It’s hard to imagine a Tampa Bay Lightning postseason without Victor Hedman, the future Hall of Fame defenseman drafted by the organization in 2009 and now in his 17th season with the team. His loyalty has long been rooted in both the city and the franchise. Still, if the Lightning are forced to move forward without him, they’ve shown they’ll be prepared. On Saturday, the team punched its ticket to a ninth straight postseason. It’s been a year defined by adversity, with injuries testing the roster at every turn, but the Lightning have remained steady in their pursuit of another chance at the Stanley Cup. Early in the season, players from their AHL affiliate [https://syracusecrunch.com/] stepped into key roles, and for the most part, the transition proved seamless. If there’s been a defining theme, it’s been the balance of veteran leadership and the new talent added over the past few years. Thursday brought another shift to the lineup, as Hedman was placed on long-term injured reserve following a March 25 announcement that he would be taking a temporary leave of absence for personal reasons. LTIR rules require a player to miss at least 10 games and 24 days, dating back to his last appearance on March 19 in Vancouver, when he logged just 4:44 of ice time before exiting early. © Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/fd04541e-0548-47e2-88d9-4aa70c80ee3c.jpeg] © Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images Based on the current timeline, Hedman would be eligible to return on April 13 against the Detroit Red Wings, with the Lightning closing out the regular season on April 15 against the New York Rangers. He is not currently practicing with the team, and any potential postseason return would understandably require time to regain game pace. Hedman has navigated a difficult stretch of injuries this season, one that has been challenging for him to process. He first missed 12 games with an elbow injury before returning briefly, only for the issue to require surgery that sidelined him from Nov. 12 to Jan. 29. He made his return during the NHL Stadium Series game on Feb. 1 and played in the Lightning's two games that week. He later represented Sweden in the Olympics but was unable to play in the quarterfinal after sustaining a lower-body injury during warmups. After returning, Hedman acknowledged the setback was difficult to deal with, particularly as he had just begun to feel like himself again. He appeared in 12 games following the break, averaging 17:30 of ice time—a steady presence fans have come to expect, even as his season took an unexpected turn. While Hedman worked through the setbacks, the Lightning’s defensive group continued to evolve. Darren Raddysh [https://www.nhl.com/lightning/player/darren-raddysh-8478178] and J. J. Moser [https://www.nhl.com/lightning/player/j-j-moser-8482655] have developed into one of the league’s most effective pairings. Raddysh, in particular, has put together a historic stretch, recording 21 goals—the most ever by a Lightning defenseman in a single season. Hedman would have been the first to congratulate him on hitting that milestone. © Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/39670772-df15-4c6e-bf0c-72f2ec57de1c.jpeg] © Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images Charle-Edouard D’Astous [https://www.nhl.com/lightning/player/charle-edouard-d-astous-8480426], signed in May 2025 after spending time in the Swedish Hockey League, has also made an impact, most recently alongside Emil Lilleberg [https://www.nhl.com/lightning/player/emil-lilleberg-8482929] who made his NHL Debut in 2024. The 25-year old has battled through his own challenges, missing 23 games following a leg surgery and recently returning from a facial fracture that left his jaw wired shut for two weeks. Lilleberg's physical presence has added another dimension to the blue line. Anchoring the group are veterans Ryan McDonagh [https://www.nhl.com/lightning/player/ryan-mcdonagh-8474151] and Erik Cernak [https://www.nhl.com/lightning/player/erik-cernak-8478416], whose resume includes two Stanley Cups and extensive playoff experience. Since McDonagh’s return from Nashville, the two picked up where they left off, reinforcing both stability and depth on the back end. With six games remaining in the season, Hedman’s timeline still remains uncertain, but the Lightning have demonstrated they can lean on their current group as they prepare for another postseason run.
