The Lightning have signed franchise defenseman Victor Hedman to a four-year contract extension worth $8MM per season, the team announced today. The deal kicks in beginning in 2025-26 and will keep him in Tampa through 2028-29.
The extension is signing-bonus heavy and carries a full no-move clause, The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta reports.
Hedman and the Lightning were headed toward unrestricted free agency next summer, a fate both surely wanted to avoid after watching longtime captain Steven Stamkos depart for the Predators yesterday. Notably, Hedman’s extension is the exact same length and total value as Stamkos’ deal in Nashville. The new deal is a slight raise on his $7.875MM cap hit, which remains in effect for 2024-25 as he plays the final season of the eight-year, $63MM extension he signed in Tampa back in 2016. Hedman, 33, will now be 38 years old when his contract runs out.
Hedman, drafted second overall in 2009, remains Tampa’s undisputed top blue liner and is arguably the second-best talent in franchise history behind Stamkos. They don’t win back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2020 and 2021 without the 6’7″ Swede, who was crowned the Conn Smythe winner the first time around. He was a Norris finalist in every season from 2016-17 to 2021-22 (winning in 2017-18), a span in which he recorded 85 goals, 289 assists, 374 points and a +117 rating while averaging 24:34 across 428 games played.
Two years ago, however, it looked like Hedman’s decline might have started early. 2022-23 was a rough campaign for him on both sides of the puck, with his 0.64 points per game checking in as his worst offensive showing in seven years and his 50.1 xGF% at even strength running surprisingly mediocre despite over 60% of his zone starts coming in the offensive end.
He had a nice rebound campaign last season, though, erupting once again for 76 points (13 goals, 63 assists) in 78 games with a +13 rating. Hedman has also stayed relatively healthy as he ages, never missing more than six games in a season for the past four years. That’s a good sign for their highest-paid blue liner, who will be relied upon heavily next season to anchor a new-look defense that’s seen Ryan McDonagh re-acquired after two years away and Mikhail Sergachev swapped for J.J. Moser in a larger deal with Utah.
It’s the second big-money move from the Lightning in the past two days. They found Stamkos’ pricier but younger replacement, acquiring top free agent left wing Jake Guentzel’s signing rights from the Hurricanes and promptly inking him to a seven-year deal worth $9MM per season. Clearly, GM Julien BriseBois has no intention of letting the Bolts slip out of championship contention anytime soon, doing well to replenish their roster this past week with younger and, in some cases, more cost-effective talent. But keeping Hedman around was always a priority, too, and he becomes the overwhelming favorite to succeed Stamkos as captain this season.
Hedman’s marginal increase on his current deal means the move doesn’t have much of an impact on their long-term salary cap picture. They do still have one big-ticket item to check off their list this summer, though. Moser remains an unsigned RFA, and they’d surely prefer to get him inked to a new deal before he can file for arbitration. It shouldn’t be too big of a hassle, as the Lightning still have $6.65MM in projected cap space remaining with five open roster spots, per CapFriendly.
With Sergachev out and McDonagh and Moser in, Hedman joins Erik Černák as the only Tampa defenseman signed past 2025-26. They have considerably more long-term stability at forward, with Guentzel, Anthony Cirelli, Brandon Hagel and Brayden Point all locked up through the end of the decade.
Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.
an identical contract to Stamkos new deal in Nashville
Really glad to see one of, if not, the best defensemen of his generation & one of the best defensemen in NHL history, Victor Hedman going to stay with TBL. He’s one of the true Mountain Rushmore faces of TBL & a pillar of the organization. He was 5th or 6th in votes for the Norris Trophy this year. I’m sure he’ll continue to produce at a high level for several more years.
It’s really unfortunate he won’t have his bestie Steven Stamkos with him (who should be retiring as a Bolt too). Though after hearing Julien BriseBois & Stamkos, I’m not buying the 3×8 contract rumor nor the $4 to $5m rumor of what Stammer wanted. But who knows, maybe in the future Stamkos pulls a McDonugh especially if the Preds don’t win the Cup in the next 2 years which is what that team is built for. Furthermore, hearing Stamkos yesterday, I don’t think he would be against the idea of returning to TBL especially if he’s still producing at a good percentage.
if I was stamkos I would straight up REFUSE to deal with GMJBB after the stunt he pulled trading for Guentzel over Stammer… Basically kicked a franchise icon to the curb for a guy who is just as good… not better mind you
Time heals all wounds…& Stamkos said while being interviewed yesterday there was “no animosity or ill-will throughout the negotiations.” Now, that doesn’t mean he isn’t highly disappointed, heartbroken nor necessarily agrees how things were handled.
This isn’t the first time TBL had a falling out with their star players as you need to look no further than Martin St. Louis & Vincent Lecavalier. The St. Louis situation was much more bitter than the Stamkos matter. Yet, over time things have healed as both St. Louis & Lecavalier have been affiliated with TBL on numerous occasions & events since.
Only time will tell but Stamkos said it himself when asked about St. Louis & Lecavalier having a fallout with TBL but eventually returned later on for their jersey retirements & such…Stamkos said “I hope so”.
LMFAO. best defenseman of his generation? does being a hot pile of garbage in your own zone, being 240 pounds & never once in your career cleaning out players in front of your goalie constitute “best defenseman” on any planet or galaxy? asking for a friend. man i wish miami would hire you as a GM.
news flash you scouting savant… “producing at a high level” involves more than the points you put up. ole #77 is the most worthless hunk of garbage i’ve ever seen at the primary task his position entails. NO EXAGGERATION.
cue up Brisebois after talk show host & analyst one after another wailling on and on next year about the same shiz as always… how many high scoring chances we give up, turning the puck over in our own end, not being able to clear the puck… and then freaking CRICKETS when it comes to pointing the finger at the main culprit… the great golden calf/idol who can do no wrong… victor soft as charmin tissue hedman.
LOL! The only thing laughable here is you & your nonsensical & ignorant ranting. You’ve been spewing overblown hatred all over these boards about Hedman every time his name is mentioned. Honestly, I think you need some psychiatric assistance as you got some weird & disturbing obsession towards Hedman. Your obsessive hatred for him is board line psychotic. You’re heading for butterfly net territory as you’re one who flew the cuckoo’s nest apparently lol.