The Tampa Bay Lightning are close to extending Victor Hedman’s contract.
This news follows the report that Jake Guentzel will join the team after they acquired his signing rights earlier today. Since Hedman is already under contract with Tampa Bay, he has to wait until tomorrow to sign a new deal. His current eight-year, $63M extension ends after the 2024-25 NHL season, and he would have been an unrestricted free agent at 34 years old. With an average annual value of $7.875M since 2017-18, many argue Hedman has been playing on a bargain deal for quite some time.
Over his current contract, Hedman played in 503 regular-season games for the Lightning, scoring 91 goals and racking up 427 points. The team made the playoffs every year during this period, with Hedman contributing 17 goals and 80 points in those seven years . He also won one Norris Trophy, one Conn Smythe Trophy, and two Stanley Cup rings. After parting ways with Mikhail Sergachev during the 2024 NHL Draft’s second day, Hedman’s ice time might increase even more.
Contract Extension Details:
Fans might think it’s great news that their favorite defenseman is staying longer in Tampa Bay! The full details of the new deal will likely come out tomorrow; it will be interesting to see how long this extension lasts. Recently, the team gave Steven Stamkos an eight-year agreement at a similar age to keep costs down.
Hedman handled extra workload well when Sergachev was out last season but can he maintain that over a new extension? Only time will tell if he can keep up his strong performance on the ice as he gets older.
What do you think about this potential extension for Victor Hedman?
