How good is Victor Hedman? Really, really good.
Media personalities and hockey fans outside Tampa are starting to learn what the Swedish defenseman is all about, thanks in large part to his presence on hockey’s biggest stage. The fact is that he is a Norris-caliber rearguard.
For evidence of Hedman’s prowess as one of the NHL’s elite defenders, consider his regular season possession statistics. Along with Anton Stralman, he was a possession-driving machine. Like some of the league’s best, he puts up a very respectable Corsi-for percentage each and every year; he posted a 53.90% mark in 2014-15. When Hedman is on the ice, the Lightning have the puck in the offensive zone more often than not. The best defense truly is a great offense.
Remarkably, his numbers have only gotten better in the postseason. Among defensemen who have played at least 300 minutes at five-on-five this spring, not one has a better Corsi rating than Hedman. His 56.13% mark is setting the pace for everyone else. Perhaps most indicative of his dominance is this little tidbit, courtesy of Bruce Arthur:
Shot attempt for and against in the Cup final, at even strength: Victor Hedman, +34. Next highest: Ryan Callahan/Brent Seabrook, +18
— Bruce Arthur (@bruce_arthur) June 14, 2015The great thing about Hedman is that, like Chicago’s Duncan Keith, he has an offensive game to match his defensive strengths. Among defenders who played in at least 750 minutes of five-on-five action during the regular season, only three (Tyson Barrie, John Carlson, and Ryan Ellis) scored points at a better rate than Hedman. He tallied 1.36 points per 60 minutes of ice time. Erik Karlsson couldn’t match that. Neither could P.K. Subban or Shea Weber. And, among that 300-plus-minute group in the postseason, only Keith is scoring more points per 60. Hedman is keeping up with and beating elite company.
Tampa fans have known that Hedman is among the league’s best for at least two seasons. The rest of the league is just starting to take note. With all the attention he’s received in this Stanley Cup Final, it’s hard to imagine that he won’t walk away with a Norris Trophy or two before his career comes to an end. Right now, though, he probably has another trophy in mind.
As always, thanks for reading.
Michael Stuart has been the Tampa Bay Lightning writer for HockeyBuzz since 2012. Visit his archive to read more or follow him on Twitter.
(All statistics are courtesy of War-on-Ice.com, a premier source for hockey analytics.)