Victor Hedman doesn't want his contract situation to drag out the way Steven Stamkos' has.
The Tampa Bay Lightning stalwart defenseman said he hopes to sign an extension in the offseason that could be the final contract of his illustrious playing career.
"We've been here from Day 1, and I've been here for almost half my life," Hedman told The Athletic's Joe Smith. "I couldn't picture anything else. It's a process. It's a business. And just moving forward here, my thought process is on next season, and, hopefully, I won't be in the same position as Stammer, but you never know. My plan is to retire a Bolt, and I hope that will come true."
Stamkos, Tampa Bay's captain, can become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. Hedman can be a UFA in 2025.
Though Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois wanted to let the season play out before giving Stamkos a new deal, he appears more willing to negotiate with Hedman this offseason.
"We'd love to keep Victor going forward," BriseBois said, per Smith. "He's an elite, elite defenseman. He's one of the special all-time players, an all-time Tampa Bay Lightning Bolt who is still super productive. There's no reason to believe that won't be the case going forward."
Injuries littered the Lightning's blue line in 2023-24, but Hedman was the lone constant. The former Norris Trophy and Conn Smythe Trophy winner produced 76 points in 78 games, good for fifth among NHL defensemen.
However, Hedman showed signs of regression, with the 33-year-old recording minus-6.9 defensive goals above replacement, tied for the second-worst among NHL blue-liners, per Evolving-Hockey.
Despite Hedman saying he believes he has "a lot of good hockey left" in him, he added, "I'm not going to play until I'm 40."
But the Swede said he wants to represent his home nation at the 2026 Olympics, one of the lone feats Hedman has yet to accomplish in his career.
The Lightning drafted Hedman second overall in 2009. He ranks second on the franchise's all-time games played list (1,052), third in assists (572), and fifth in points (728).
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