Lightning Name Victor Hedman Captain
Photo credit: Daily Faceoff
The Lightning have wasted no time in naming Steven Stamkos' successor to the captaincy.
Defenseman Victor Hedman will take over as the 11th captain in franchise history, general manager Julien BriseBois announced today.
"We are thrilled to have Victor leading our team as the 11th captain in franchise history," BriseBois said. "Victor is a cornerstone player that is extremely well respected by his teammates, coaches and peers across the NHL. Over the past 15 seasons, he has been a world-class representative for our organization both on and off the ice. Victor embodies what it means to be a member of the Tampa Bay Lightning and is more than ready for this exciting opportunity. We are looking forward to watching him flourish in his new role as we continue to work towards our goal of winning the Stanley Cup."
There was no other logical candidate to assume the role from Stamkos, who left for the Predators in free agency this summer after serving as Tampa Bay's captain since 2013. Hedman is entering his 16th season with the Bolts and is only 30 games back of Stamkos' franchise-record 1,082 games played. He'll assume this record this season, barring a major injury.
Nikita Kucherov will continue serving as an alternate captain as he has since 2022, the team confirmed. Ryan McDonagh will also wear an 'A' in his return to Tampa after two years with the Predators
Previous Lightning Captains:
Steven Stamkos: 2013-14 - 2023-24
Martin St. Louis: 2013-14
Vincent Lecavalier: 2008-09 - 2012-13
Tim Taylor: 2006-07 - 2007-08
Dave Andreychuk: 2002-03 - 2005-06
Vincent Lecavalier: 1999-00 - 2000-01
Chris Gratton: 1999-00
Bill Houlder: 1999-00
Rob Zamuner: 1998-99
Mikael Renberg: 1997-98
Paul Ysebaert: 1995-96 - 1997-98
None: 1992-95
| POLL | ||
18 SEPTEMBRE | 58 ANSWERS Lightning Name Victor Hedman Captain Is Victor Hedman the better choice for the Lightnings captaincy over Nikita Kucherov? | ||
| YES | 47 | 81 % |
| NO | 11 | 19 % |
| List of polls | ||
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