With a record of 12-9-2 and the best goal differential in the Atlantic Division, the Tampa Bay Lightning are off to a solid start this season. The organization was the center of attention over the summer as management made franchise-altering moves to keep the team’s contention window open. One of those decisions was moving on from captain Steven Stamkos, who signed a four-year deal with the Nashville Predators.
However, the Lightning didn’t take long to name a new captain for the next wave of their franchise. That title belongs to Victor Hedman when Tampa Bay named the blueliner the 11th captain in team history in September. Considering he eclipsed the 1,000-game plateau last December, along with his astounding resume (two Stanley Cups, one Conn Smythe Trophy, one Norris Trophy), the choice wasn’t difficult for the Lightning.
In a late rally against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday night (Nov. 30) at Amalie Arena, Hedman became the Lightning’s all-time leader in assists, surpassing his former teammate Martin St. Louis. Despite turning 34 in three weeks, he anchors the Bolts’ back end. He’s quietly having one of the best starts to a season in his lengthy career and has flown under the radar due to the offensive production by the forwards up front.
Hedman’s Box Score Stats Look as Impressive as Ever
With a career-best of 85 points in 82 games during the 2021-22 season, Hedman is on pace to have a top-three offensive season throughout his career. His four goals and 22 points in 23 games are tied for fourth amongst defensemen in the NHL this season. His five-on-five production has also been solid, as his nine points at that strength are tied for 27th. His point totals are impressive, but it’s not the most surprising part of his game this season.
Hedman’s Revived 5-on-5 and Defensive Metrics
While Hedman posted the second-best offensive numbers of his career last season with 13 goals and 63 assists for 76 points in 78 games, his defensive and play-driving metrics were bottom-of-the-barrel league-wide amongst defenders. Let’s compare this season and last season’s five-on-five on-ice metrics to showcase his drastically improved impact.
The Lightning have been a much better defensive team in 2024-25, partly due to Hedman’s revival defensively. In 2023-24, amongst 217 qualified defenders (500+ minutes TOI at five-on-five), he ranked 188th in expected goals against per 60 (xGA/60) via Natural Stat Trick. This statistic measures the quality of unblocked shot attempts a player surrenders when on the ice. However, he has completely turned things around this season, where his 2.13 expected goals against per 60 (xGA/60) rank 30th amongst 190 qualified defenders (200+ minutes TOI at five-on-five).
Related: 2 Lightning Players Showing Improvements at 5-on-5 Early This Season
Moving on to his possession ranks using the same field of qualified defensemen, there’s yet another drastic improvement for Hedman. His subpar 49.32% expected goals for percentage (xGF%) at five-on-five ranked 115th amongst defenders last season. Compared to this season, he controls 56.92% of the on-ice expected goal share (xGF%), ranking 21st relative to his position in this metric. This higher percentage indicates he now controls both the quality of unblocked shot attempts for and against when on the ice for the Lightning this season.
Is Hedman Tampa Bay’s Early Season MVP?
With all the flashy point totals and skill up front, Hedman continues to be severely overlooked for his play this season. While his five-on-five production hasn’t been elite like last season, he’s been solid enough offensively while playing arguably superstar-caliber defense. His well-rounded approach to the game and ability to elevate his teammates at five-on-five make him a contender for the Norris Trophy, awarded to the NHL’s best defensemen.
The Lightning will rest until their next game on Thursday at home against Macklin Celebrini and the San Jose Sharks. Tampa Bay will look to claw out of the Wild Card race and into a secure playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with games in hand.
