Tampa Bay, Fla. — Ever since Steven Stamkos left his long-time home of Tampa Bay during the 2024 offseason break, there has been much talk about Victor Hedman. Hedman, a long-time friend of Stamkos and alternate captain beside him, has left a long-lasting impact on the Lightning franchise. Now that Stamkos is gone to the Nashville Predators, fans’ have been wondering who will take the captaincy after Stamkos’s long tenure. The most obvious choice would be Hedman as the next Bolts’ captain. However, that’s up to the team and head coach Jon Cooper.
Victor Hedman Stats & Salary Cap
About Hedman
Hedman, 33 years old, standing at 6-foot-6 and weighing in at 246 pounds, is a Swedish defenseman who was originally drafted by the Lightning during the 2009 NHL Draft. He was a first-round, second-overall draft pick and was highly regarded as a top defensive prospect. Hedman’s drafting came a year after Stamkos was drafted by the same team as the number one pick.
Hedman’s Lightning Career
Since 2009, Hedman has seen a remarkable career in the NHL. First beginning in the 2009-10 season, he would go on to play a near full season of 74 games, where he posted four goals and 16 assists for 20 points. During that season, he also had the opportunity to play in the IIHF Men’s World Cup for Team Sweden, where he appeared in nine games with a goal and an assist tallied up.
Award Winner and All-Star
Hedman saw his first Stanley Cup Final appearance during the 2015 playoffs as he and his team went up against the red-hot Chicago Blackhawks. The Bolts lost the series to the Hawks, but Hedman still posted one goal and 13 assists. During his 2017–18 season campaign, Hedman was selected as an NHL All-Star and later was awarded the Norris Trophy for the best-performing defenseman in the league per season. In the 2016–17 season, he accumulated 72 points from 16 goals and 56 assists — marking his second-best season for points recorded.
A Cup Champion
Fast forward to the more recent seasons. In the 2019-20 season, Hedman played in 66 games, where he accumulated a total of 55 points from 11 goals and 44 assists. During that season, his team won the Stanley Cup during what was known as the “Bubble.” He played in 25 games in the Bubble, earning 10 goals and 12 assists. This would be his first time hoisting one of the hardest cups to win in all of sports, while also being awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy for best-performing player during the playoffs.
As history sometimes repeats itself, the Lightning would go on to win the Cup again in consecutive seasons during the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Due to COVID-19 playing a role in the divisional orientation of the playoff format, the Lightning faced their division rivals, the Montréal Canadiens. Hedman and his fellow Bolts won 4-1 in the series against the Habs, making history once again by winning back-to-back Stanley Cups (CBS News. 7, July 2021). During the playoffs, Hedman logged 23 games with an average ice time of 24:42 minutes per game. He also contributed two goals and 16 assists.
It may sound like a broken record with history being made for this team, but that’s exactly what Hedman and his teammates witnessed for three straight seasons. During the following season, after winning back-to-back Cups, the team would go on to have a third straight finals appearance, with their opponent being the Colorado Avalanche. Although they were not be able to complete a three-peat, Hedman would continue shining brightly as a great offensive defenseman. In just 23 games played in the 2022 playoffs, he recorded three goals and 16 assists for 19 points.
For the two most recent seasons, Hedman has recorded high point and performance records regardless of his age. He has proven that age is simply a number. For the 2022-23 season, he logged 76 games, posting nine goals and 40 assists. During the playoffs, he participated in five games with three assists recorded. For last season, Hedman would go on to have his career-best season, as the 33-year-old broke records by recording 76 points in 78 games. He accumulated 13 goals and 63 assists, and was a +13 in performance. Furthermore, during the 2024 playoff berth, Hedman appeared in five games against the Florida Panthers, where he posted a goal and six assists.
Making History
On Dec. 4, 2023, at Amalie Arena, Hedman appeared in his 1000th game in the NHL, becoming the first Lightning defenseman to play in that many games — joined by fellow Bolts’ forwards Vinny Lecavalier and Stamkos.
Hedman has had a significant and impactful career in the NHL and with the Lightning. He has earned 728 points in 1,052 games in the NHL, with 156 goals and 572 assists; including 165 playoff games with 23 goals and 94 assists for 117 points, along with two Stanley Cups and four finals appearances. He has also spent many seasons as an alternate captain to Stamkos and has demonstrated why he has the “A” crest on his jersey with his leadership skills on and off the ice. Hedman has also participated in six NHL All-Star shows for 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022.
The 33-year-old Swede is a future Hall of Fame defenseman; he has the stats and record to prove that. But his future with the Bolts isn’t over yet.
His Future for The Bolts
On June 2, 2024, Hedman signed a four-year, $32 million contract with an average annual value (AAV) of $8 million. The news came after Stamkos walked away from Tampa Bay to Nashville after he and Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois couldn’t agree on a substantial contract.
With the captaincy vacant in the Lightning, it’s unclear who will be named captain. But one thing’s for certain: Hedman is a leader of the team and will continue to do so until his contract ends in four years or until he retires.
With two Stanley Cup rings, many goals, assists, and points for his career, Victor Hedman has had an immense career in professional hockey, and he’s not finished yet.
