Hedman-Stamkos bond boosts Lightning entering Game 2 of Final

DENVER -- Steven Stamkos describes his relationship with teammate Victor Hedman as that of an old married couple, complete with the accompanying chirping.

But when crunch time arrives, the good-natured verbal shots are exchanged for quiet leadership toward the common goal of helping the Tampa Bay Lightning win a third consecutive Stanley Cup championship.
They were looked upon to do just that when the Lightning attempted to even the best-of-7 Stanley Cup Final in Game 2 at Ball Arena on Saturday.
"It's a lot of fun as a brotherhood," Hedman, a defenseman, said Friday of his friendship with Stamkos, a center. "It's been very special to share all of these moments.
"The calm confidence comes from just experience. We've been through all the ups and downs, and the past few seasons we've obviously had success. But that's what we want to bring to the team. You've got to stay calm, even through tough situations.
"We're down one game but we know but that's not going to change your approach, that's not going to change who we are and how we are in the locker room or at the hotel with one another."
The two continue to be the backbone of Tampa Bay's championship run, each having the other's back and stepping up when the other might be ailing.
Such was the case during the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs when a lower-body injury limited Stamkos to 2:47 of ice time, all in Game 3 of the Cup Final. He made the most of it, scoring in the 5-2 win against the Dallas Stars.
Enter Hedman, who picked up the slack in Stamkos' absence and had 22 points (10 goals, 12 assists) in 25 games. His stellar play at both ends of the ice led to him being voted the Conn Smythe Trophy winner as the most valuable player in the playoffs.
The Lightning won the Cup again in 2021 when Hedman (two goals, 16 assists) and Stamkos (eight goals, 10 assists) each had 18 points in 23 games. This time, each has 15 points in 18 postseason games: Stamkos has nine goals and six assists, Hedman two goals and 13 assists.
"They're best pals but they're also very competitive," Chris Stamkos, Steven's father, said. "They push each other. They were drafted in back-to-back years, so they had to go through some tough times together to end up learning what it takes to win at this level."
RELATED: [Stanley Cup Final coverage | Stanley Cup Final schedule]
After Stamkos was selected No. 1 by the Lightning in the 2008 NHL Draft, they picked Hedman at No. 2 a year later. They went through some lean years together before Tampa Bay started to pick up momentum under coach Jon Cooper and reached the 2015 Stanley Cup Final, losing to the Chicago Blackhawks in six games.
One year later, Stamkos made a decision that was crucial to the fate and future of Hedman and the Lightning.
Eligible to become an unrestricted free agent July 1, 2016, he was wooed by a number of suitors, including his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs, the team he grew up rooting for. The Maple Leafs pulled out all the stops and brought Toronto Mayor John Tory and Michael B. Medline, then the CEO of Canadian Tire, into their recruiting meeting with Stamkos.
"Even dating back to minor hockey, we tried not to make rash decisions and emphasize stability," Chris Stamkos said. "He played a lot of his minor hockey with Markham (in Ontario) because of that mindset. He looked at all his options, realized what a good team there was in Tampa with Victor and some of the others, and made the decision to stay. He and Victor were in touch throughout the process."
On June 29, 2016, Stamkos immediately reached out to Hedman after agreeing to an eight-year, $68 million contract ($8.5 million average annual value) with Tampa Bay.
On July 1, the Lightning announced Hedman had signed an eight-year, $63 million contract extension ($7.875 AAV). And with that, their collective Stanley Cup dream continued in Tampa.
"We signed within 12 hours of each other," Hedman said. "When he texted me and said, 'OK, I decided to stay,' I was relieved and said, 'OK, I can re-sign too.'"
What would the Lightning's fate have been had Stamkos gone elsewhere? The Tampa Bay captain said he isn't sure but that he's happy with his decision.
"Who knows what would have happened had I made a different decision?" Stamkos said. "Obviously [it's] a decision that has worked out ultimately for both of us.
"We're definitely happy that he and I have been able to see this thing through. Now, let's keep this thing going."