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Bolts make splash with Hedman

Associated Press

Top draft pick Victor Hedman poses with Lightning owners Len Barrie, left, and Oren Koules Friday.

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By MARTIN FENNELLY | The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 27, 2009

Updated: 06/27/2009 12:11 am

The second pick of the 2009 NHL draft is 6 feet, 6 inches tall, weighs 220 pounds - and he plays defense. Twenty-three different humans tried to do that for the Lightning last miserable season. He's good news.

His name is Victor Hedman and he's from Ornskoldsvik, Sweden, your basic hockey cradle, which has produced Peter Forsberg, Markus Naslund, Niklas Sundstrom and the Sedin twins, Mitzy and Babs - I mean Daniel and Henrik. It's amazing when you consider it's a town of only 28,000. "Actually, in and around the area there are 55,000, 60,000," Hedman said by phone from Montreal after donning the Bolt for the first time. We always forget greater Ornskoldsvik.

How great will Victor Hedman be?

He's 18 and is hailed as the next great Swedish defenseman in the mold of Red Wings star Nicklas Lidstrom. The word is he can step in right away and play, which is more than we can say about some of the stiffs the Bolts threw on the back line last season.

We're still waiting for the other skate to drop (will Vinny stay or go?), but as far as Friday night, the Lightning did well at No. 2. They got what they wanted - and what they needed.

"We were completely in agreement," Lightning GM Brian Lawton said in Montreal. Lightning owners in agreement? Was there a full moon?

Hedman is easily the splashiest defensive pick this team has made in the first round since it took Roman Hamrlik in its very first first round in 1992.

And he might be another step in the right direction away from that 10-year-long black hole Lightning drafts went into after taking Vinny and Brad Richards in 1998. Steven Stamkos arrived last year, and looks like he will make headlines for a long time.

There have been some amazing talents that have gone No. 2 in recent NHL drafts: Dany Heatley, Jason Spezza, Eric Staal, Evgeni Malkin. Then again, I'm thinking about some past Lightning first-rounders. Cover your ears, children, as I shall say the names: Nikita Alexeev, Alexander Svitov. Nothing is ever certain.

Hedman has size and speed. He's a tremendous skater. He can serve and protect, but can move the puck, too. You'll see him on the power play. You'll see him everywhere. The Bolts, already hawking him, offered anyone buying a ticket package Friday a signed Victor Hedman puck.

As far as those Vinny pucks, we're still waiting to see what happens with No. 4. Friday's draft shed little light. Toronto Maple Leafs general manger Brian Burke, wired for sound by Canadian TV sports giant TSN, was overheard talking to Montreal Canadiens GM Bob Gainey.

"The rumor is he's going to the Islanders or you," Burke said to the stone-faced Gainey.

It was Vinny talk.

But there was no big trade, at least involving the Lightning. But Chris Pronger, a true superstar, was shipped from Anaheim to Philadelphia. It's hard to find defensemen like Pronger. It's even hard to find a guy like Hamrlik, who 16 years later still has an NHL job. We have no idea if Victor Hedman is either of these people. But he'll get his chance, and soon.

Now if only his new team can talk him out of his hobby.

Buckle your seat belts.

"I want to fly planes," Hedman said.

He has already been at the controls with an instructor next to him, but he aims to solo.

"You just feel free up there," Hedman said.

Couldn't he just ride one of the Bucs' motorcycles instead?

Well, OK, Victor, you can fly the team charter one day. It might just save the club some money. And it sure beats dealing Vinny to dump salary.

We're getting ahead of the story.

Friday, the story's name was Victor Hedman.

The Lightning wanted him. They needed him.

Take the stick, kid.

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