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Lightning’s Victor Hedman Leaves Due To Injury

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The Tampa Bay Lightning announced during the second intermission that star defenseman Victor Hedman will not return versus Montreal due to injury. The Swede left after 06:14 of ice time, which was all in the first period. Further details have not been provided at this time on possible severity. 

The hits keep coming for Tampa Bay, already having a defense corps ravaged by injury, to go with Andrei Vasilevskiy landing on IR yesterday. Hedman himself just came back after missing a large chunk of November with an undisclosed ailment, and naturally, it is unclear if today’s injury is related. Regardless, losing their captain when Ryan McDonagh and Erik Černák remain sidelined is a serious blow. Despite facing such adversity, the longtime contenders have mostly continued their winning ways, currently second in the Atlantic Division. J.J. Moser has stepped up and risen to the occasion in his second season as a Bolt, emerging as a highly reliable top four defender, a savvy pickup helping the team extend its contention window. 

Hedman himself, now 34, has been remarkably durable throughout his career. The towering defender is already well above 1,100 career games, not to mention another 170 playoff appearances, leading the team in heavy minutes throughout runs over the past decade. Despite all of it, when healthy, the 2009 draftee remains elite, having 12 points in 17 games this season.

As is symbolic of their season so far, Tampa Bay handled business over the Canadiens tonight even being short on the back-end. However, Hedman’s status will be a huge question, along with how long the team can sustain success with so many key players shaken up for the time being. Tonight’s win ended a four game skid, but things won’t get any easier without Vasilevskiy or Hedman.

Tampa Bay Lightning Recall Scott Sabourin

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The Tampa Bay Lightning have recalled forward Scott Sabourin from their AHL affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch.  The move comes in advance of the club’s game tonight against the Montreal Canadiens.

This is far from Sabourin’s first recall to the Lightning’s NHL roster. Earlier in the season, Sabourin was recalled on multiple occasions so that he would be able to serve the four-game suspension he was assessed for his actions in the preseason. Sabourin was suspended for a hit on Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad. Most had assumed Sabourin’s recalls were going to be limited to suspension-serving, as the veteran had played in just four NHL games over the last three seasons.

But on Nov. 12, the Lightning recalled Sabourin and he ended up playing that night’s game against the New York Rangers. He played in nearly 12 minutes of ice time, which was the most he’d received in an NHL regular-season game since the 2019-20 campaign. Sabourin instantly rewarded the Lightning’s faith in him, scoring his first goal of the season (and first since 2019-20) early in that night’s game.

Sabourin added an assist in the Lightning’s following game on Nov. 15 against the Panthers before he was sent back to Syracuse on Nov. 19. A bruising physical forward, Sabourin hasn’t been much of a scorer at the AHL (or NHL) level for most of his career. But what’s continued to get him both hefty AHL contracts (his one-year, two-way deal carries a $350K guarantee) and NHL recalls has been the imposing physical presence he’s been able to provide.

The Lightning were shut out by the Maple Leafs last night in Toronto, and have had to travel to Montreal and will need to play tonight’s game as the second half of a back-to-back. By adding Sabourin, the Lightning have added fresher legs to their roster and a forward capable of going toe-to-toe with some of Montreal’s heavyweights, such as Arber Xhekaj and Josh Anderson.

While it’s unclear at the moment whether Sabourin will dress for the game, his recall does at least provide head coach Jon Cooper with another player to choose from when selecting a lineup.

Lightning, Flyers Swap Roman Schmidt, Ethan Samson

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The Tampa Bay Lightning and Philadelphia Flyers have swapped minor-league defenseman. Tampa Bay has sent Roman Schmidt to Philadelphia in exchange for Ethan Samson. Schmidt is in his second season in the AHL, while Samson is in his third.

This move swaps an imposing, physical defender for a more mobile, two-way option. Schmidt stands at 6-foot-5 and 215-pounds. He uses that heft, and a long reach, to shut down entry into the defensive zone and control space in front of his own net. That focus has held Schmidt to just one point in 13 games this season and six points in 62 career AHL games. He has led the Syrcause Crunch in penalty minutes in each of the last two seasons – with 38 PIMs this year and 79 PIMs in 49 games last year. Tampa Bay originally drafted Schmidt in the third round of the 2021 NHL Draft, out of the U.S. National Team Development Program.

