NHL Community continued their Proper Now collection, rating the highest gamers by place forward of the season. On the top-20 defensemen record, Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman ranked third.
Whereas it’s no shock that he has a excessive rating, being ranked so excessive is surprising. He obtained Norris Trophy votes final season, which is comprehensible after placing up 76 factors in 78 video games, however he was not a finalist. Right here’s a have a look at why he might need been ranked so excessive and what expectations must be for him this season.
Breaking Down Hedman’s Most Current Season
Hedman is coming off probably the greatest offensive seasons of his profession. His 76 factors have been the second-best output of his profession and ranked fifth within the NHL amongst defensemen in 2023-24. His 85 factors through the 2021-22 season have been his finest, and each have been higher than the 63 factors he put up throughout his Norris-winning season in 2017-18.
Whereas he had an awesome season offensively, his defensive recreation dipped. He had solely 65 hits, the fewest in a season since 2018-19. He had 90 or extra hits within the earlier two campaigns. So, in a season when the Lightning protection was pushed round, their high defenseman was not serving to the trigger.
He additionally had a defensive factors share (DPS) of 5.3, ranked thirteenth within the league. Whereas it’s a very good quantity, 12 gamers have been forward of him. The star NHL veteran has lots left within the tank, however he’s 33 years previous. In concept, he ought to have just a few extra good years on this league. The Lightning agree – they gave him a four-year contract extension over the offseason and can possible identify him captain to succeed Steven Stamkos.
Associated: 2 Tampa Bay Lightning Breakout Candidates in 2024-25
Sure, he’s gained the Conn Smythe Trophy, which he took residence when the Lightning gained the Stanley Cup within the bubble. However that was in 2020, so it gained’t assist his case virtually 4 years later. Hedman remains to be a top-10 participant on this league, however his numbers aren’t top-three essentially.
Evaluating Hedman to Different Defensemen
Quinn Hughes and Cale Makar are the highest two gamers on the record. Hughes simply gained the Norris. Makar is coming off a 90-point season with greater than 20 targets. That checks. Transferring on.
Nevertheless, Hedman is instantly forward of Nashville Predators star Roman Josi, who completed second in Norris voting and had 85 factors in 82 video games final season. The writers declared him higher than Hedman final season, however he’s of an analogous age and placing up comparable numbers. So, it might go both method.
Subsequent, Miro Heiskanen completed fifth on the record, however NHL Community analyst and former NHL defenseman Jason Demers ranked him third, forward of Hedman and Hughes.
https://twitter.com/NHLNetwork/standing/1829277851436318928
Heiskanen is a good participant. He had his fair proportion of offensive manufacturing final season with 54 factors in 74 video games (0.76 factors per recreation) and has a 3.7 defensive factors share. However these numbers have been a little bit of a step again from the season earlier than. I’m undecided he may be put forward of Hedman at the moment.
Then there’s Adam Fox at No. 9. That’s stunning. He averaged greater than a degree per recreation for the primary time in his profession final season, and he continued to be robust defensively with a 5.3 defensive factors share. He completed fourth in Norris voting and was a finalist for the second time simply the season earlier than. It’s mind-boggling {that a} participant might end the season being thought of a top-five participant at their place after which barely crack the highest 10 earlier than the beginning of the following one. I’d put him forward of Hedman, declaring the Lightning star isn’t a top-three participant proper now.
In the long run, these lists are all subjective. Somebody will learn this and say I’m flawed, and that’s okay. However we should always all be capable of agree on one factor: if Hedman remains to be worthy of this dialogue, he’s nonetheless doing a whole lot of issues proper on this league.
