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Orlando Magic Daily Podcast Episode 88: Building culture, lessons learned from the Tampa Bay Lightning

By Philip Rossman-Reich

TAMPA, FL - MAY 23: Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevsky (88) prepares for a shot during the second period of the seventh game of the NHL Stanley Cup Eastern Conference Final between the Washington Capitals and the Tampa Bay Lightning on May 23, 2018, at Amalie Arena in Tampa, FL. (Photo by Roy K. Miller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
TAMPA, FL - MAY 23: Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevsky (88) prepares for a shot during the second period of the seventh game of the NHL Stanley Cup Eastern Conference Final between the Washington Capitals and the Tampa Bay Lightning on May 23, 2018, at Amalie Arena in Tampa, FL. (Photo by Roy K. Miller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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The Orlando Magic are trying to build their culture — whatever that term means. They might look to the Tampa Bay Lightning for some lessons in doing so.

When the Orlando Magic introduced Jeff Weltman as president of basketball operations, Weltman specifically pushed aside the term culture when asked about how he would rebuild the team. He said it was an indefinable word and merely a buzzword.

It was something the previous regime talked about a lot. But they certainly never built it either. It was an amorphous thing.

Weltman seemed to want to strike a new direction. Or at least publicly say the team was going to focus its team-building attention on something else.

Still, culture is amorphous enough that it does describe something that is at the very heart of building a franchise and a team. It is a way and a standard of doing things that everyone within the organization buys into. Orlando has spent six years trying to recreate whatever it had during the mid-2000s run after the Dwight Howard and Stan Van Gundy relationship expired.

The Magic are starting seemingly from square one to do this. They know they have a long way to go to get back to Playoff contention. And a lot of roster building to do.

There is no one way to build a team. Plenty of teams hope for Lottery luck, but only precious few get the ping pong balls to drop their way. And even fewer get it multiple times.

Each team has to forge its own path. But the common thread through most successful franchises — even successful sports organizations — is this idea of culture. Every player and person on the team pulls in the same direction. And that direction and that ideal lasts beyond each season and the shuffle of players.

Consistency is built through consistent expectations and messaging. Something the Magic have been short on with their constant revolving door of coaches.

The Orlando Magic hired Steve Clifford, a noted culture builder with the Charlotte Hornets, as their new head coach. Whether that works out or he is able to do what four other coaches before him in the last six years could not remains to be seen.

There are models around the sports world on how to build a successful organization. None may be closer than what the Tampa Bay Lightning have built.

With new ownership bringing in its own management team, led by legendary hockey player Steve Yzerman, they set about changing the Lightning from top to bottom.

The team had struggled with inconsistency after winning the Stanley Cup in 2003. After that run was over, they made the playoffs just once in five years, finishing better than third in their division just once.

The Lightning began trading away the stars of that team and even nearly lost their star draft pick in Steven Stamkos. But things changed quickly.

The Lightning found the right coach in John Cooper. Yzerman had an eye for talent and knowing when to let the young players take over for some veterans. His calculated gambles grew the culture rather than forced the team into something that was not there.

The Lightning have made the Playoffs four of the last five years. That includes a trip to the Stanley Cup Final in 2015 and two more trips to the conference finals, including this year’s Game 7 loss to the eventual champion Washington Capitals.

How did the Lightning build such a successful culture? How did they change the franchise around, turning them into one of the best in the entire NHL? And how did they transform Tampa Bay into Hockey Bay?

Orlando Magic Daily staffer Zach Bethel wrote about this a few weeks ago. I had him on the Orlando Magic Daily Podcast to explain the Lightning’s culture a bit further:

On This Episode:

  • How Tampa built a hockey culture in a non-traditional hockey market
  • What is the fan relationship to the Orlando Magic right now? Why is attendance still solid?
  • How Steve Yzerman built trust in building his team
  • What traits Steve Yzerman looked for in finding the right players for his team… and the lessons the Orlando Magic could learn?
  • The effect John Cooper had on building the Tampa Bay Lightning’s culture
  • Steve Clifford as the next step in the process
  • What direction should the Orlando Magic head in the NBA Draft?
  • Trae Young’s magnetism as a prospect
  • Why this year is the year to set a consistent standard for the Orlando Magic

You can follow Zach on Twitter @BethelHub and check out some of his Lightning writing over at Raw Charge.

Next: Orlando Magic Offseason Manifesto: Predicting the Magic's type

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