The Big Swede is Tampa Bay’s newest captain. We look back at the numbers that put his new jersey patch into perspective.
There are a number of ways in which any given hockey fan can look at and talk about Victor Hedman.
In the eyes of a longtime, tried-and-true Bolts fan, for instance, Hedman is the regal statesman of the Lightning. The backbone, the Big Swede. The consummate professional and embodiment of what it means to wear the Lightning crest.
Through the lens of the casual NHL fan, Hedman is a known, respected commodity. He’s the Norris Trophy-winning stalwart of a Stanley Cup champion defense, a seasoned veteran you’d likely love to have on your own team.
Then there's the perspective of someone completely new to the sport. Maybe it’s their first time sitting down to a Bolts game ever. They don’t know all the rules, they don’t know any of the players’ names. But they can gravitate toward the most striking exaggeration of a hockey player in sight—which is Victor Hedman. 6’6”, unavoidable, a player that must be of mass importance.
All of these ways to zoom in on the Victor Hedman experience can all be true at once. Only now, they’ve reached new heights, emboldened by a large, captain’s "C."
The Lightning have officially named Victor Hedman the 11th captain in franchise history. He assumes the role in the footsteps of longtime friend and former teammate Steven Stamkos. And he’ll do so alongside alternate captains and longtime teammates Nikita Kucherov and Ryan McDonagh.
Hedman’s captaincy was backed by a unanimous vote of his teammates, an honor Heddy takes to heart.
“It means the world,” the Bolts defenseman told media on Wednesday. “To lead this team is a great honor. And to get that C on your jersey is a big privilege and a big responsibility.”
Julien BriseBois made the announcement with similar sentiment, reflecting on Hedman’s storied tenure with the team.
“We’ve been able to witness him come into this league as a blue chip, teenage prospect trying to establish himself as one of the best players of his generation, to today, he is the player his teammates look to first to lead this team.”
Which brings us to the numbers. The new Bolts captain has managed to amass one of the most impressive resumes of the NHL’s modern era. Among all defensemen in Lightning franchise history, Hedman ranks No. 1 in games played, points, game-winning goals, shots on goal, hits, blocked shots and takeaways. Now, as the Victor Hedman experience enters its new chapter, we look back at the stats that put his new jersey patch into perspective.
24,683:30
Total ice time recorded by Victor Hedman, the most of any skater in Lightning franchise history.
10,778:01
Hedman’s total ice time since 2020, the most of any player in the NHL.
1,052
Games in a Lightning uniform, the most of any defenseman in franchise history, and 31 games shy of becoming Tampa Bay’s all-time leader.
175
Career +/-, the current all-time leader in Lightning history
2,241
Shots. Which is so many shots, especially when you factor in the collective weight of Victor Hedman revving up for one of these shots. There’s an anticipation that slows time for the slightest second—like Steph Curry pulling up for three or Tom Brady heaving a bomb—because when the puck leaves his stick, it’s likely going 100 mph at some goalie’s grill piece.
156
Career goals—by far the most of any defenseman in Lightning history.
572
Career assists—the third-most of any player in franchise history. He’s the 34th defenseman in NHL history to go over the 500 mark.
3
The number of players who have played 15 seasons or more in a Tampa Bay uniform. That list is Steven Stamkos (16), Ronde Barber (16) and Victor Hedman (15). Which is just a slight tier above names like Vincent Lecavalier (14), Derrick Brooks (14), Marty St. Louis (13) and Lavonte David (12).
14
Variations of Lightning uniforms worn by the Big Swede. This number’s a little give-and-take, as it’s technically not counting the small details and minutia that are regularly tweaked by new jersey partners. Regardless, that’s a diverse closet of memorabilia to hang up in your Victor Hedman man cave.
101
Points in 128 career playoff games (50 goals, 51 assists).
1,132
Hits. Ouch.
1,613
Blocked shots. A different, more valiant kind of ouch.
79
Victor Hedman’s height in inches. Which, when considering wingspan and reach with a common defenseman’s stick, is just a preposterous range of coverage.
529
Takeaways. Pardon that reach.
33
The current age of Victor Hedman. As a fellow member of the 30s Club, it’s nice to see the Bolts resign such a spritely young man to the franchise. Many youthful years ahead, Victor!
1,000
Pounds of dog food donated by Hedman to the Tampa Bay Humane Society for his 1,000th game. Only a small part of his thousands of dollars and countless hours donated to the animal shelter, all merch-approved.
1
Conn Smythe Trophy, awarded annually to the most valuable player of his team during the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs.
10
Goals scored by Victor Hedman during that Conn Smythe run through the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs—the third-most by a defenseman in NHL history behind Paul Coffey (12) and Brian Leetch (11).
1
James Norris Memorial Trophy, awarded annually to the NHL’s top defensive player. At one point in his career, Hedman was nominated for the trophy six straight times.
2
Stanley Cups. Big deal in this league.
