NHL and Veterans Move 6 Tons of Oyster Shells in Tampa

When you need to move six tons of oyster shells, it helps to have NHL players, Navy SEALs, and a determined mascot on your team.

More than 30 volunteers gathered at MacDill Air Force Base Marina in Tampa on Thursday to build up the bay's living shoreline. The Tampa Bay Lightning alumni, including Stanley Cup champion Freddy Modin, joined forces with FORCE BLUE, a nonprofit of Special Operations veterans focused on marine conservation.

Their mission was straightforward but tough: shovel shells collected from local restaurants into biodegradable bags, load them onto boats, and place them in the water to strengthen oyster reefs. They also installed 40 concrete oyster reef buoys, each weighing over 150 pounds.

The work took more than three hours in knee-deep chilly seawater. Nobody complained.

"Helping the reefs and the waterways here is a big issue," said Modin, who spent six seasons with the Lightning. "Getting a chance to help out in some form is something I enjoy doing."

The oyster reefs do more than look pretty underwater. They protect shorelines from erosion and provide homes for new oysters to grow. Each oyster filters up to two gallons of water per hour, creating cleaner, healthier water for everyone.

Rick Radigan, the oyster program manager for Tampa Bay Watch, explained that taking care of the bay means understanding how all the pieces work together. These reefs are part of a two-mile living shoreline that started nearly two decades ago.

The Ripple Effect

For the veterans involved, this project offers something special beyond environmental benefits. FORCE BLUE brings together SEALs, Green Berets, Coast Guard pararescue personnel, and Marine recon members who want to continue serving after their military careers.

"We want to be a part of something special again," said Steve Gonzalez, a 34-year Navy SEAL veteran who coordinates special projects for FORCE BLUE. His call sign is Gonzo, and he's found new purpose in conservation work.

What makes this mission different from his decades in the military is that he can share it with his family. "Everything I did in Afghanistan, Iraq, Africa, I can't really share that with my family," Gonzalez said. "But now they can see what I am doing to save the planet."

The NHL and Lightning brought everyone together under the NHL Unites banner. Rachel Segal, NHL vice president of social impact, said the league believes in the power of teamwork for making communities better.

Even ThunderBug, the Lightning's mascot, put his back into moving shells alongside the players and veterans. When hockey skills meet military precision and environmental science, a healthier bay is the result that benefits everyone who calls Tampa home.