Player Discussion: Victor Hedman - Part 2: Norris God and Norse God

[Lightning1995]

+5 Thursday night. The Norris god lives

 

[Hockeyville USA]

Someone on here, Reddit, or maybe Twitter said that they thought Hedman hasn't been quite the same level of elite since the unintentional low-bridge hit that Mikko Lehtonen made on him in 2021. Or maybe it's just a result of aging and being played too much. Anyone have thoughts on this? Hedman has still been elite, just a step below our expectations much of the time.

 

[aylib]

Someone on here, Reddit, or maybe Twitter said that they thought Hedman hasn't been quite the same level of elite since the unintentional low-bridge hit that Mikko Lehtonen made on him in 2021. Or maybe it's just a result of aging and being played too much. Anyone have thoughts on this? Hedman has still been elite, just a step below our expectations much of the time.

Seems uncharacteristically slow and/or gassed fairly routinely now.
Head and shoulders above other dmen we have, but like you said- has lost a step.

 

[Bartleby]

Seems uncharacteristically slow and/or gassed fairly routinely now.
Head and shoulders above other dmen we have, but like you said- has lost a step.

Looking at it purely objectively, when compared to the all-time greats in terms of games played, not to mention production, guys like Lidstrom, Coffey, Chara, Bourque, Housley, MacInnis, Murphy, Stevens, all of whom played more than 1400 regular season games and all of whom played more than 120 playoff games, Hedman should still have gas in the tank at 1032 and 160. Let's hope so.

 

[RussianGuyovich]

hedman lacks the speed and agility that so defined his younger years and was the catalyst for his defense, but he’s putting up good offensive numbers.

 

[Flat Ronnie]

Someone on here, Reddit, or maybe Twitter said that they thought Hedman hasn't been quite the same level of elite since the unintentional low-bridge hit that Mikko Lehtonen made on him in 2021. Or maybe it's just a result of aging and being played too much. Anyone have thoughts on this? Hedman has still been elite, just a step below our expectations much of the time.

I suspect we will find out about this when he hangs it up.

 

[DFC]

hedman lacks the speed and agility that so defined his younger years and was the catalyst for his defense, but he’s putting up good offensive numbers.

It's hard for guys to keep up their speed as they age... usually. There are obvious exceptions. But it seems to me there are fewer and fewer exceptions with bigger and bigger guys. Braydon Coburn, remember, was a great skater in Philly. By the time he got here he was an okay skater, and it wasn't long before he was just slow.

 

[TheDaysOf 04]

Hedman hits 50 assists in a season for the 3rd time in his career.


Most 50 assist seasons in franchise history:

1. St. Louis - 6
2. Kucherov - 5
3. Stamkos - 4
4. Richards - 3
4. Hedman - 3

This is also his 60th point this season, 4th time he's done that in his career

 

[TheDaysOf 04]

Victor Hedman reaches the Top 40 for goals by a dman in NHL history

30. Roman Josi	173 goals
31. Scott Niedermayer	172 goals
32. Guy Lapointe	171 goals
33. Carol Vadnais	169 goals
34. Sandis Ozolinsh	167 goals
35. Kris Letang	164 goals
36. Dan Boyle	163 goals
37. Chris Pronger	157 goals
38. Mark Giordano	156 goals
39. Drew Doughty	155 goals
39. Roman Hamrlik	155 goals
39. Victor Hedman	155 goals

Only 26 points away from reaching Mark Howe for Top 25 in points by a dman

 

[OffBy1]

Heddy was not impressive defensively for the first half of the season, but since January is +24 and currently leading the team with a +18. Is he back to a Norse Demigod level at least?

 

[Stammertime91]

He's quietly roaring back yet in a weird way because he hasn't been all that quiet. Defensively suspect at times but he's still producing. When he's off, like usual, the team struggles. He's been good the second half of the season. I feel like him and Raddysh have found chemistry, but still pinch too much at times. I'll still take Hedman over any other defenseman in the league.

 

[TheDaysOf 04]

Hedman reaches 60 assists for the 2nd time in his career. Only Marty and Kuch have done it multiple seasons in franchise history.

1. Nikita Kucherov (2024)	93 assists
2. Nikita Kucherov (2019)	87 assists
3. Nikita Kucherov (2023)	83 assists
4. Brad Richards (2006)	68 assists
- Marty St. Louis (2011)	68 assists
6. Marty St. Louis (2010)	65 assists
- Victor Hedman (2022)	65 assists
8. Steven Stamkos (2022)	64 assists
9. Victor Hedman (2024)	62 assists
10. Nikita Kucherov (2018)	61 assists

Quinn Hughes (3x), Erik Karlsson (2x) and Adam Fox (2x) are the only active nhl dmen to have multiple 60 assist seasons. Roman Josi, John Carlson, Cale Makar, and Brent Burns only did it once. Drew Doughty and Kris Letang never hit 60 assists.

 

[DFC]

He's quietly roaring back yet in a weird way because he hasn't been all that quiet. Defensively suspect at times but he's still producing. When he's off, like usual, the team struggles. He's been good the second half of the season. I feel like him and Raddysh have found chemistry, but still pinch too much at times. I'll still take Hedman over any other defenseman in the league.

I feel like his defense has been fine lately. Not a monster, but it's not the playoffs yet. All our core guys look like they are getting into playoff mode, which gives me some hope that they are all preparing to elevate their game even more.

 

[DarrylshutzSydor]

best defenseman in the nhl

 

[TheDaysOf 04]

 

[TheDaysOf 04]

 

[TheDaysOf 04]

 

[StammerHammer]

Seems like every time Hedman, Stamkos and Kuch score or have an assist they make it onto another list.
The three amigos.

 

[Sky04]

Beast of a game tonight from him.

 

[Zwui21]

 

[EK47]

Will represent Sweden at the worlds and probably be paired with another all time great in Erik Karlsson! That’s something.