This Lightning defenseman is happy about being back in Tampa Bay.

The Tampa Bay Lightning started this offseason with a bang, re-acquiring defenseman Ryan McDonagh from the Nashville Predators. With this move, the Lightning brought back a key player from their Stanley Cup championship teams.

McDonagh, 35, is once again expected to be a significant part of the Lightning’s blueline and an important leader in their room. They will also benefit from his steady defensive play again, so there is plenty to be excited about regarding the Saint Paul, Minnesota native’s return.

The club is undoubtedly ecstatic to have McDonagh, and the left-shot defenseman has now made it very clear that the feeling is mutual.

While at Da Beauty League earlier this week, McDonagh expressed excitement about his return to the Lightning. Here’s what the veteran defender said on the matter:

“It’s a very special place for me and my family. Two of my kids were born there. Between that and winning, those were some big moments I had there. And it’s a great community. A great place to raise your kids and a great market to play hockey, with an organization that’s behind you. They’re always going to go for the Cup, so it’s fun to be a part of that again.”

McDonagh made it clear that he has high hopes for the Lightning moving forward.

“We have a lot of firepower throughout our lineup. We kind of already have an identity established moving forward, but it’s also a different group in a sense. But it’s a group that we know we can build with and write our own story together. It doesn’t happen overnight, but if you stick with it, good things can happen. I can’t wait to get started.”

Clearly, McDonagh is very excited about his return to the Bolts. It is understandable, as he made plenty of memories during his first stint with the club. Now, his goal will be to help the Lightning return to their Stanley Cup-caliber status from here.