NEWARK, N.J. — Victor Hedman aggravated the undisclosed injury that recently caused him to miss 12 games, and it’s too soon to know how long the Tampa Bay Lightning’s captain and No. 1 defenseman will be out, coach Jon Cooper said Thursday.
Hedman is seeing doctors “to get second opinions on what’s wrong with him,” according to Cooper, who was not sure yet whether the soon-to-be 35-year-old Swede should be considered day to day or week to week. Hedman will miss at least three games after going on injured reserve.
“Obviously a step back,” Cooper said. “We didn’t anticipate this.”
Hedman had just returned to the lineup last weekend after missing nearly a month from Nov. 12-Dec. 8. He left late in the second period of Tampa Bay’s win at Montreal on Tuesday night and did not return.
After being sidelined for the Lightning’s game Thursday night at New Jersey, Hedman is not eligible to play Saturday at the New York Islanders or Monday night back home against defending Stanley Cup champion and cross-state rival Florida on Monday night. He averages over 21 minutes a game, second on the team, and has been a franchise cornerstone for more than a decade, including winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in 2020 during the first of back-to-back title runs.
“Hedman, he’s our captain — he’s a huge part of our team,” Cooper said. “But if it’s going to happen — which you don’t want it to — but if it is, it’s better it happens now than in April.”
The Lightning recalled defenseman Declan Carlile from Syracuse of the American Hockey League to take Hedman’s spot in the lineup.
Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman (77) and Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (29) battle for the puck in the first period of an NHL hockey game, Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025, in Denver. Credit: AP/David Zalubowski
Hedman joins fellow two-time Cup champions Andrei Vasilevskiy, Erik Cernak and Ryan McDonagh on IR. Tampa Bay won 17 of its first 30 games this season despite the constant barrage of injuries to top players.
“I’ve liked the way we’ve played,” Cooper said. “Have we won one game out of our last five? We have. Am I upset the way we’ve played? No. We just haven’t been able to score. … There’s a lot to like about our game, and that’s the part for me is to not change your game, not let the frustration set in because we’re not scoring.”
Vasilevskiy remains day to day and McDonagh is skating and getting closer, but Cooper does not expect either to play on this road trip.
“Another one we thought would be back before this, so it’s a little bit of a wait and see,” Cooper said of Vasilevskiy. “But my concern level, it hasn’t reached a big height yet.”
Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman (77) and Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (29) battle for the puck in the first period of an NHL hockey game, Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025, in Denver. Credit: AP/David Zalubowski
Canada’s coach for the upcoming Olympics, Cooper does not think Sweden should be worried about not having Hedman available for the tournament scheduled to start Feb. 11 in Milan.
“I wouldn’t worry about the Olympics: I hope not,” Cooper said. “It’s still, what, two months away? I know it’s something he’s really looking forward to. It’s on all our minds. But don’t let the country hit the panic button yet.”