Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman has been awarded the Norris Trophy for the league’s top defenseman at the 2018 NHL Awards in Vegas.
The second biggest moment of the year for the hockey community is finally upon us. Tonight, the best and brightest stars in the National Hockey League descended upon Sin City for the 2018 NHL Awards. A number of Tampa Bay Lightning players and executives have been nominated for awards tonight.
The first category of the night a Tampa Bay Lightning player was nominated for was the James Norris Memorial Trophy, which is awarded to the league’s top defenseman. Representing the Lightning in this category is defenseman Victor Hedman.
If you ask anyone here in the Bolts Nation who was going to bring home the award, they would’ve said Hedman, hands down. The question is, did the rest of the hockey community agree? Apparently, everyone was in agreement on this one. Victor Hedman became the first Bolts player of the night to bring home new hardware as he was presented the James Norris Memorial Trophy.
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Victor Hedman is without a doubt, the key piece of the Lightning’s defensive core. Every single season, Hedman goes above and beyond to leave his mark on not only the team but the rest of the hockey world. He is one of, if not the best two-way defenseman in the National Hockey League.
Last season, in addition to his defensive duties, Hedman was able to bring home 17 goals and 46 assists for a total of 63 points in 77 games. Hedman’s offensive contributions didn’t end with the regular season. In the postseason, Hedman was able to register one goal and 10 assists for a total of 11 points.
Victor Hedman is the first defenseman in franchise history to be awarded the Norris Trophy. Just like every great story, there has to be a beginning. We here at Bolts By The Bay can’t think of a better defenseman to begin this outstanding journey.
The first @TBLightning defenseman in franchise history to win the Norris Trophy - @heds77. #NHLAwards pic.twitter.com/17SomeHuYR
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) June 21, 2018
The Tampa Bay Lightning will see a number of changes in the off-season. There are many Free Agents in need of new contracts. Some will be signing new contracts and extending their time here in the Bolts Nation, others will be making their way to new homes. One thing that will remain the same is Victor Hedman will continue to lead the Lightning to victory by leaving it out on the ice each and every night.
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The night is just beginning and there are many more awards to come. Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy and Lightning Vice President and General Manager Steve Yzerman are both nominated for awards tonight. Will the Lightning bring home some more hardware tonight? We’ll have to wait and see.