Lightning’s Victor Hedman to miss start of first-round series against Canadiens
As expected, the Tampa Bay Lightning are going to begin the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs without their captain. However, he might be returning sooner than later.
When speaking to the media on Saturday, head coach Jon Cooper stated that defenseman Victor Hedman will not be in the lineup for the start of the Lightning’s first-round series against the Montreal Canadiens, and that a timeline for a potential return is unclear. Cooper did note that Hedman has been on the ice, getting back into shape after his time away from the team, and that he will travel with the team when the series shifts to Montreal next week.
Jon Cooper with a Victor Hedman update, says the Tampa captain has started skating and is around the team now and will join the Lightning on the road trip to Montreal. But Cooper says he’s not available to play at the moment. That could change at some point but unclear still.
Cooper mentioned that the big Swedish blueliner has been in the locker room and around the team as he closes in on returning to play, which is important for the team’s morale.
“[Hedman’s] been around us,” Cooper said. “He’s slowly starting to get some ice time and stuff like that and get himself hopefully back. We love having him around because he’s our captain and he’s a wealth of experience. He’s going to be with us…probably not available right now, and it’s playoff time so we keep those things close to the vest.”
Hedman hasn’t played since March 19, after a reported illness took him out of a game against the Vancouver Canucks, and the 35-year-old took a leave of absence from the team shortly thereafter. It has been an injury-riddled 2025-26 season for Hedman. While the Bolts were battling for first place in the Atlantic Division, he suffered a number of ailments that led to him appearing in just 33 games, scoring a goal and 16 assists for 17 points, with a plus/minus of -1 while averaging just under 19 minutes of ice time per game.
Game 1 between the Lightning and Habs is set for Sunday evening, with puck drop scheduled for 5:45 p.m. ET.