Pierre-Edouard Bellemare embraces fresh start with Kraken

TAMPA BAY – Pierre-Edouard Bellemare made his mark with the Lightning as the consummate locker room guy, a player who could lift his teammates with his ever-positive demeanor and genuine appreciation for playing the game.

But in finding a new home with the Seattle Kraken this season at age 38, Bellemare wants to show he still has more hockey left in him on the ice.

“It was not that something was wrong here in Tampa,” Bellemare said. “It was more like, ‘OK, how can I challenge myself to be more like I was a few years ago and instead of being maybe set back a little bit.”

In the first period of his first game back in Tampa with the Kraken, Bellemare was honored with a video tribute, and given a standing ovation by the Amalie Arena crowd. The Kraken ultimately escaped with a 4-3 overtime triumph.