Samson has offered a bit more offense through his AHL career. He has four assists, and only four penalty minutes, in 10 games this season – after missing the start of the year due to a training camp injury. He’s continued to offer a physical and engaged presence on defense, with a bit more downhill drive with the puck on his stick. He has 40 points, a minus-19, and 100 PIMs in 142 career AHL games. The Flyers drafted Samson three rounds after Schmidt in 2021 from the WHL’s Prince George Cougars.

This move will provide the Flyers with a bit more grit behind a young depth chart filled with skill-first players. Meanwhile, Tampa Bay will look to bank on Samson’s upside. The Lightning are no strangers to rewarding AHL defenders on NHL contracts. They have had 10 different defenders appear in NHL games this season and briefly had Schmidt on their roster, though he didn’t make his NHL debut.

Lightning Place Andrei Vasilevskiy On IR, Activate Brayden Point

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3:44 p.m.: The corresponding move for Vasilevskiy’s IR placement is an IR activation for top center Brayden Point, per Erlendsson. The snakebitten pivot had missed the last seven games due to an undisclosed injury he sustained against the Capitals on Nov. 22. He’s hoping the time off jumpstarts a reset – the four-time 40-goal scorer had managed just three tallies through 21 games while shooting at a disastrous 6.8% clip, less than half his previous career low.

10:16 a.m.: According to Erik Erlendsson of Lightning Insider, the Tampa Bay Lightning have placed netminder Andrei Vasilevskiy on the team’s injured reserve. Having recalled Brandon Halverson a few days ago, any corresponding roster move, if any, will likely involve a forward or defenseman.

Vasilveskiy has already missed two games due to an undisclosed injury, and it’s now a guarantee he’ll miss at least two more. Since his last contest came last Tuesday against the New York Islanders, the 12-year veteran will only be eligible for activation after Tampa Bay’s matchup tomorrow against the Montreal Canadiens.

Unlike some of their injuries on defense, the Lightning haven’t fared as well without their former Vezina Trophy-winning netminder. Tampa Bay lost both games last week without Vasilevskiy (as well as his most recent start against the Islanders), allowing six goals on 50 shots for an .880 SV%.

Assuming that the Lightning will want to avoid overworking Jonas Johansson in their upcoming back-to-back against the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal, Vasilevskiy’s IR placement all but guarantees that Halvorsen will make his first appearance of the year. The 29-year-old netminer has managed a 9-4-0 record in 13 games with the Syracuse Crunch this season with a .901 SV%.

Fortunately, it doesn’t sound like Vasilevskiy will be out for too long. There was some speculation last week that Vasilevskiy was targeting today for his return, meaning that he may return by Thursday when the Lightning take on the Devils in New Jersey.

AHL's Syracuse Crunch Sign Jarred Tinordi

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Unless something changes, the Boston Bruins will return their two top performers on their upcoming road trip. After an update from Steve Conroy of The Boston Herald, indicating that Charlie McAvoy shed the non-contact jersey for today’s practice, Conor Ryan of The Boston Globe reported that both McAvoy and David Pastrňák are expected to return over the next few days.

Even getting one of McAvoy or Pastrňák back would be a major boost to the Bruins. After McAvoy exited the lineup on November 15th after gruesomely taking a puck to the face, the team has gone 5-5-0. It’s been a little better without Pastrňák, as they’ve gone 3-2-0 in their last five.

Still, considering that Boston has unexpectedly moved into second place in the Atlantic Division, the team will want to have McAvoy and Pastrňák in the lineup as much as possible to qualify for a postseason spot. The Bruins are only two points removed from being out of a playoff spot, and have played more games than multiple teams in the Eastern Conference. Considering how wide-open the playoff race is this season, Boston has a legitimate opportunity to reach the postseason again, and McAvoy and Pastrňák will surely play a large role in that.

