Tampa Bay Lightning captain Victor Hedman said Tuesday he stepped away from the team this season to focus on his mental health, calling the decision difficult but necessary.
"I've spent most of my life in this game, and nearly all of my career with this organization," Hedman said in a statement. "Wearing this jersey - and serving as captain - is the greatest responsibility of my professional life."
"That responsibility doesn't only apply on the ice. Over the past couple of months, I made the decision to step away and focus on my mental health. It was not an easy decision, but it was the right one."
The defenseman hasn’t played since March 19, when he left during the first period of a 6-2 win against the Vancouver Canucks after logging just 4:44 of ice time.
On March 25, the Lightning announced Hedman would be taking a leave of absence for personal reasons. The 35-year-old finished with 17 points (one goal, 16 assists) in a season limited to 33 games.
On Tuesday, Hedman said his decision to step away in Vancouver wasn’t tied to a single issue, but rather a buildup over time.
“Obviously, after that first period in Vancouver, that was the final straw,” said Hedman. “So, it’s something that’s been going on for a long time. I went through ways to get around it, but I wasn’t able to do that. So that’s where the decision came that I needed to take some time.”
Injuries also disrupted Hedman’s season. He played the first 15 games before sustaining a hip injury on Nov. 8 and didn’t return until Dec. 6, missing 12 games. He played just three games after that before being placed on injured reserve Dec. 11. Four days later, the Lightning announced he would have a procedure on his elbow that would likely keep him out until February 1.
© Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn ImagesHe played in the final three games prior to the 2026 Winter Olympic break before joining Team Sweden, but missed the quarterfinals. He skated in the Lightning’s first 12 games before leaving against Vancouver.
Hedman said he hopes coming forward will help others feel supported, adding that he's had the same therapist for four years and said she “has no clue about hockey”.
“She’s learning, you know, that’s kind of nice,” said Hedman, “She’s not focused on me as a hockey player, she’s focused on me as a person, so it’s been great. She’s been a tremendous help. She’s one of the big reasons I’m standing here today.”
Hedman attributed his struggles on the ice this season to what was going on mentally, and credited former Lightning captain Steven Stamkos and Ottawa Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark for their support.
Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois said he was proud of Hedman in how he handled the situation.
“It was obviously a very difficult season for him, " said BriseBois. "I’m very proud of how he handled it all. As always, he put the team first, he put his family, he put everyone else first and came in second. The courage he showed in being open today and addressing, not just today, but even when he left the team, it took a lot of courage to do that. That was the right thing to do for him, for us, for his family.”
“I’m really proud of him and the work he’s done. I’m glad he’s much better. I’m glad he’s in a good spot and I’m glad he’s going to be on our team next year and I expect him to have a good season.”