 Tampa Bay Lightning Desjardins 2–0–0 3 September 23 Tampa Bay Lightning 2 – 5 Edmonton Oilers Ellis 2–1–0 4 September 25 Tampa Bay Lightning 4 – 5 Calgary Flames SO Desjardins 2–1–1 5 October 1 Tampa Bay Lightning 2 – 1 Florida Panthers OT Smith 3–1–1 6 October 2 Florida Panthers 1 – 4 Tampa Bay Lightning Smith 4–1–1

Regular season 2010–11 Game Log October: 7–2–1 (Home: 3–1–1; Road 4–1–0) Pts. 15 # Date Opponent Score OT Decision Arena Attendance Record Pts Recap 1 October 9 Atlanta Thrashers 5 – 3 Smith St. Pete Times Forum 19,791 1–0–0 2 2 October 13 @ Montreal Canadiens 4 – 3 OT Smith Bell Centre 21,273 2–0–0 4 3 October 14 @ Philadelphia Flyers 3 – 2 Ellis Wachovia Center 19,592 3–0–0 6 4 October 16 @ Florida Panthers 0 – 6 Ellis BankAtlantic Center 17,040 3–1–0 6 5 October 18 Dallas Stars 5 – 4 Smith St. Pete Times Forum 13,277 4–1–0 8 6 October 21 New York Islanders 2 – 3 OT Ellis St. Pete Times Forum 13,333 4–1–1 9 7 October 22 @ Atlanta Thrashers 5 – 2 Smith Philips Arena 9,138 5–1–1 11 8 October 24 Nashville Predators 3 – 4 Ellis St. Pete Times Forum 14,454 5–2–1 11 9 October 27 Pittsburgh Penguins 5 – 3 Ellis St. Pete Times Forum 17,226 6–2–1 13 10 October 30 @ Phoenix Coyotes 3 – 0 Ellis Jobing.com Arena 8,171 7–2–1 15 November: 7–6–2 (Home: 3–1–1; Road 4–5–1) Pts. 16 # Date Opponent Score OT Decision Arena Attendance Record Pts Recap 11 November 3 @ Anaheim Ducks 2 – 3 OT Ellis Honda Center 13,304 7–2–2 16 12 November 4 @ Los Angeles Kings 0 – 1 Smith Staples Center 18,118 7–3–2 16 13 November 6 @ San Jose Sharks 2 – 5 Ellis HP Pavilion at San Jose 17,562 7–4–2 16 14 November 9 Toronto Maple Leafs 4 – 0 Ellis St. Pete Times Forum 16,791 8–4–2 18 15 November 11 @ Washington Capitals 3 – 6 Ellis Verizon Center 18,397 8–5–2 18 16 November 12 @ Pittsburgh Penguins 1 – 5 Smith Consol Energy Center 18,275 8–6–2 18 17 November 14 Minnesota Wild 1 – 4 Ellis St. Pete Times Forum 14,868 8–7–2 18 18 November 17 @ New York Islanders 4 – 2 Ellis Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum 8,025 9–7–2 20 19 November 18 @ Philadelphia Flyers 8 – 7 Smith Wachovia Center 19,672 10–7–2 22 20 November 20 @ Buffalo Sabres 2 – 1 Smith HSBC Arena 17,833 11–7–2 24 21 November 22 Boston Bruins 3 – 1 Smith St. Pete Times Forum 16,241 12–7–2 26 22 November 24 New York Rangers 5 – 3 Smith St. Pete Times Forum 17,806 13–7–2 28 23 November 26 @ Washington Capitals 0 – 6 Smith Verizon Center 18,398 13–8–2 28 24 November 27 Florida Panthers 3 – 4 SO Ellis St. Pete Times Forum 15,854 13–8–3 29 25 November 30 @ Toronto Maple Leafs 4 – 3 OT Ellis Air Canada Centre 19,063 14–8–3 31 December: 8–3–2 (Home: 5–1–0; Road 3–2–2) Pts. 18 # Date Opponent Score OT Decision Arena Attendance Record Pts Recap 26 December 2 @ Boston Bruins 1 – 8 Smith TD Garden 17,565 14–9–3 31 27 December 4 Colorado Avalanche 7 – 5 Ellis St. Pete Times Forum 18,212 15–9–3 33 28 December 7 @ Calgary Flames 2 – 4 Ellis Pengrowth Saddledome 19,289 15–10–3 33 29 December 10 @ Edmonton Oilers 3 – 4 SO Ellis Rexall Place 16,839 15–10–4 34 30 December 11 @ Vancouver Canucks 5 – 4 OT Ellis Rogers Arena 18,860 16–10–4 36 31 December 15 Atlanta Thrashers 2 – 1 OT Smith St. Pete Times Forum 14,441 17–10–4 38 32 December 18 Buffalo Sabres 3 – 1 Smith St. Pete Times Forum 17,141 18–10–4 40 33 December 20 Carolina Hurricanes 5 – 1 Ellis St. Pete Times Forum 17,210 19–10–4 42 34 December 22 @ New York Islanders 1 – 2 OT Ellis Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum 7,324 19–10–5 43 35 December 23 @ New York Rangers 4 – 3 SO Ellis Madison Square Garden 18,200 20–10–5 45 36 December 26 @ Atlanta Thrashers 3 – 2 OT Ellis Philips Arena 14,610 21–10–5 47 37 December 28 Boston Bruins 3 – 4 Ellis St. Pete Times Forum 20,204 21–11–5 47 38 December 30 Montreal Canadiens 4 – 1 Desjardins St. Pete Times Forum 20,191 22–11–5 49 January: 9–4–0 (Home: 5–1–0; Road 4–3–0) Pts. 18 # Date Opponent Score OT Decision Arena Attendance Record Pts Recap 39 January 1 New York Rangers 2 – 1 OT Desjardins St. Pete Times Forum 18,242 23–11–5 51 40 January 4 @ Washington Capitals 1 – 0 OT Roloson Verizon Center 18,398 24–11–5 53 41 January 5 @ Pittsburgh Penguins 1 – 8 Roloson Consol Energy Center 18,261 24–12–5 53 42 January 8 @ Ottawa Senators 2 – 1 Roloson Scotiabank Place 19,698 25–12–5 55 43 January 9 @ New Jersey Devils 3 – 6 Ellis Prudential Center 16,197 25–13–5 55 44 January 12 Washington Capitals 3 – 0 Roloson St. Pete Times Forum 18,135 26–13–5 57 45 January 14 New Jersey Devils 2 – 5 Roloson St. Pete Times Forum 18,736 26–14–5 57 46 January 15 @ Carolina Hurricanes 4 – 6 Roloson RBC Center 18,680 26–15–5 57 47 January 18 Columbus Blue Jackets 3 – 2 SO Roloson St. Pete Times Forum 13,291 27–15–5 59 48 January 20 @ Atlanta Thrashers 3 – 2 SO Roloson Philips Arena 12,314 28–15–5 61 49 January 21 @ Florida Panthers 2 – 1 SO Ellis BankAtlantic Center 17,328 29–15–5 63 50 January 23 Atlanta Thrashers 7 – 1 Roloson St. Pete Times Forum 13,916 30–15–5 65 51 January 25 Toronto Maple Leafs 2 – 0 Roloson St. Pete Times Forum 14,335 31–15–5 67 February: 6–3–2 (Home: 5–3–2; Road 1–0–0) Pts. 14 # Date Opponent Score OT Decision Arena Attendance Record Pts Recap 52 February 1 Philadelphia Flyers 4 – 0 Roloson St. Pete Times Forum 16,635 32–15–5 69 53 February 4 Washington Capitals 2 – 4 Roloson St. Pete Times