Other notes from the Atlantic Division:

  • Moving to Toronto, the Maple Leafs may also return a pair of injured players in the next few days. According to David Alter of The Hockey News, defenseman Chris Tanev is no longer skating in a non-contact jersey. Additionally, Alter reported similarly on defenseman Marshall Rifai, who has also shed his non-contact jersey. Tanev has missed much of the 2025-26 campaign due to an upper-body injury, and his absence has played a significant role in the Maple Leafs allowing over 31 shots a game from their opponents.
  • Former first-round pick Jarred Tinordi has found his way back to professional hockey for a 14th consecutive season. Earlier today, the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch announced they have signed Tinordi to a contract for the remainder of the 2025-26 campaign. Tinordi, 33, spent last season with the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers, scoring one goal and five points in 30 games with a +5 rating.

Lightning Reassign Steven Santini

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The Lightning have reassigned veteran blue-liner Steven Santini back to AHL Syracuse, per a team announcement. Tampa’s active roster is now at 22, allowing them to activate one of Ryan McDonagh or Brayden Point from injured reserve before Monday’s game against the Maple Leafs if they’re ready to go.

The 30-year-old Santini was brought up last month in the wake of an injury to Maxwell Crozier and had stuck around on the roster as the Bolts’ defense also dealt with injuries to McDonagh, Erik Černák, and Victor Hedman, who got back in the lineup this weekend. He’s now appeared in parts of nine NHL seasons with a lifetime 5-19–24 scoring line in 131 games played split between the Lightning, Blues, Predators, and Devils. Tampa picked Santini up in free agency in 2024 on a two-way deal and, after he made one appearance for them last season, re-upped on a two-year, two-way contract in June to keep him in the organization through 2026-27.

Santini has continued to flex great two-way play in the AHL this year, posting a +7 rating (tied for third on the team) in 13 appearances. He’s also contributed four assists and is serving as an alternate captain for the second year in a row, a fitting title given his 10 years and 374 games of AHL experience.

The 6’3″ righty has been deployed more as a defensive specialist in his NHL minutes and has posted fine possession metrics given his deployment in a limited role. He’s only controlled 42.4% of shot attempts at even strength for his career, but that becomes defensible when considering he’s only started 37.7% of his shifts in the offensive zone. Through seven games for the Bolts this year, he had an even rating and one assist while averaging 12:01 of ice time per game. There’s little upside left in his game, but he carries value as a dependable, replacement-level option who can deliver in bottom-pairing duties as an injury replacement.

Kucherov And Vasilevskiy Out Tonight

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  • While the Lightning will get one of their stars back tonight, they’ll be without two others. Eduardo A. Encina of the Tampa Bay Times relays that goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy and winger Nikita Kucherov are listed as day-to-day with undisclosed injuries.  Tampa Bay was hoping to have Vasilevskiy back after missing Thursday’s game but that won’t be the case, meaning Jonas Johansson will get the start once again.  Meanwhile, it’s unclear as to what Kucherov’s injury is as well but he played over 25 minutes on Thursday against Pittsburgh so it’s something he was evidently able to play through at some point in the game.

Lightning Likely To Activate Victor Hedman

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In what could be the most positive injury update for the team in some time, it appears the Tampa Bay Lightning will welcome back their captain tonight. According to team reporter Benjamin Pierce, defenseman Victor Hedman said he feels “probable” for tonight.

It’s been a long time coming for Hedman. The 17-year veteran has been working his way back from an undisclosed injury for the last month. Having missed 12 games and 28 days, Hedman has satisfied both requirements to be activated from long-term injured reserve.

Notably, the Lightning have not only been able to withstand the absence of their top defenseman but have excelled. Tampa Bay has managed an 8-4-0 record without Hedman and has climbed to the top of the NHL’s Atlantic Division.

Although the team’s offense has been more than respectable throughout that duration, averaging 3.5 GF/G on a 12.4% shooting percentage, the wins have largely been generated by a pieced-together defensive core. Without Hedman, the Lightning have held opposing teams to a 2.5 GF/G average while limiting them to a 9.74% shooting percentage on 26 shots per game on average.

