With Steven Stamkos boot-scootin’ on up to Nashville there is not only an opening on the second line but also a vacant captain spot on the roster. Now, we can spill a lot of digital ink and waste a lot of time coming up with various other players that might see that big “C” stitched above their left pectoral muscle, but we all know at some point it’s going to be Victor Hedman wearing it.

At some point The Big Swede will be named the 11th captain in team history and if I had to bet money on it, the team will wait till the home opener to do it. There isn’t a player on the roster more qualified than Hedman to lead the team. He is now their longest tenured player and will, barring injury, will overtake Stamkos as the franchise leader in games played. With 1,052 games under his belt he trails Stammer by just 30.

Add in his 728 points (156 goals, 572 assists), two Stanley Cups, a Conn Smythe, a future plaque in the Hall of Fame, and it’s a no-doubter. With his new four-year extension keeping him in Tampa through the 2028-29 season he also offers some stability in the role. That’s something that hasn’t always been the case with Lightning captains. Stamkos’ 10-year reign as captain is a bit of an exception as their history is littered with one or two year leaders.

Tenure isn’t the only qualifying trait for a player to be named captain. Having the respect of the other players and coaching staff is also part of what makes for a great leader and Hedman has that in bushels. While he might not be the scream and shout type of leader, there aren’t many players that are going to ignore him when he speaks up in the locker room. He also has a bit of a track record wearing a letter as he has sported the alternate captain’s “A” for the last six seasons.

If and when Hedman switches letters on his sweater who will take his spot as an alternate. Nikita Kucherov has served in the role for parts of the last three seasons while Ryan McDonagh wore it for three seasons during his first tenure with the Bolts. Chances are he joins Kucherov as the other alternate. There is the chance Coach Cooper and his staff choose to elevate another player like Anthony Cirelli or Braydon Point.

Even though Jake Guentzel has the big contract and is the shiny new toy, it would be unlikely to see him in a leadership role at this point. He didn’t serve as an alternate in Pittsburgh as they were loaded with long-serving veterans much like the Lightning. Could he be a captain at some point down the road? It’s likely, but that would be a much different Lightning team by that point.