The Tampa Bay Lightning will be without their captain, Victor Hedman, who is taking a temporary leave of absence from the team for personal reasons.
On Tuesday, Lightning coach Jon Cooper confirmed Hedman would miss his third consecutive game. When asked about Hedman’s status, Cooper said, “He’s just not playing, but we’ll see after that.”
Hedman has been out of the lineup since leaving Thursday’s game in Vancouver with 4:44 of ice time. He was scratched for Saturday’s win in Edmonton and Sunday’s OT loss in Calgary.
The veteran defenseman has battled through injuries this season, initially missing 12 games due to an elbow injury before returning briefly. The injury ultimately required surgery, keeping him out from Nov. 12 to Jan. 29.
Hedman returned for the NHL Stadium Series game on Feb. 1 and played three games for the Lightning before representing Sweden in the Olympics. He did not play in Sweden’s quarterfinal round after sustaining a lower-body injury during warmups.
After the Lightning returned from the Olympic break, Hedman said he was feeling like himself again, appearing in the first 12 games and averaging 17:30 of ice time. He did not anticipate any setbacks.
No further details have been shared, and the Lightning ask that Hedman’s privacy be respected at this time.