<P> Tampa Bay made their first playoffs in the 1995 -- 96 season . The team 's best year was the 2017 -- 18 season , in which they finished 54 -- 23 -- 5 . The team 's worst year was the 1997 -- 98 season , in which they finished 17 -- 55 -- 10 . Tampa Bay moved to the Southeast Division in 1998 , and won the division for the first time in the 2002 -- 03 season . The Lightning won the Eastern Conference and their only Stanley Cup in the following season . As part of the 2013 -- 14 NHL season realignment , the Lightning were relocated into the Atlantic Division after the league reduced from six divisions to four . Eleven years after their first cup win , the Lightning again won the Eastern Conference title and qualified for the 2015 Stanley Cup Finals . </P>
<P> Tampa Bay made their first playoffs in the 1995 -- 96 season . The team 's best year was the 2017 -- 18 season , in which they finished 54 -- 23 -- 5 . The team 's worst year was the 1997 -- 98 season , in which they finished 17 -- 55 -- 10 . Tampa Bay moved to the Southeast Division in 1998 , and won the division for the first time in the 2002 -- 03 season . The Lightning won the Eastern Conference and their only Stanley Cup in the following season . As part of the 2013 -- 14 NHL season realignment , the Lightning were relocated into the Atlantic Division after the league reduced from six divisions to four . Eleven years after their first cup win , the Lightning again won the Eastern Conference title and qualified for the 2015 Stanley Cup Finals . </P>
when was the last time the lightning was in the playoffs
when was the last time the lightning was in the playoffs
2017 -- 18 season
2017 -- 18 season