Phil Esposito, Hockey Expert

Phil Esposito is the resident hockey expert for Bright House Sports Network, where he provides analysis on the Lightning and the rest of the National Hockey League.

Esposito made his NHL debut when he was called to the Chicago Blackhawks. There he proved himself a quality playmaker, twice finishing amongst the league-leading scorers over the next three seasons. In 1967, he was traded to the Boston Bruins.

"Espo" became the greatest scorer of his day, becoming the first NHL player to score 100 points in a season with 126 in 1969. He would top the "century" mark six times in all, including five consecutive seasons between 1971 and 1975 (plus a 99-point season in 1970). Esposito would also receive the Art Ross Trophy in 1969 and 1971–74 as the top regular season scorer.

Esposito was named to the NHL's First All-Star team six consecutive times (from 1969–74), and won the Hart Trophy as the league's most valuable player in 1969 and 1974. Esposito led the Bruins to Stanley Cup victories in 1970 and 1972, and first-place finishes in the league in 1971, 1972, and 1974.

Esposito shattered the record for most goals scored in a season in 1976. Esposito also set the single season point-scoring record in 1971 with 152, a mark now held by Gretzky. That season Esposito shattered the single season mark for shots on goal with 550, an unsurpassed mark which no other player has approached within a hundred.

Then he won the 1972 Lou Marsh Trophy as Canada's outstanding male athlete of the year and was made an Officer of the Order of Canada. He also played for Team Canada in the inaugural Canada Cup in 1976.

The following year, Esposito would represent Canada once more in the 1977 World Championships. In 1975 he was traded to the New York Rangers. As captain of the Rangers, Esposito led the Blueshirts in points each of his full seasons with the club and remained an effective scorer until his final season in 1981.

In 1984, Esposito was voted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, and his #7 hangs in the rafters in the TD Garden in Boston as a retired number.

Finally, Esposito is responsible for the creation of the Tampa Bay Lightning, leading the bid to get the franchise from the NHL, and serving as its president and general manager until 1998.