TAMPA, Fla. — One day after Steven Stamkos signed with the Nashville Predators, to the shock of many Tampa Bay fans, the Lightning signed defenseman Victor Hedman to a four-year extension.
Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois announced Tuesday morning the extension with the 33-year-old , offering an annual value of $8 million beginning with the 2025-26 season.
Hedman has played in 1,052 career NHL games, staying loyal to the Lightning throughout his hockey career. So far, he's registered 156 goals, 728 points and 259 power-play points with a plus-175 rating, according to a Lightning news release.
The Swedish ice hockey defenseman played in five of the Bolt's Stanley Cup Playoff games in 2024. He recorded 63 assists and 76 points last season. He ranked third among all active defensemen in the NHL, fourth in power-play points and fifth for games overall. He's also a four-time NHL All-Star, two-time Stanley Cup champ, a James Norris Memorial Trophy recipient and the winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy for most valuable player of the 2020 playoffs.
Hedman was drafted by the Lightning in the first round of the 2009 NHL Draft.