- Jon Cooper said Victor Hedman is “not available right now” as Tampa Bay opens its playoff series Sunday against Montreal
- The captain has not played since March 19 and took a personal leave of absence six days later
- Read below for Cooper’s full comments, Hedman’s injury-filled season, and what his absence means for the Lightning
Tampa Bay Lightning captain Victor Hedman will not be available for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference First Round against the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday.
Head coach Jon Cooper confirmed the news Saturday in Tampa.
The veteran defenseman has been away from the team since March 25, when Tampa Bay announced he was taking a temporary leave of absence for personal reasons. He has not played since the first period of a 6-2 win at Vancouver on March 19.
Cooper was honest about the situation without offering many specifics. He said Hedman has been present with the team and has started skating again.
“Vic’s been around us,” Cooper said. “He’s slowly starting to get some ice time and stuff like that, and get himself hopefully back. I’ve been here a long time, he trumps me. And he’s seen it all, I think it’s vital and it’s great.”
The 35-year-old Swede is traveling with the team during the playoff run. Cooper made clear Tampa Bay plans to keep his situation private.
“We love having him around, because he’s our captain, he has a wealth of experience, so he’s going to be with us and on this trip,” Cooper said. “But as I said, probably not available right now, and it’s playoff time, so we keep those things close to the vest.”
Hedman’s year has been a grind. He has played only 33 games and totaled 17 points, battling an early-season injury, elbow surgery in December, and a lower-body issue during the Olympic break. The captain returned when the Lightning resumed play on Feb. 25 and skated in 12 games before the March 19 exit at Vancouver.
Tampa Bay already has plenty to sort through in a bitter first-round matchup. Martin St. Louis will coach the Canadiens against the franchise he once defined, and emotions are already running warm on both benches.
Game 1 is set for Sunday at 5:45 p.m. ET at Benchmark International Arena. The series then shifts to Montreal for Games 3 and 4 beginning Friday. The full first round schedule is here.
Hedman leads every Lightning defenseman in franchise history in games, goals, assists, and points. He won the Conn Smythe Trophy during the 2020 Cup run and took home the Norris in 2018. Losing that pedigree on the back end is a heavy blow entering the postseason, and Tampa Bay will need more from Erik Cernak, J.J. Moser, and rookies stepping into bigger minutes.
Cooper has been through plenty of playoff series without his full lineup. He does not sound ready to rule Hedman out for the entire first round, but Sunday is clearly off the table.