Forum 20,216 32–16–5 69 54 February 6 St. Louis Blues 4 – 3 OT Ellis St. Pete Times Forum 14,986 33–16–5 71 55 February 8 Buffalo Sabres 4 – 7 Roloson St. Pete Times Forum 14,444 33–17–5 71 56 February 12 Carolina Hurricanes 4 – 3 OT Roloson St. Pete Times Forum 19,910 34–17–5 73 57 February 15 Philadelphia Flyers 3 – 4 SO Roloson St. Pete Times Forum 16,950 34–17–6 74 58 February 17 Detroit Red Wings 2 – 6 Roloson St. Pete Times Forum 20,849 34–18–6 74 59 February 19 Florida Panthers 2 – 3 SO Ellis St. Pete Times Forum 18,710 34–18–7 75 60 February 23 Phoenix Coyotes 8 – 3 Roloson St. Pete Times Forum 15,104 35–18–7 77 61 February 25 New Jersey Devils 2 – 1 Roloson St. Pete Times Forum 19,563 36–18–7 79 62 February 27 @ New York Rangers 2 – 1 Roloson Madison Square Garden 18,200 37–18–7 81 March: 5–6–4 (Home: 3–4–1; Road 2–2–3) Pts. 14 # Date Opponent Score OT Decision Arena Attendance Record Pts Recap 63 March 2 @ New Jersey Devils 1 – 2 Roloson Prudential Center 12,857 37–19–7 81 64 March 3 @ Boston Bruins 1 – 2 Smith TD Garden 17,565 37–20–7 81 65 March 5 Montreal Canadiens 2 – 4 Roloson St. Pete Times Forum 20,274 37–21–7 81 66 March 7 Washington Capitals 1 – 2 SO Roloson St. Pete Times Forum 16,835 37–21–8 82 67 March 9 Chicago Blackhawks 4 – 3 SO Roloson St. Pete Times Forum 19,912 38–21–8 84 68 March 11 Ottawa Senators 1 – 2 Roloson St. Pete Times Forum 18,777 38–22–8 84 69 March 12 @ Florida Panthers 3 – 4 OT Smith BankAtlantic Center 16,607 38–22–9 85 70 March 14 @ Toronto Maple Leafs 6 – 2 Roloson Air Canada Centre 19,410 39–22–9 87 71 March 17 @ Montreal Canadiens 2 – 3 SO Roloson Bell Centre 21,273 39–22–10 88 72 March 19 @ Ottawa Senators 2 – 3 OT Roloson Scotiabank Place 18,813 39–22–11 89 73 March 22 New York Islanders 2 – 5 Roloson St. Pete Times Forum 17,400 39–23–11 89 74 March 25 Carolina Hurricanes 3 – 4 Roloson St. Pete Times Forum 16,656 39–24–11 89 75 March 26 @ Carolina Hurricanes 4 – 2 Smith RBC Center 17,264 40–24–11 91 76 March 29 Ottawa Senators 5 – 2 Roloson St. Pete Times Forum 16,626 41–24–11 93 77 March 31 Pittsburgh Penguins 2 – 1 Roloson St. Pete Times Forum 20,126 42–24–11 95 April: 4–1–0 (Home: 1–0–0; Road 3–1–0) Pts. 8 # Date Opponent Score OT Decision Arena Attendance Record Pts Recap 78 April 2 @ Minnesota Wild 3 – 1 Roloson Xcel Energy Center 18,591 43–24–11 97 79 April 3 @ Chicago Blackhawks 2 – 0 Smith United Center 21,587 44–24–11 99 80 April 5 @ Buffalo Sabres 2 – 4 Roloson HSBC Arena 18,690 44–25–11 99 81 April 8 Florida Panthers 4 – 2 Roloson St. Pete Times Forum 20,444 45–25–11 101 82 April 9 @ Carolina Hurricanes 6 – 2 Smith RBC Center 17,805 46–25–11 103 Schedule

Playoffs