Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports
#77 Victor Hedman
DFC’s Prediction: GP: 78 G: 15 A: 45 Pts: 60
Actual Production: GP: 59 G: 10 A: 28 Pts: 38 +/-: +12
Regular Season: It was a strange and winding road this regular season for the Tampa Bay Lightning‘s undisputed #1 defenseman. Victor Hedman came roaring out of the gate, scoring up a storm and defending well before suffering a hand injury that sidelined him for about a quarter of the season.
We Lightning fans have become somewhat conditioned, from past experiences, to expect Hedman to return from any sort of injury like a superhuman version of himself. Unfortunately, the version of Hedman that returned this time showed obvious signs of rust, made more than his share of questionable decisions, and looked a lot like pre-2014 Hedman.
Hedman did get his game back together. And he unquestionably played his best hockey when paired with Anton Stralman. But blue line injuries haunted the Lightning throughout the year, and that was a pairing we all too rarely saw. Mostly, Jon Cooper was forced to pair his experienced defensemen with his inexperienced defensemen, so Hedman’s often found himself partnered with Andrej Sustr and later Luke Witkowski.
Despite plenty of bumps in the road, Hedman still turned in a satisfactory, if disappointing, season. It wasn’t the showcase of talent that was his 2013/2014 breakout year, but it was enough to get by, and enough to keep us optimistic about his future.
Regular Season Grade: C+
Playoffs: …The aforementioned future, as it turned out, was right around the corner. To put it simply, Victor Hedman played the best hockey of his life in these playoffs. Whatever woes he had during the regular season are a distant memory at the time of this writing, because by the time the Stanley Cup final rolled around, the Tampa Bay Lightning had two solid Conn Smyth candidates. One was Tyler Johnson, the other was Hedman.
Hedman spent most of the post-season paired with Anton Stralman, and wow, did that pairing pay dividends. Stralman’s defensive poise and virtual mistake-free hockey allowed Hedman to use his legs and join the rush—often leading it—and there were many times when Hedman looked like the Lightning’s most dangerous offensive player. Not to mention he was spectacular in his own end.
If Hedman can maintain his most recent level of play going into next season, the Lightning will be that much more dangerous. This is what elite looks like.
Playoffs Grade: A+
Looking Forward: Outside of prospects, Hedman remains the Lightning’s greatest source of potential along the blue line. While we’ve seen glimpses of what Hedman is capable of, it’s safe to say we’ve yet to see him consistently at his best for a full calendar year. And that’s normal for a defenseman his age. It’s easy to forget the guy is still just 24 years old. Scarily enough, we could still be years away from his prime.
Next: Next Up: Nikita Nesterov
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