Victor Hedman made his NHL debut on October 3rd, 2009 against the Atlanta Thrashers. Hedman was merely 18 years old but registered more than 26 minutes of play and assisted on Tampa Bay’s very first goal of the season. 999 games later, Hedman has already carved his name into the loftiest heights of Lightning lore. Two Stanley Cups, Four Stanley Cup Final appearances, nine All-Star teams, a Conn Smythe Trophy, a James Norris Memorial Trophy. He is the hockey pride of Sweden and the defensive anchor of an entire Lightning era. And we’re celebrating accordingly. From a penned letter from his father to his career through the years, here’s everything covering Victor Hedman’s 1000th game with the Tampa Bay Lightning.