Victor Hedman signed a four-year, $32 million contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday. The contract, which has an average annual value of $8 million will begin next season. 
Hedman, who had 76 points (13 goals, 63 assists) for the Lightning last season, and seven points (one goal, six assists) in five playoff games, could have become an unrestricted free agent after this season.
The 33-year-old defenseman is second in games played (1,052) in Lightning history, 30 fewer than center Steven Stamkos, who signed a four-year contract with the Nashville Predators on Monday. Hedman ranks third in assists (572) among all Tampa Bay skaters and first among Lightning defensemen in goals (156), assists and points (728). The second closest defenseman in points in Lightning history is Mikhail Sergachev (257), who was traded to the Utah Hockey Club on Saturday.
Hedman has won the Stanley Cup twice with the Lightning (2020, 2021) and won the Conn Smythe Trophy as most valuable player of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2020, when he had 22 points (10 goals, 12 assists) and a plus-12 rating. In 165 postseason games, Hedman has 117 points (23 goals, 94 assists).
Selected by Tampa Bay with the No. 2 pick in the 2009 NHL Draft, Hedman has played all 15 of his NHL seasons with the Lightning. Â He is a five-time Norris Trophy winner as the best defenseman in the NHL, winning the award in 2017-18.
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