TAMPA \u2014 Time has flown by for Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman.
He remembers well the details of draft day in 2009 in Montreal, and his family being there when Tampa Bay selected him second overall. The franchise planned to team him with center Steven Stamkos, the top overall pick in the previous draft, as the building blocks of its future.
Now in his 15th NHL season, Hedman has accomplished more than most. He has lifted the Stanley Cup twice, winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as the postseason\u2019s top performer in 2020, as well as a Norris Trophy in 2018 as the league\u2019s top defenseman. His 677 career points are fourth-most among active defensemen.
On Monday, he reached a milestone that\u2019s a testament to his productivity and longevity. as he played his 1,000th career NHL game. He became the first Lightning defenseman and third player in franchise history to reach that mark, joining Vincent Lecavalier (1,037) and Stamkos (1,027).
Hedman, 32, is the seventh Swedish defenseman to reach the milestone. The only two to do so and have as many career points as Hedman, Nicklas Lidstrom and Borje Salming, are both in the Hockey Hall of Fame. Hedman likely will join them one day.
He was honored with a pregame ceremony before Monday\u2019s game against Dallas at Amalie Arena, presented with a silver stick. All of the family members who were there 15 years ago on draft day \u2014 parents Olle and Elizabeth, brothers Oscar and Johan, and wife (then-girlfriend) Sanna \u2014 were there to celebrate the moment. His two young sons, Rio and Viggo, were recent additions.
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Hedman\u2019s teammates took the ice for the pregame skate wearing jerseys with his name on the back, his No. 77 on the shoulders and the No. 1,000 on the back. A video montage was narrated by Stamkos, and former teammates Ondrej Palat, Pat Maroon, Ryan McDonagh and Alex Killorn offered their congratulations in a video compilation.
\u201cYou don\u2019t take anything for granted in this league,\u201d Hedman said before the game. \u201cIt was kind of a rough start to my career, there were lots of ups and downs. But I found my way, and here we are today. So I\u2019m going to embrace this whole day, treat it like a normal game day during the day, but then tonight it\u2019s going to be very, very special with all my family and friends in town for tonight. So, it\u2019s going to be a blast.\u201d
Dirk Shadd is a staff photographer. Reach him at dshadd@tampabay.com.
Eduardo A. Encina is a sports reporter covering the Tampa Bay Lightning. Reach him at eencina@tampabay.com.
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