Victor Hedman signs four-year extension with Tampa Bay Lightning

The big man isn’t going anywhere.

The Tampa Bay Lightning have come to terms with defenseman Victor Hedman on a four-year contract extension worth $8 million per season.

The 33-year-old defenseman has one year left on his current deal with an AAV of $7.875 million. He also boasts a modified no-trade clause.

Hedman has spent his entire NHL career with the Bolts since getting selected second overall back in 2009. The 6-foot-6 defender is coming off a productive season that saw him score 13 goals and 76 points in 76 games. The feared, physical, two-way defender also represented Sweden at the World Championship last month, recording eight points in 10 games en route to a bronze medal.

Hedman was recently named as one of Sweden’s first six players at the 4 Nations Face-Off, set to take place in Montreal and Boston next year.

Tampa Bay relied heavily on Hedman during the team’s two Stanley Cup victories in 2020 and 2021, taking home the Conn Smythe as playoff MVP in 2020. He also had a six-year stretch as a Norris Trophy finalist from 2017-22, helping to mark his territory as one of the best defensemen of his generation.

The deal will help solidify Tampa’s blueline for at least a few more years. The Bolts traded Mikhail Sergachev to Utah on Saturday, meaning Hedman will remain as the team’s No. 1 defender.

Tampa Bay entered the weekend with a host of notable free agents, including Steven Stamkos and Jake Guentzel, the latter of whom the Lightning traded for on Sunday afternoon. Other pending UFAs include Calvin De Haan, Matt Dumba, Haydn Fleury, Tyler Motte, Anthony Duclair, and Austin Watson.

JJ Moser, who was part of the Sergachev trade, is a pending RFA.