New Captain: Victor Hedman takes the 'C' honor for Bolts

TAMPA — Another season of Tampa Bay Lightning hockey is set to begin, albeit with a new captain. Victor Hedman named new captain for Tampa Bay Lightning He replaces franchise icon Steven Stamkos, who signed with the Nashville Predators The team has convened for training camp Franchise icon Steven Stamkos left the team after 16 years — and two Stanley Cup titles — to sign with the Nashville Predators. “He’s been obviously the only captain I’ve ever had. He’s such a big part of this team and the community,” Brayden Point said of “Stammer. ” “It’s been different.

” Stamkos is gone but not forgotten. “It’s hard to replace a guy like him,” Nikita Kucherov said. “As (Victor Hedman) said, everybody has to step up on the ice, off the ice, and do everything that we can to help the team win. ” Hedman, 33, will be the newest player to wear the captain’s C on his sweater, replacing Stamkos, who was captain for 10 years. “Obviously, I know that there is a lot more responsibility to wearing that ‘C,’ but to do it for a team that I’ve played with for 15 years just means the world to me,” Hedman said.

Hedman’s accomplishments speak for themselves as a member of the back-to-back-to-back teams that reached the Stanley Cup Final, winning two. “He’s got a Norris, he’s got a Conn Smythe, two Stanley Cups, four Cup finals, a world championship, he’s a very accomplished player,” said GM Julien BriseBois. “He’s one of the best players of his generation and one of the best players in the history of this game. ” Kucherov and Ryan McDonaugh were named alternate captains.