Especially if Tampa Bay’s defense can maintain its high level of play, Hedman’s return to the lineup would provide an even bigger boost than normal. The former Norris Trophy winner has registered 12 assists in 15 games for the Lightning so far this year, managing a 53.9% CorsiFor% and 91.9% on-ice save percentage at even strength.

The largest impact Hedman will likely have is on the team’s power play. Averaging an 18.0% success rate on the man advantage with Hedman in the lineup, Tampa Bay’s power play has only maintained a 13.8% conversion rate without him.

Regardless, the Lightning have taken advantage of a wide-open Eastern Conference, especially as rivals such as the Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs work their way out of disappointing starts. Considering the number of injuries Tampa Bay has had to deal with already this year, they could gain even more momentum as they return more players to their active roster.

Lightning Reassign Declan Carlile

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The Lightning announced they’ve reassigned defenseman Declan Carlile to AHL Syracuse. The move leaves them with no extra defensemen and an open roster spot, an indication that they plan on activating captain Victor Hedman from injured reserve before Saturday’s match with the Islanders. He was a full participant in today’s practice, according to Erik Erlendsson of Lightning Insider.

Carlile, 25, was recalled from Syracuse in mid-November in the wake of injuries to Hedman, Ryan McDonagh, and Erik Černák. The latter two remain on injured reserve, but getting Hedman back to anchor the team’s top pairing with J.J. Moser is nonetheless a significant boon for a club that’s navigated its rash of injuries quite well. Since the Lightning lost both Hedman and McDonagh to injuries in their Nov. 8 game against the Capitals, the club has taken hold of first place in the Atlantic Division with an 8-4-0 record. Their .667 points percentage is sixth-best in the league during that frame.

Carlile, a fourth-year pro, had played in each of Tampa’s nine games since his recall. That set a new career-high in games played for the 6’3″ lefty, who made his NHL debut in 2023-24 and made three appearances last season.

The Lightning signed Carlile as an undrafted free agent out of Merrimack College near the end of a 2021-22 season in which he was a Hobey Baker Award nominee and was named to the Hockey East conference’s Second All-Star Team. The Michigan native has been a stable two-way presence at the minor-league level since making the jump to the pro ranks, but had appeared to find a new gear offensively to begin this season, rattling off two goals, eight assists, and 10 points in 15 games before being added to the Lightning’s roster. That’s already more than half the production he managed in 55 appearances for Syracuse last year.

As with his previous NHL stints, Carlile didn’t look entirely out of place in bottom-pairing duties. He scored his second career goal and managed a +1 rating while averaging 12:53 of ice time per game. He recorded eight blocks and nine hits. Among Lightning defensemen with at least 100 minutes at 5-on-5, only Moser has controlled a higher share of scoring chances than Carlile’s 57.1%. That comes from him playing a stout, low-event defensive game – per 60 minutes, no qualified Lightning skater has been on the ice for fewer scoring chances than Carlile at 17.9.

If Carlile played one more game, he would have needed to clear waivers again to return to Syracuse. With his strong play in bottom-pairing minutes and his offensive improvement in the AHL, that wasn’t a guarantee after he did so already during training camp. If he’s called up again and enters game action or is rostered for 13 days, then he’ll need waivers at the conclusion of that recall.

Vasilevskiy Should Be Back Next Game; Crozier Activated Off IR

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  • Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy is unavailable for tonight’s game which resulted in today’s recall of Brandon Halverson. However, the veteran’s absence will be a short one as Eduardo A. Encina of the Tampa Bay Times relays (Twitter link) that the expectation is that Vasilevskiy will be available to start their next game on Saturday.  The 31-year-old is having yet another strong season, posting a 2.31 GAA and a .916 SV% through his first 19 starts.
  • Also with the Lightning, they welcomed back defenseman Maxwell Crozier as Erik Erlendsson of Lightning Insider relayed (Twitter link) that the blueliner was activated off IR. The 25-year-old missed the last eight games due to an undisclosed injury.  Crozier has three assists in eight games with Tampa Bay so far this season.  With the activation, the Lightning are back to a full 23-player roster.

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