Victor Erik Olof Hedman (pronounced [ˈvɪ̌kːtɔr ˈhěːdman]; born 18 December 1990) is a Swedish professional ice hockey player who is a defenceman and captain for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). Hedman was selected second overall by the Lightning in the 2009 NHL entry draft and made his NHL debut that year.
Widely considered at one time to be one of the best defencemen in the NHL, Hedman is a six-time James Norris Memorial Trophy finalist, winning the award in 2018. Hedman won the Stanley Cup back-to-back with the Lightning in 2020 and 2021, and won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player in 2020.
Hedman began his junior ice hockey career in the Swedish J20 SuperElit with the Modo Hockey organization. He recorded 25 points in 34 games during his first full season in the league in 2006–07. Hedman then turned professional and joined the Elitserien with Modo at age 16. At the beginning of the 2008–09 season, he was ranked first overall amongst all draft-eligible skaters in the International Scouting Services' preliminary rankings. In the same season, he was nominated as the SHL Rookie of the Year. Following his performance at the 2009 World Junior Championships for Sweden, Hedman was listed atop the rankings of European skaters by the NHL Central Scouting Bureau. Despite the unlikelihood of Hedman playing in Russia, he was drafted 83rd overall by the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL)'s Spartak Moscow on 1 June 2009.
Going into the 2009 NHL entry draft, Hedman was listed as the second-ranked player and top European player. He was drafted second overall by the Tampa Bay Lightning, behind John Tavares, who was drafted first overall by the New York Islanders.
Hedman has drawn comparisons to Hart Trophy-winning defenceman Chris Pronger, who is also 6' 6" and 220 pounds, as well as also being drafted second overall.
Tampa Bay Lightning (2009–present)
Early years in Tampa (2009–2013)
Hedman made his NHL debut for the Lightning on 3 October 2009, against the Atlanta Thrashers. He registered his first point, an assist, on a Martin St. Louis goal. On 5 November, Hedman suffered a concussion in a 3–2 overtime win over the Ottawa Senators after being on the receiving end of a hit from Senators' defenceman and enforcer Chris Neil, resulting in him missing the following game two days later against the Montreal Canadiens before returning for the game five days after against Los Angeles Kings. His first NHL goal was then scored on 5 December against Dwayne Roloson of the New York Islanders. The 2009–10 season, his rookie season, ended with Hedman playing 74 games with four goals, 16 assists and 20 points.
On 5 January 2011, halfway into his sophomore NHL season in 2010–11, Hedman checked Pittsburgh Penguins centre and captain Sidney Crosby from behind, receiving a minor boarding penalty. The hit was one of two that were eventually blamed for causing a severe concussion on Crosby that kept him out of play for the rest of the season and most of the 2011–12 season. After ending the 2010–11 season with three goals, 23 assists and 26 points in 79 games and helped the Lightning clinch a playoff spot for the first time since 2007, Hedman made his Stanley Cup playoff debut on 13 April 2011 against the Pittsburgh Penguins. On 15 April in game two, Hedman recorded his first career playoff assist and point on a goal by Eric Brewer. Hedman and the Lightning would make a surprisingly deep playoff run throughout the 2011 playoffs as they would eventually defeat the fourth-seeded Penguins in seven games (after initially trailing 3–1 in earlier in the series) and then sweep the top-seeded Washington Capitals in four games in the second round before getting defeated by the third-seeded and eventual Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins in the Eastern Conference Final in seven games, one win short from reaching the Stanley Cup Final.
On 29 November 2011, shortly into the 2011–12 season, Hedman signed a five-year, $20 million contract extension with Tampa Bay. On 27 December, Hedman suffered a concussion in a 5–1 victory against the Philadelphia Flyers, resulting in him missing the next 13 games. Hedman ultimaely ended the season with five goals and 18 assists for 23 points in 61 games.
On 25 September 2012, it was announced that Hedman signed a contract with Barys Astana of the KHL during the 2012–13 NHL lockout. In January 2013, Hedman returned to the NHL after lockout ended, playing 44 games of the shortened 48-game season and registering four goals, 16 assists and 20 points.
Rising star amongst defenceman, Norris Trophy win (2013–2019)
During the 2013–14 season, Hedman had a breakout season, posting a career best in goals (13), assists (42) and points (55) in 75 contests played as the Lightning as a team finished third in the East, qualifying for the playoffs for the first time since 2011. His 42 assists led the team in that statistic. In game four in the opening round of the 2014 playoffs on 22 April 2014, Hedman scored his first career playoff goal on Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price. The sixth-seeded Canadiens would eventually win the game 4–3 against the Lightning to complete the four game sweep.
Hedman picked up right where he left off to start the 2014–15 season. However, his strong start would be derailed after he suffered a broken finger in a game against the Vancouver Canucks on 18 October 2014 by blocking a shot from Canucks forward Jannik Hansen, which was expected to rule him out of play for four-to-six weeks. At the time of this injury, Hedman was tied for the lead amongst NHL defencemen with seven points (three goals and four assists) and was considered a possible James Norris Memorial Trophy candidate for Defenceman of the Year entering into the season. Despite this injury, Hedman still had a productive season with the Lightning after recovering, scoring 10 goals and 28 assists for 38 points in 59 games played. After game two of the Stanley Cup Final against the Chicago Blackhawks on 6 June 2015, Hedman had recorded two points with two assists on goals by Cédric Paquette and Jason Garrison to secure the spot as the point leader by a Lightning defencemen in a single playoff year, with 1 goal, 11 assists and 12 points up that point in the 2015 playoffs. On 8 June, during game three of the Final, Hedman recorded assists on goals by Ryan Callahan and Cédric Paquette to set the Lightning franchise record for most career playoff assists (20) and points (23) by a defenceman, surpassing Dan Boyle, who previously held the record with three goals and 19 assists (22 points). The Lightning would eventually lose the series to the Blackhawks in six games and Hedman finished the playoffs with a goal and 13 assists for 14 points in all 26 games.
On 15 October 2015, in a 5–3 loss to the Dallas Stars, Hedman suffered a concussion after being on the receiving end of a hit by Stars' forward and captain Jamie Benn, causing him to miss the next game two days later against the Buffalo Sabres and returning to the lineup in the game after, three days later against the Nashville Predators. He eventually finished the 2015–16 season with 10 goals and a team-leading 37 assists for 47 points in 78 games played. On 20 May 2016, Hedman recorded two assists in a 4–3 Lightning win over the Pittsburgh Penguins in game four of the Eastern Conference Final in the 2016 playoffs on goals by Ryan Callahan and Jonathan Drouin, respectively. The two assists moved Hedman past Vincent Lecavalier (28) and Brad Richards (29) for number two all-time in playoff assists with the franchise. In game six on 24 May, Hedman played his 64th career playoff game to become the leader in playoff games played for the Lightning. He surpassed former teammates Martin St. Louis and Vincent Lecavalier, who were tied for the most playoff games played in franchise history beforehand. The Lightning would eventually fall in seven games to the Penguins in the third round of the playoffs by losing game seven 2–1 for a 4–3 defeat in the series, one win short from a second consecutive appearance in the Stanley Cup Final.