Following a team practice on Tuesday morning, Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper provided a somber update on captain Victor Hedman, listing the star defenseman as “doubtful” to return for the remainder of the first round matchup against the Montreal Canadiens.
Hedman left the team in March for personal reasons, and he has not appeared in a game since a 6-2 win over Vancouver on March 19.
Jon Cooper says Hedman returning is on “the doubtful side for this series.” https://t.co/nVSdnM1fNl
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) April 21, 2026
The veteran defender took part in the Lightning’s optional morning skates both on Tuesday morning and Sunday morning ahead of Game 1, which Tampa Bay lost in overtime.
“He’s slowly starting to get some ice time and stuff like that and get himself hopefully back,” Cooper said before the series.
The No. 2 overall pick from the 2009 NHL Draft appeared in just 33 games this regular season, scoring a goal and dishing out 16 assists for 17 points. With Hedman limited, the Bolts have gotten monstrous contributions from newly-emerged standout defensemen like Darren Raddysh and Charles-Edouard D’Astous. These two have stepped into high-leverage roles, joining veterans Ryan McDonagh, J.J. Moser, and Erik Cernak.
The puck drops at Benchmark International Arena for Game 2 at 7:00 PM Eastern Tuesday night, as the Bolts will look to avoid heading to Montreal in a 2-0 hole.