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How Hedman Can Still Improve

September 22, 2018, 1:27 PM ET [2 Comments]
Sam Hitchcock
Tampa Bay Lightning Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
What do you do for an encore after winning the Norris Trophy award for the league’s best defenseman? Last season, Hedman tied for the NHL lead in goals among defensemen and finished in the top five in points with 63. Also, while Plus/Minus is a flawed stat, Hedman finished with a startling +32. Hedman missed five games due to injury, which sidelined him enough to prevent him from finishing with the most points among defensemen. Had he played all 82 games, it is conceivable that he could have tied John Carlson for the NHL lead with 68 points.

And yet, despite his spectacular regular season, I think Hedman could score more goals, accrue more assists, and be a more consequential player. When I think about the Lightning and where there is room for untapped upside, I see Hedman as a player who still has potential to become an even more dominant force. But it all starts with binding Hedman with the right defensive partner and forwards.

In 2017-18, Hedman consistently identified lanes where he could creep into the space unchecked. He found room on the second wave of rushes led by propulsive forwards, and had the time to tee up shots due to baggy transition defense by opponents. In the offensive zone, on the cycle, Hedman could power toward the weak side and exploit an unfocused opposing winger. But Hedman’s offensive forays also forced him to expend a lot of effort recovering after a deep pinch. He was expected to step up and challenge enemy puck-carriers in the neutral and defensive zones. Ideally, this year the Lightning will have him winnow out the latter responsibilities as much as possible, and focus on intensifying the former.

If this seems dumb, it is not. Defense is about effort and recognition of obligations. With the Lightning’s glut of speed, and the knowledge imparted by good coaching, the other four Lightning skaters can asphyxiate opponents’ offensive entreaties and do so as a unit. This objective requires less skill, whereas manufacturing scoring chances is the ultimate high-talent demand, which only Hedman and a few select players on the Lightning can do with any regularity. Plus, avoiding collisions is important for Tampa Bay’s superstar defenseman. Hedman injured himself confronting an opposing skater last year. It is a long season, and the Lightning want low physical attrition with a high volume of offensive attempts so that confidence is there come playoff time.

This would be a more ramped up manifestation of Hedman, whereas the 2017-18 postseason gave us a watered-down version with Hedman reducing his aggression, attacking far less, and collecting only one goal (and ten assists) as the Lightning’s offense sputtered.

This model of having a defenseman reorient his focus entirely toward offense was figured out by Sharks and Predators with Brent Burns and Roman Josi respectively. They are by far two of the most skilled puck-handlers and playmakers on their squads, and thus they are in constant attack mode. Consequentially, the demands on their defensive play are slackened—their linemates exert the maximum effort to keep opponents from scoring.

Hedman’s offensive gifts are so pronounced that it seems conceivable he could accumulate 80 points. I think back to February 22nd, when he demonstrated that time isn’t linear. After Kucherov lost possession, Hedman grabbed the puck off the boards, teleported around to different spots evading Ottawa’s meek attempt to disrupt him, and buried the shot in the low slot past Craig Anderson. It was a demonstration of balance, precision, and vision that few NHL players can exhibit, no less a defenseman.

Last season, Hedman had 216 shots, but with a concerted effort to narrow his focus to mostly playmaker, it is believable he could tally somewhere in the range of 260 to 270 shots. After all, Dougie Hamilton ripped 270 when he was a Calgary Flame, and Hedman is a much better player. But Hamilton prioritizes offense above all else, and if the Lightning are smart, they will exhort Hedman to attack as much as possible. Hedman also has a predilection for winding up for the thunderbolt slap shot, but more often, it is the quick release that he found success with last season. His snap shot or short wind-up slap shot are also more accurate, which will burnish his shot total.

It is important to keep in mind that giving Hedman creative carte blanche is mutually beneficial for the forwards on his line. To test this idea, Hedman would need to play with centers and wingers whose success is contingent on a primary facilitator and who thrive playing off the puck. Hedman could suck up the attention on entries and on the cycle, and the puck-less forwards could shift their focus to slipping into empty pockets in the slot, scooping up rebounds on shot attempts, and retrieving the puck once it scurries toward the boards or behind the net. Crucially, they would need to be accountable for Hedman’s deep dives into the offensive zone by being a suffocating presence on transition defense. A line consisting of Ondrej Palat, Yanni Gourde, and Tyler Johnson would seemingly check these boxes. The combination of speed and defensive awareness from this triumvirate, while also narrowing their offensive focus and removing the responsibility of being puck conveyors, makes this a possibly dominant line.

Hockey is a game that can’t be played in retreat, at least not successfully. The Lightning need dependable offense from their defensemen, which means enabling the playmakers in the defensive corps—Mikhail Sergachev as well—to generate scoring chances. If the offense stalls, which it did last playoffs, defensemen who can manufacture offense are a safety valve to keep the machine humming. If the Lightning are going to win the Cup, Hedman won’t be lingering on the margin. He will be leading the rush.
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