Coming off a career year, can Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman be better this season?

by Erik Erlendsson | @Erik_Erlendsson | Like us on Facebook
October 5, 2017

TAMPA – The glamor and spectacle of opening night is upon the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The glitz and lights will shine down on the ice as the full staff and roster is introduced to the crowd for the first time. There will be roars of cheers, the loudest of which will be reserved when Steven Stamkos emerges from the tunnel and steps back on the ice for his first NHL game since Nov. 15.

But the next loudest ovation should be reserved for No. 77, Victor Hedman.

Coming off a season in which the Hedman finished third in the Norris Trophy voting as the league’s top defenseman and led all defensemen with 56 assists, the former second overall pick set the standard extremely high.

Can he raise that bar? Does he need to?

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Hedman is the engine on the Lightning. He drives so much of what they can do every time he’s on the ice. Last year, he put it all together and experienced his best regular season, finishing with 16 goals and 72 points, second among all defenseman.

As the Lightning begin their 25th anniversary season, Hedman is entrenched as one of the top defensemen in the league and again a top candidate for the Norris Trophy, even if it’s a clean sheet of ice.

”You are seeing a guy who is at the top of his game now,’’ Lightning television analyst Brian Engblom said. “Physically, just years of working out, he’s at the peak right now. He’s had those bumps and bruises, done things wrong and done things right from the time he came in to the league at 18. Now all that experience is there, he knows what he is fully capable of.’’

The points help him stand out, especially when it comes to voting time. But there is so much more to Hedman’s game that makes him a dynamic two-way defenseman who doesn’t have to hit the scoresheet to have a big impact.

”Everyone is going to look at the offensive numbers and he obviously had a great offensive year, but he does so much more than that,’’ Lightning captain Steven Stamkos said. “I think that gets lost sometimes in the shuffle when you have a good statistical year. He doesn’t have to score as many points as he did last year to have a better season. He may end up doing that because he’s that good.

“But he’s the total package, there are not many defensemen in this league that can put up those points, that can be the guy on the power play, the first guy over the boards on a penalty kill, can be the guy that is out there in every situation as well as take on a leadership role, which that will be expected of him this year, as well.’’

It’s been a slow, steady climb to get to this point.

”To see the progression from Heddy since day one when he got here in Tampa has been amazing and fun to watch,’’ Stamkos said. “When you have a guy who is that good at every aspect of the game, you just want him to continue that. He doesn’t have to go out there and skate the puck end-to-end, he just to be the horse that he’s been since we went on that Cup run, he’s just taking off from there.’’

Hedman may not have reached his ceiling yet.

”He’s been progressing every year he’s been in the league,’’ Lightning head coach Jon Cooper said. “He came in when he was 18 and there were a lot of learning years there, but since I’ve been here, he’s taking a step every single year. I think the Cup year (2015) in the playoffs was his coming out party, he’s kind of built on that ever since. He’s refined his offensive game a little bit, he’s able to run a power play now, which he wasn’t as good at in years past. So his whole game has rounded out. He’s a horse, he’s one of those guys who can play 25 minutes a night and be one of those stabilizers back there.

So if he equals last year and finds a way to do better, that’s good for us.’’

As far as Hedman is concerned, he’s just trying to be a better player and make as big of an impact on the team as he can, contribute to wins and help lead the Lightning to titles. That’s the goal every year. And every year starts new.

”You can learn and build off stuff, but it’s a new season, it’s new responsibilities for me,’’ Hedman said. “We have a lot of guys battling for ice time, me included, so I just try to put my best foot forward every night.’’

But does that mean he can be better this season than he was last season?

”There is always room to improve and he was great for us last year, but I like to think that he thinks he can always be be better,’’ left wing Alex Killorn said. “So, why not?”

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