Lightning’s Victor Hedman to captain Sweden at 4 Nations Face-Off
One of the best blueliners in the game today will be wearing the ‘C’ on his sweater next month.
On Thursday, Sweden announced that Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman will serve as team captain at the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off.
Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson, Edmonton Oilers blueliner Mattias Ekholm, and Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander have been named assistant captains.
Your #4Nations Face-Off captains for Team Sweden are here!
Era kaptener för Tre Kronor i #4Nations Face-Off är här! pic.twitter.com/NzM4cqktWB
Hedman will be representing his country for the second time in less than a year. The Örnsköldsvik native played for the Swedes at the 2024 IIHF Men’s World Championship last spring, serving as an assistant captain while helping his team win the bronze medal.
It was his first international experience since the 2017 World Championship, in which Tre Kronor took home the gold. Hedman also participated in the last “best-on-best” tournament, the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. Hedman was a surprising snub from the Team Sweden roster for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, the last Winter Games where NHLers were able to compete.
This isn’t the first time Hedman will be captaining his country in international competition. Along with serving as an alternate at the World Championships and the 2008 IIHF World Junior Championship, the 6-foot-6 rearguard captained Sweden to the gold at the 2007 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament – now known as the Hlinka Gretzky Cup.
Hedman has also taken home two silver medals at the World Juniors, a bronze at the 2007 IIHF Under-18 Men’s World Championship and two Men’s Worlds bronze medals.
On the NHL side, Hedman has been a massive part of the Lightning’s success. The 2018 Norris Trophy winner helped the Bolts win back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2020 and 2021.
The round-robin portion of the tournament begins in Montreal in 13 days. Sweden opens the 4 Nations Face-Off against Canada on Feb. 12 before taking on rival Finland three days later. Tre Kronor wraps up the opening stage against the United States in Boston on Feb. 17.