As the dust settled during the season, the Tampa Bay Lightning team successfully secured the future of their core defender Victor Hedman. The two sides officially signed a new four-year contract worth up to $32 million on Tuesday. This contract not only demonstrates the Lightning team’s recognition of Heidemann’s value, but also signifies that this veteran will continue to contribute his superb skills and rich experience to the team in the next four years.
Last season, Heidemann led the Lightning team forward with outstanding performance, scoring a total of 76 points (including 13 goals and 63 assists), and was equally impressive on the playoff stage, contributing 7 points (1 goal and 6 assists) in five games. Given his outstanding performance and the imminent expiration of his contract, Heidelberg had the opportunity to become a sought after player in the free market, but ultimately he chose loyalty and continued to write a new chapter with the Lightning team.
As one of the most outstanding defenders in the history of the Lightning team, Heidelberg’s achievements are remarkable. He not only ranks third (572 times) on the assist list in the team’s history, but also leads the guard group with a total of 156 goals and 728 points, surpassing the rest of the team. In addition, Heidelberg also ranked second in team history with an attendance rate of 1052 games, following Steven Stancos.
Heidemann’s career is closely linked to the Tampa Bay Lightning team. Since being selected by the Lightning team in second place in 2009, he has spent 15 seasons at the NHL, all dedicated to this team he deeply loves. His contribution is not only reflected in personal honors – he was nominated for the Norris Award five times and ultimately won the Best Defensive Player award in the 2017-18 season, but also in his role as team leader, helping the Lightning win the Stanley Cup twice (in 2020 and 2021), and winning the Conn Smythe Award in the 2020 playoffs, becoming a worthy MVP.
This renewal is not only a recognition of Heidelberg’s past achievements, but also an expectation of his future potential. With the new contract coming into effect, Heidemann will continue to shine in the blue line area of Tampa Bay, leading the team towards higher honors. For the Lightning team, retaining this meritorious veteran is undoubtedly a valuable asset, and they will continue to write a brilliant chapter belonging to Tampa Bay under the leadership of Heidemann.