Kukla's Korner Hockey

Kukla's Korner Hockey

Victor Hedman In The Norris Trophy Talk

09/30/2015 at 7:56am EDT

from Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times,

"I picked him for the Norris (Trophy) this year," Stamkos said of the award given to the NHL's top defenseman. "No pressure."

Stamkos isn't the only one. Hedman, back under the national spotlight Tuesday for an NBCSN exhibition against the Penguins, should be vaulted by his playoff exposure into Norris conversation all season.

"I think he has those qualities to win it," Nicklas Lidstrom, a seven-time Norris winner, said in a phone interview from Sweden. "You gain that experience that he gained, a lot of more people watching up close. When you have that kind of season you had last year, it's going to be interesting to watch him this year. He's got more knowledge, players and fans know what he can do. It'll be the next step in his career to play at a high level consistently."

The Senators' Erik Karlsson, another Swede who won his second Norris Trophy last season, said Hedman's place among the league's elite is not a revelation.

"He's always been there," Karlsson said. "Everybody has known who he was and who he is and what he can do. He's always been a really solid player, but I think he really stuck out in the playoffs and I think he really showed he can play all the elements of his game."

Hedman just needs to stay healthy. He suffered what the Lightning called a "minor" unspecified injury in the second period of Tuesday's preseason game against the Penguins and didn't return. Center Brian Boyle filled in for Hedman on defense in the third period. Hedman is considered day-to-day with Cooper saying he was taken out as a precaution.

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Paul Kukla founded Kukla’s Korner in 2005 and the site has since become the must-read site on the ‘net for all the latest happenings around the NHL.

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