Tampa Bay Lightning Defenseman Victor Hedman Ranked In Top 5
By Will Clewis
Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman has built a case for being one of the NHL’s top players at his position, especially after his play the past few seasons.
When you play for the Tampa Bay Lightning, you may not garner as much attention from the media or the rest of the league, but defenseman Victor Hedman has made some noise the past few years because of his strong play and has climbed the ranks as one of the league’s best blueliners. In a recent article on the NHL’s official website, the NHL Network ranked Hedman fifth on a list of the top-20 defensemen in the league.
That’s high praise for a player who hasn’t finished as a Norris Trophy finalist or won a Stanley Cup, but as you can tell, Hedman has convinced these experts that he can perform at a high level and dominate when needed.
Since entering the league in 2010 after getting drafted second overall in 2009 by the Lightning, Hedman has 229 points, a plus-30 career rating, and an average ice time of 22:11 per game during a span of 470 games played. In the playoffs, he has 37 points in 65 career games, a plus-11 rating, and strong possession numbers, including a 54.09 SAT% from 2014-16.
Most notably, his performance in the 2015 Stanley Cup Final opened the eyes of many and despite losing in the final round of the playoffs, some predicted the then-24-year-old Swedish defenseman to be a favorite for the Norris Trophy, as the league’s best defenseman, in 2015-16. Though he didn’t win the award, Hedman still posted solid numbers last season, recording 37 assists and 47 points in 78 games, which was good for 16th in the NHL.
With Anton Stralman, one of the Tampa Bay Lightning’s other top defensemen, out of the lineup before the start of the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season, Hedman had the chance to elevate his game even further and he did just that, especially during the second round series against the New York Islanders, when he amassed 8 points in 5 games, including four goals and two power-play points.
He continued that production in the Conference Finals against the Pittsburgh Penguins, recording five points in seven games before the Lightning bowed out in game seven. Though the Stanley Cup wasn’t in the writing in 2016, Victor Hedman and the rest of the Tampa Bay Lightning will do everything they can to get back to the final round and claim hockey’s greatest prize.
Heck, Hedman might have the best year of his career in 2016-17 and eclipse the 55 points he recorded during the 2013-14 season. Though we’re sure he wouldn’t mind winning the Norris Trophy, it’s more likely that the Cup is what he truly desires. He’ll have eight more years in Tampa Bay to accomplish that goal after signing a long-term extension, and with the core that General Manager Steve Yzerman has assembled, his chances are very high.
All speculation and fantasizing aside, there’s no denying that Victor Hedman is one of the NHL’s top defenseman and the Tampa Bay Lightning is fortunate to have drafted and developed such a great talent on defense. For that matter, any team would be grateful to have Hedman on their side, but for now, and for a while, he’s with us.
It has been quite the off-season for the Tampa Bay Lightning and its fans and everyone in Bolts Nation has much to look forward to when the regular season rolls around.
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General Manager Steve Yzerman has done an excellent job keeping the most important pieces in Tampa Bay long-term and ensuring this franchise will be set-up for much success in the seasons to come. Defenseman Victor Hedman, one of the best in the league, is all a part of this plan to bring the Stanley Cup back to the Bay Area. Let’s just hope it will come in the near future.