The other night when Victor Hedman recorded four assists against the Winnipeg Jets, it started me looking at different records for the Tampa Bay Lightning since he just needed one more assist to tie the franchise record for assists in a game. By the way, the way I remember the franchise record numbers (for now) is 4-5-6; four goals (Chris Kontos, Marty St. Louis), five assists (Mark Recchi, St. Louis), six points (Doug Crossman). Those are the franchise records for each in a game.
That started me start wondering what franchise records he didn’t own, at least among the defensemen. Obviously there’s a lot of skater records he doesn’t and will never own because he unfortunately for us won’t be able to play at this same high level until he’s 60 years old.
There are three categories that we can look at for records; career, season, and game. And then all three of those categories can further be split into regular season and playoffs. Let’s go through the records he doesn’t own and how far away he is from owning each of them.
I’ll also note, I’ve chosen to ignore some of the rate stats that can be influenced by a player playing very few games that sets an impossible number to beat by an NHL regular. We’ll mostly just be looking at the main box score stats that are on the “Summary” Report of NHL.com. Shared records will not be included since he technically is the franchise leader, even if tied with someone else.
Career – Regular Season
Penalty Minutes (PIMs) – Hedman currently sits at 620 PIMs in his career. He trails Pavel Kubina’s 784 for the franchise record. Seems likely his career in Tampa will last long enough that he’ll get the 164 PIMs required to pass Kubina, but it will take a little bit yet. Based on his last four seasons, it should take him another four seasons or so.
Power Play Goals – This one actually surprised me a little bit as I figured he’d be a bit higher up the list. Hedman ranks fourth with 25. He trailed Kubina (33), Dan Boyle (31), and Roman Hamrlik (27). With just nine more needed, I’m confident he’ll get this one.
Shorthanded Goals – Pavel Kubina’s franchise record of 5 is unlikely to be beaten if we’re being honest. No one other defenseman in franchise history has gotten more than one and Hedman has never scored one. As much as he likes to get up the ice on the rush, he’s usually a bit more responsible on the penalty kill and doesn’t usually take that risk.
Career – Playoffs
PIMs – Once again, Hedman trails behind Kubina. Kubina has 98 PIMs while Hedman has 82. Again, this feels like one that he’ll have at some point.
Shorthanded Goals – Like the regular season, I don’t really anticipate Hedman breaking this one, but it may be a bit easier since only Mattias Ohlund and Filip Kuba have scored a shorthanded goal for the Lightning in the playoffs from the blue line.
Shorthanded Points – Like the shorthanded goals, this one is easier to break than others, but Hedman also hasn’t recorded a single shorthanded point in the playoffs. Kubina and Ryan McDonagh join Ohlund and Kuba tied for the franchise lead with one shorthanded point each.
Season – Regular Season
Goals – This is one that Hedman is currently chasing. Dan Boyle holds the record with 20 goals and Hedman is sitting at 19 for the 2021-22 season. He’s so close, he can smell it.
Plus/Minus – This is one I don’t care about very much, but Ryan McDonagh in 2018-19 had quite the season with a +38. Hedman’s 2017-18 was the second highest at +32. As of today Hedman is at +24 for the 2021-22 season.
PIMs – This is one that Hedman will never take. Enrico Ciccone holds the first and second highest PIM totals in a season with 258 and 225 PIMs. Hedman’s highest total came in 2009-10 in his rookie season with 79, and his sophomore season of 2010-11 was the only other time he’s gotten to 70 PIMs in a season.
Power Play Goals – This is another that I think he’ll struggle to beat. Roman Hamrlik holds the franchise record with 12 set in 1995-96. This season’s 5 power play goals is already Hedman’s career best and only good for tied-14th most by a defenseman.
Power Play Points – This is another one that I’m surprised Hedman hasn’t gotten, especially since 2016-17, his career high of 33, was a season when the Lightning’s power play was really clicking. Hamrlik also holds the record here from 1995-96 with 42 power play points and Dan Boyle is in second at 37.
Shorthanded Goals – He just doesn’t score shorthanded, so Kubina’s two from 2001-02 will be hard to beat.
Shots On Goal – Hedman does shoot the puck a lot, but Hamrlik shot it so much you wonder when he had time to play defense. Hamrlik holds the two highest shooting seasons in Lightning history at 281 and 238. Hedman’s 216 in 2017-18 ranks third. In case you were wondering the only folks to have more than 281 shots in a season for the Lightning are named Steven Stamkos (2x), Vincent Lecavalier (5x), and Brad Richards.
Season – Playoffs
Plus-Minus – A testament to how solid Ryan McDonagh was defensively in the 2021 playoffs, he posted a +18 while only recording eight points, all assists. Hedman’s 2020 playoffs come in second at +13.
PIMs – Hedman’s 2020 playoffs rank 5th on the list at 24 PIMs. Kubina holds the top spot with 50 in 2004. He also shares the second place spot with Mikhail Sergachev as both had 26. Cory Sarich is in 4th at 25 PIMs.
Shorthanded Goals – We basically covered this already with Ohlund and Kuba having their shorthanded goals.
Shorthanded Points – Copy, paste, move on. Franchise record is one point.
Single Game – Regular Season
Goals – Hedman has never recorded a hat trick, so he trails Doug Crossman and Dan Boyle for this record.
Points – The franchise record of six points is held by defenseman Doug Crossman (which also came in the game he scored his hat trick). Hedman’s career high is four points.
Plus-Minus – The defenseman that fans decided to love to hate later in his career with the Lightning, Matt Carle, holds this record with a +6 in a 6-3 win over the Philadelphia Flyers in January of 2014 (Carle had two assists). Hedman’s career high is +4.
PIMs – Another one I don’t see Hedman beating. Chris Joseph surprisingly holds this record of 36 PIMs set in 1993-94. I say a surprise because I figured Enrico Ciccone was a shoe-in for this one, but he came in second with 32 PIMs. Hedman’s career high is 15 set in 2011-12 when he fought Andrew Ladd in the third period and also picked up a 10 minute misconduct with 11:31 to go. He actually could have come out of the box near the end of Overtime, but Stamkos ended the game 45 seconds into overtime with his 56th goal of the season.
Power Play Points – Doug Crossman in his six point game holds this record with four power play points. Hedman’s career high is three which he’s done twice, including once earlier this season against Detroit.
Shorthanded Goals – Another copy paste. The record is one.
Single Game – Playoffs
Plus-Minus – Erik Cernak holds this record with a +4 recorded against Boston during the 2020 playoffs. Hedman’s career high is +3.
PIMs – Another record held by Pavel Kubina with 20 PIMs in a game against Ottawa. Hedman’s career high is 10, which he has done twice, in 2019 and 2020, both being for ten-minute misconducts late in the third period.
Power Play Goals – Another Kubina record with two power play goals.
Shorthanded Goals – One last copy paste. The record is one.
The End
There you have it. All of the relevant Lightning Franchise Defensemen records that Hedman does not currently own. Some of them are likely to become his in the future, while others are woefully, and sometimes thankfully, well out of reach for him.
