Lightning Sign D Victor Hedman to Four-Year Contract Extension

TAMPA BAY — The Tampa Bay Lightning have signed defenseman Victor Hedman to a four-year contract extension worth an average of $8 million per year, vice president and general manager Julien BriseBois announced today. The contract extension is effective with the 2025-26 season and runs through 2028-29.

The 33-year-old Hedman recorded 63 assists and 76 points in 2023-24, along with 31 power-play points and a team-high, plus-18 rating. He ranked fourth among all NHL defencemen in assists, fifth in points, sixth in power-play points and eighth in average time on ice (24:48). Hedman led all Lightning skaters in average time on ice, while ranking second in assists and fourth in both points and power-play points.

The native of Ornskoldsvik, Sweden, appeared in all five of Tampa Bay’s 2024 Stanley Cup Playoff games as the Lightning lost to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals. Hedman led all Bolts skaters in average time on ice (25:45), while his seven points tied for the team lead and his six assists ranked second.

Hedman, 33, has skated in 1,052 NHL games, all with Tampa Bay, and has recorded 156 goals, 728 points and 259 power-play points with a plus-175 rating. Since his NHL debut in 2009, Hedman’s 728 points and plus-175 rating both rank third among all active defencemen, while his 259 power-play points are the fourth-most and his 1,052 games played are good for fifth.

One of only 11 defencemen in NHL history to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as the Stanley Cup Playoffs’ most valuable player, Hedman has recorded 117 postseason points with 23 goals and 94 assists, all of which are the most among active defencemen, while his 165 career playoff games are good for second, behind only Ryan McDonagh (191 GP). Among defencemen in NHL playoff history, Hedman ranks 10th in assists and tied for 12th in points.

The four-time NHL All-Star remains the only player in Lightning franchise history to win the James Norris Memorial Trophy as the defenceman displaying the greatest all-around ability at the position during the regular season. Hedman is only the third player to skate in 1,000 career games with the club and holds nearly every franchise record among defencemen, including games played, goals, assists (572), points, plus/minus, even-strength goals (124), even-strength points (455), power-play points, shorthanded points (14), overtime goals (8), game-winning goals (28), hits (1,132) and blocked shots (1,613). Hedman also has logged 24,683:30 of career ice time, the most of any skater in Tampa Bay franchise history.

Hedman was drafted by the Lightning in the first round, second overall, of the 2009 NHL Draft.