Tampa Bay's Swedish star back has not made any secret of the fact that he would also like to wear the C on the Tre Kronor jersey in the Four Nations in February.
Something he reiterates in an interview with Swedish journalists.
I would absolutely like to do that, 100 percent, he says.
The 34-year-old defenseman, 198 centimeters tall and 111 kilos heavy, became captain of Tampa Bay Lightning in the fall when the previous captain Steven Stamkos did not get a contract extension.
Hedman has delivered directly. So far, he has made 26 points (4 goals + 22 assists) in 29 games.
"Will produce"
If he continues at the same pace, he will land at around the same level as last season's 76 (13 + 63) which was his second most productive of his 15 so far in the NHL.
At best, he has made 85 points, the season 2021-2022.
I'm in a situation where I'm supposed to produce and lead this team, so I'm trying to do it as well as I can. And I have a fantastic environment, he says about the star-studded team that went all the way and won the Stanley Cup both in 2020 and 2021 and fell in the final in 2022.
Only the biggest Swedish players have been captains in the NHL. Right now, there are three - besides Hedman, also Mikael Backlund, Calgary, and Rasmus Dahlin, Buffalo.
It has been fun and very honorable, he explains.
Hedman is one of the hottest candidates to wear the C also on Tre Kronor in the star tournament Four Nations in seven weeks.
Celebrates Christmas - in the pool
The talk is already underway. In Tampa Bay, five players are involved - three of them Canadians. In addition, coach Jon Cooper leads Canada's team.
All teams are good, every game will be tough, and there will always be world-class players on the ice. I'm really looking forward to it, he says.
Next, however, is a Swedish Christmas celebration in Florida for the Hedman family - besides Victor, his wife Sanna and their sons Rio and Viggo.
But does a look at Donald Duck (15.00 in Sweden is only 9 am in Tampa) on Christmas Eve fit in?
It's lucky that it's on YouTube ... We have a regular Swedish Christmas, everyone here celebrates on the 25th, but we do it on the 24th and have probably gotten most of what we need for a good Christmas table with Christmas ham, thin bread, and beet salad and that.
Then we usually take a dip in the pool too, it may not be very Swedish, but it works well in Florida.
The tournament takes place on 13-21 February in Montreal and Boston.
13/2 (Montreal): Canada-Sweden (02.00).
14/2 (Montreal): USA-Finland (02.00).
15/2 (Montreal): Finland-Sweden (19.00).
16/2 (Montreal): USA-Canada (02.00).
17/2 (Boston): Canada-Finland (19.00).
18/2 (Boston): Sweden-USA (02.00).
21/2 (Boston): Final (02.00).
All dates and times are stated in Swedish time.
