McDonagh returns to Tampa for the first time since trade to Preds

Over the past several years, Lightning fans have heard a lot about the standard that has been set for players that put on a Tampa Bay uniform.
Following the Game 7 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs in last year's Stanley Cup Playoffs, Steven Stamkos said, "We fell back on the standard that's set for this group and that's to just do whatever it takes to win. It doesn't matter who does it, when, why. It's just win. It's certainly a contagious feeling and attitude."
The standard wasn't set by just one person, but through a culmination of efforts from players, coaches, and staff. From Stamkos to Jon Cooper and Victor Hedman to Julien BriseBois, it took a lot of people to get the standard to where it is now. One huge component of that, both on and off the ice, was Ryan McDonagh.
When McDonagh was traded to Tampa Bay in 2018, he said, "I'm going to do whatever I can to help win."
After 267 regular season games, 89 playoff games, 736 blocked shots and two Stanley Cups, it's safe to say McDonagh did exactly that.

"He did set that standard, just how you carry yourself inside the rink and how you carry yourself away from the rink," said Pat Maroon. "He brought that leadership. He spoke when he needed to, and everyone listened. He brought that competitiveness on the ice and it's contagious. He was contagious to be around.
"Just watching him on the ice and the way he handled situations, he was just fun to be around. He's the ultimate teammate, ultimate guy. Like I said, he has that contagious mentality and people just want to be around him all the time because he's just so smart and he has that leadership."
Traded to the Nashville Predators this offseason, McDonagh is making his first trip back to AMALIE Arena on Thursday night but won't be in the lineup after being placed on injured reserve Monday with an upper-body injury. McDonagh was struck in the face with a puck doing what Lightning fans have seen time and time again, sacrificing his body and blocking a shot to save a goal.
"Obviously with the injury, I didn't know if I would [make the trip], but I wanted to get back here with the dads trip going on," McDonagh said. "Those are special opportunities. Then, for the first time being back here in Tampa in this building, I tried my best to make it work because a lot of great memories here in my time and really thankful for my time here."
Walking past the Lightning locker room and not turning left undoubtedly had to be a weird feeling for McDonagh, who acknowledged that being in the building flooded his head with a multitude of unforgettable memories.
"You just remember walking in, and you see the arena staff, Kelvin out there greeting you right away, just like old times," McDonagh said. "Walking through those doors and just remembering all those big games we were walking in here to play - all those sorts of memories start to flow back for sure."
McDonagh's accomplishments during his time with the Bolts were felt both on and off the ice, whether that was in the locker room as a leader of the team or throughout Tampa Bay as a leader of the community.
Leading the Lightning in blocked shots in each of his four full seasons with the Lightning, McDonagh never missed the playoffs during his time in Tampa and helped lead the team to four Conference Finals and three straight Stanley Cup Finals. He ranks third all-time in franchise history for playoff scoring (23 pts.), assists (21) and games (89) by a defenseman. No player in NHL history has recorded more playoff blocked shots than McDonagh's 430.
"Yeah, he obviously meant a lot," said Mikhail Sergachev. "He's a hell of a player and a hell of a person. He's probably top three favorite teammates I've ever had, and he taught me so much.
"The way I block shots is kind of the way he does it. I try to sit down and cover as much ice as I can. In the big moments of the game, he always finds a way to make something happen."
Off the ice, McDonagh was at the forefront of several charitable efforts throughout Tampa. Along with Alex Killorn, McDonagh helped spearhead the "Jam Kancer in the Kan Tournament" to raise funds for families affected by cancer.
He regularly hosted children from Tampa Shriners Hospital at home games and brought the group down to the Lightning locker room postgame. After winning the first of the back-to-back Stanley Cup championships, McDonagh organized an outdoor gathering at the Children's Cancer Center in Tampa to allow children and their families to see the Cup in person.
When the Bolts got to make a long-awaited trip to The White House in celebration of the back-to-back championships, it was McDonagh that was chosen to give a speech on behalf of the team.
"He was a true leader," said Maroon. "He was one of those guys that was looked up to in this locker room. Young guys could go to him. Older guys could go to him. He had that leadership that you can't teach, and he had that on-ice competitiveness that you really can't teach.
"He would put his face in any puck. He would block a shot. He would do anything out there. He had a lot of skill. He could skate. He could move the puck. He did everything right for this organization.
"Obviously, it's going to be an emotional night for him and the players because we obviously do miss him a lot around here. It was obviously an emotional trade for everyone, so I know he's hurt right now, but I'm glad he got an opportunity to come back and hopefully get that recognition he deserves from the Tampa fans."
With many of McDonagh's best career moments coming in Bolts blue, it's easy to understand how difficult it must be to turn the page and move past the trade that happened just over five months ago in early July.
"I don't know if you really ever do when you go through the amount success we had here and the runs that we had here, but that's the good thing is those relationships will stay there forever and those memories will be there forever," McDonagh said. "Once you get playing again and you get into the swing of the season and you get with the group of guys here and get rolling again, that's where the page starts to turn, so to speak, but obviously tonight will be a big moment for that too, mentally, just coming back and getting the first time back in this building over with."
While McDonagh's presence in the locker room and on the ice may have departed from Tampa, the standard he helped set lives on. One of the best leaders to ever wear a Lightning jersey, it's no surprise that McDonagh showed humility when asked about his immense impact on one of the most successful franchises in the NHL today.
"I was just one guy in that room," said McDonagh. "It was a great room to be a part of - a lot of great guys, great character guys. And like I said, we just pulled so hard for one another and cared so much for one another.
"It was such a great feeling at the end there to win and come through not once, but twice, and almost a third time. We had such close families. You go through what we had to go through with the bubble and everything like that and families getting close and staying together.
"It's just great relationships that are made, so as far as just being a piece of that team, I was really grateful for that opportunity."