John Romano: He may not be on the ice, but Victor Hedman has a place in our hearts

John Romano, Tampa Bay Times on Apr 5, 2026

Published in Hockey

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TAMPA, Fla. — This is an odd time for an ode, but the calendar doesn’t always run parallel to life.

So as the Tampa Bay Lightning fight for first place in the Atlantic Division, as the countdown to the playoffs begins, as talk of another scoring title for Nikita Kucherov heats up, this somehow feels like an appropriate moment to talk about the player who has vanished from the ice.

A little less than two weeks ago, Victor Hedman stepped away from the most challenging season of his career. Officially, it was a leave of absence for unspecified personal reasons. And if you demand more information than that, you might want to reset your capacity for compassion.

You see, Hedman deserves better.

He deserves better than social media speculation. Better than a forensic analysis of his statistics. Better than anything other than well wishes and prayers.

Regrettably, it appears the Lightning will play this postseason without their captain. Technically, he is eligible to return from long-term injured reserve for the final two home games of the regular season but the wisdom of that possibility is hard to decipher.

The truth is, the Lightning have been a more effective team without Hedman this season. If that’s a difficult sentence to contemplate, imagine how heartbreaking it is for Hedman to swallow.

Of course, there are reasons it turned out this way. Understandable, if lamentable, reasons.

Hedman was injured early in the season and, after playing through the pain, eventually opted for elbow surgery in December. Maybe he tried to come back too soon for the outdoor game at Raymond James Stadium on Feb. 1. His subsequent appearance for Sweden in the Olympics could have been a factor, as well. And, certainly, it’s harder to bounce back at 35 than it was a decade earlier when Hedman last missed a major chunk of a season with a broken bone.

More than anything, Hedman’s absence has been less noticeable because of the astounding play of Tampa Bay’s defensive pairings.

Darren Raddysh has had a career-defining season, and J.J. Moser has been everything the Lightning hoped for when they acquired him in the Mikhail Sergachev trade. Charle-Edouard D’Astous has been a revelation in his NHL debut and Emil Lilleberg has outplayed expectations. Throw in the reliable presence of Ryan McDonagh and Erik Cernak, and it’s no wonder the Lightning entered the weekend third in the league in goals-against average.

If that’s a consolation for Hedman, it’s got to be a bummer as well.

For this is his team, his town, his legacy. And that depiction is not hyperbole.

Hedman is in his 17th season with the Lightning, and Tampa Bay has never seen another pro athlete with that combination of longevity and loyalty. Not Steven Stamkos. Not Ronde Barber. Not Evan Longoria.

If Stamkos was the face of the franchise, Hedman has been its cornerstone. Ever present and usually elite. He isn’t flashy or outspoken, but he’s been forever accountable. He won the Norris Trophy as the league’s top defenseman in 2018 and was a finalist in five other seasons. He won the Conn Smythe in 2020, and twice has had his name carved on the Stanley Cup. He played with Marty St. Louis and Vinny Lecavalier when he was a teenager, and with Conor Geekie and Dominic James as a married father.

More than anything, Hedman has been the locker room’s conscience and confidante.

So would it be better if he rejoined the team for the playoff run? That’s a difficult question to answer.

Future Hall of Famers often see their impact and playing time decrease later in their careers, but that usually comes about gradually. This season has been more abrupt for Hedman. It isn’t like Dave Andreychuk playing a special teams/statesman-like role for the Lightning a generation ago. Or even a former MVP like Corey Perry returning as a role player this season.

Hedman’s apparent transition has been unexpected and, ultimately, awkward. Particularly for head coach Jon Cooper, who adores Hedman but can’t afford to play favorites in the playoffs.

None of which means we’ve reached the end of the line for Hedman, although he’d be entitled to put the skates away if that was his choice.

He’s under contract for another three years and it’s entirely possible an offseason of rest and rehab leads to the type of results in 2026-27 that we’re more accustomed to seeing.

In the meantime, Hedman deserves his space. He’s earned that much.

He deserves to choose the time and circumstance of his return.

Mostly, he deserves an ovation as loud and heartfelt as any we’ve heard in his next appearance at Benchmark Arena.

Whenever that day comes.

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