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TAMPA FLORIDA– This had not been the method Victor Hedman pictured his days playing together with his friend finishing.
The defenseman signed up with the Lightning one year after onward Steven Stamkos, and both were colleagues for 15 periods. They expanded from teens right into produced guys, columns of the group’s champion success. They enjoyed living and playing in Tampa fl Bay, and imagined investing their whole professions with each other.
Neither might picture points differently.
Currently, they’ll need to.
The Lightning on July 1 made a worried split with Stamkos, the face of the franchise business for 16 periods. A day after the No. 1 general choice in the 2008 draft left for Nashville as a freelance, Hedman signed a four-year, $32 million extension that likely will permit him to complete his profession in Tampa fl Bay.
For Hedman, the agreement was the understanding of a desire. For the Lightning, it was the begin of a brand-new phase.
Stamkos had actually been the group’s captain for ten years, using the “C” on his jacket because March 6, 2014, his initial video game back from a damaged leg and a day after Marty St. Louis was traded to the Rangers.
No doubt, Stamkos’ separation leaves a significant space in the clothing area. However in Hedman, an alternative captain because 2018-19, the Lightning have a worthwhile follower.
Hedman was inquired about the job the day after Stamkos authorized with the Killers. He stayed away from it, claiming it was prematurely to speak about. Rather, he concentrated on just how much Stamkos aided him and exactly how privileged he was to function together with a gamer he called “the very best captain in the video game.”
Though they were birthed simply 10 months apart, Stamkos had a year of NHL experience when Hedman signed up with the organization in 2009. Hedman attributed Stamkos for aiding him get used to life in the united state as an 18-year-old living far from his indigenous Sweden for the very first time.
” That was a difficult action,” Hedman claimed. “However he was just one of those people that actually tipped up and aided me adjust to life in the United States. Simply an incredible individual. We constantly had a lot enjoyable with each other on the ice, off the ice, playing golf, whatever.
” What made him so great as an individual? Every little thing. He’s simply been an incredible good example for numerous gamers that came with and still are with the Lightning. Simply every little thing (regarding him). (He’s) simply Mr. Perfect.”
Changing Mr. Perfect
While he could have found out a great deal regarding management from Stamkos, Hedman has actually ended up being equally as with the ability of a leader. He’s long been the undoubted head of the protection corps, also when it’s consisted of Ryan McDonagh, a previous Rangers captain.
After Stamkos skated around Amalie Field with the Stanley Mug in 2021, he handed it initially to Hedman, an honor that should not go undetected. A year in the future the exact same ice, Hedman covered his arm around Stamkos as they viewed the Colorado Avalanche commemorate their triumph over the Lightning in the Mug Final.
Those near to the group understand Stamkos has miraculous regard for Hedman. He shared a lot of the main management obligations with him, specifically throughout the Cup-winning years.
Both had equivalent voices in the clothing area yet favored to lead by instance. After hard losses, they selected each various other up while speaking with the media. When various other gamers were inquired about the group’s management, the names of Stamkos and Hedman usually were talked in the exact same breath.
Previous Lightning defenseman Mikhail Sergachev claimed as much recently when he was presented in Utah, where he had been traded in late June.
” I sort of adhered to the leaders I had previously,” he claimed. “Stammer, he’s a terrific leader. Heddy (likewise), and the majority of the moment, they simply play. They head out there and reveal by their instance what they can do, which promotes itself.”
A leader on and off the ice
On the ice, Hedman stays among the organization’s leading defensemen as he approaches his 34th birthday celebration in December. Over the previous 4 periods, just 3 various other blueliners have actually played a lot more mins. Of the 4, just Hedman and 2023-24 Norris Prize victor Quinn Hughes of Vancouver contend the very least 250 factors over that period. Hedman’s plus-59 score is the very best of the team.
Off the ice, Hedman has the exact same humbleness as Stamkos and is a significant factor the Lightning clothing area is called among the closest in the organization. He aids young gamers really feel comfy by taking them under his wing and including them in off-ice tasks like suppers and golf trips.
” He’s, in my point of view, the very best defenseman in the organization and you would certainly never ever understand,” Lightning defenseman Darren Raddysh claimed previously this period. “There’s no vanity to him. He looks after people throughout the area. He’s great to the instructors, the instructors, everybody. He’ll speak out and claim the ideal points at the correct time, yet he’s simply a pal to everybody. He corresponds. You would certainly never ever need to presume what you’re leaving him.”
Hedman claimed going on without Stamkos will certainly need to be a team initiative. The return of McDonagh, that will likely relapse right into an alternative captain function after 2 periods in Nashville, will certainly aid, since he leads in a comparable fashion.
Still, Hedman understands his colleagues will certainly be wanting to him to take the reins next period.
” It begins with me,” he claimed. “I need to take one more action in my management capabilities.
” … There’s mosting likely to be an awareness at an early stage in training school that Stammer isn’t there, and we’re simply mosting likely to need to await that. And, certainly for me, I simply need to prepare to attempt and lead and guide the ship and simply aid the team to find with each other.”
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