The 34-year-old Modo product is one of NHL's biggest stars and since last summer also captain of Tampa Bay.
It has long been speculated that Tre Kronor's leadership would choose Hedman as captain and he himself has from the beginning made it clear that he would like to take on that role.
And now it's finally clear.
It's surreal, it's an enormous honor and a dream come true. I'm very exalted, says Hedman.
"Fantastic fun for hockey"
Victor Hedman is the most merited player in Tre Kronor's team in Four Nations with his two Stanley Cup titles with Tampa Bay, 2020 and 2021.
With the title in 2020, he also received the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoffs' most valuable player.
He has been named NHL's best defenseman, Norris Trophy, on one occasion and been nominated for the award five more times.
In Tre Kronor, he has a World Championship gold from 2017 and two bronzes, the latest from the last World Championship in the Czech Republic. Four Nations will, however, be something entirely different compared to a World Championship.
It's a slightly different setup, fantastic fun for hockey to get to see the best of the best. It's only four nations, but four very good nations, says Hedman, and continues:
It's a very fine way to show what we're capable of in the middle of a season, everyone is in their best form, so getting to a tournament like this means a lot, I think. And then it's only a year until the Olympic Games, so this is just a taste of what's to come.
The assistant captains will be the defensive duo Mattias Ekholm and Erik Karlsson, as well as the skilled forward William Nylander.
"Feel sorry for him"
The star-studded Tre Kronor will have to do without goalkeeper Jacob Markström, who is stopped by an injury. It has been clear since earlier that Samuel Ersson will replace him.
You know it can happen, with injuries. With the fantastic season he's had, and then he gets injured like this, it feels very heavy, especially for him himself. We have three fantastic goalkeepers now, but it's clear that you feel very sorry for "Markan", says Hedman.
Four Nations is played in Montreal and Boston on February 13-21 and it's the first time since World Cup 2016 that NHL arranges a national team tournament.
Sweden meets Canada in the premiere in Montreal on the night of February 13.
Sweden: Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay
Finland: Aleksander Barkov, Florida
USA: Auston Matthews, Toronto
Canada: Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh
