Full disclosure: this writer has always liked the cut of the jib of Tampa Bay Lightning star defenseman Victor Hedman. The Bolts’ Swedish blueliner has always been a straight shooter, an affable interview, and of course, a first-rate athlete headed directly into the Hockey Hall of Fame shortly after he retires.
So it was a true delight to see Hedman speak out to THN editor-in-chief Ryan Kennedy last week regarding the Lightning’s arch-rivals and current back-to-back Stanley Cup champions, the Florida Panthers. Because Hedman came right out and said it – as he sees it, the Panthers are not going to be Cup champions again at the end of the coming season.
“They’re not going to win three (Cups) in a row,” Hedman said of the Panthers.
Now, those nine words from Hedman are almost assuredly going to be white-board material in Florida’s dressing room all season long. NHL teams long for motivation wherever they can get it, and Hedman has just provided it.
And you know what? That’s great. Many teams prefer their players to never say anything of consequence. But as a league that’s in the entertainment business, you want to encourage the drama of your entertainment product, and Hedman definitely did that with those words. He also gave full marks to the Panthers while expressing confidence Tampa Bay is in a position to go farther in the post-season than Florida this time around.
“We're excited and we're happy about where we are as a team," Hedman told Kennedy at the recent NHL media tour. "(The Lightning) were in the same boat (as the Panthers)...They have a phenomenal team and we just have to figure it out. We played better than the year before and we're ready for it if it comes.
“Our goal is always to make the playoffs first and foremost and we'll see who we get. But if we get (the Panthers) again, we know each other inside-out. It's just a matter of bounces and health and who can perform at that level."
Hedman spoke no lies. It’s incredibly difficult for all the stars to line up just one year – health-wise, puck luck-wise, and in terms of coming together at the right time of year – in order for a team to win a Cup. The odds of a repeat championship in the full-parity salary cap era are even more remote, so imagine how many things would have to go right for the Panthers to win three Cups in a row.
Indeed, if the Lightning and Panthers square off in the first round again this coming season, it should surprise no one if Hedman is correct and Tampa Bay is the team that eliminates Florida this time around. The intra-state rivalry between the Bolts and Panthers is only going to get more intense and competitive in 2025-26, and Hedman’s words – playfully inflammatory as they may be – are good for the league and its two Florida teams.
There’s a healthy hate at play here with Hedman’s remarks. And because of Hedman’s honest insights, hockey fans in the Sunshine State are going to get a better product to invest their time, money and emotion in.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.