The Lightning announced Wednesday that captain Victor Hedman will be out for at least one additional game as he takes a temporary leave of absence for personal reasons.
Hedman has already missed Tampa Bay’s last three contests. He left their game against the Canucks last Thursday after less than five minutes of ice time and didn’t return due to what the team labeled an illness.
That, plus a whole host of other injuries, has limited the usually durable Hedman to under half of the Bolts’ games this season. He has only managed 33 appearances, currently tracking for a career low, including lockout and COVID-shortened seasons.
Hedman, who finished fifth in Norris Trophy voting just last year, hasn’t had nearly the same effect when dressed, either. At 18:52 of ice time per game, he’s averaging under 20 minutes for the first time in his 17-year career, and his 0.52 points per game is his worst output since his early 20s.
The Bolts have maintained a 27-7-3 record without Hedman dressed this season, including a 2-0-1 stretch in their last three without him. They certainly miss his presence, even lower in the lineup, with depth options Declan Carlile and Maxwell Crozier sidelined, but they’ve been able to keep their system rolling and intact this season amid a bevy of other injuries on defense.
At this point in the season, the Lightning have essentially locked up home ice in the first round with a 89.5% chance of finishing in the top two in the Atlantic Division, per MoneyPuck. A playoff spot is all but clinched, but the race with the Sabres for the division title is still wide open.
Victor Hedman has had an unusual season for himself. He’s been plagued with injuries this season but then again, it seems most of the league has been. This just seems like an outlier season for Heddy. Hopefully, it’s nothing too serious off the ice that’s going on and he’ll be able to comeback this weekend for the double header. But most importantly, he’ll be good to go for the playoffs.
On a personal side, there is no better person than VH.
But there is no arguing that the team plays much better without him. Whether he is dinged up physically or mentally the teams record with him is 16-15-2 and 28-6-3 without him.
His game, from day one, was a step and a half slower this season. Need to get Carlyle and Crozier back and they will be set for a long run.
FtT, I told you earlier in the year, that the loss of mobility for Hedman, McDonough and Cernak was an issue. It clearly is/was. Not sure when healthy, you leave McDonough and Cernak together, especially against fast skating teams like Montreal, Bufallo and Carolina. The team ran the heater without McDonough as well.
Lets hope everything is ok in VH’s is life. On the ice, he clearly has played with zero confidence. Him sitting out the game at the Olympics was a huge red flag. Give Hagel the C and move on!