TAMPA — The Tampa Bay Lightning will carry on without their captain for now.
Head coach Jon Cooper said Victor Hedman is unlikely to play in their first-round NHL playoff series against the Montreal Canadiens.
“At some point, I think, but not right now,” Cooper said after a reporter asked if he could put a percentage on Hedman’s potential return. “I wouldn’t rule anything out, but I’d put that on the doubtful side for this series.”
The Lightning trailed the Canadiens 1-0 heading into Game 2 on Tuesday in Tampa, Fla.
Hedman took part in Tampa Bay’s optional morning skate after recently rejoining the team following a leave of absence for personal absence, but hasn’t played since March 19.
The 35-year-old Swede — a Conn Smythe Trophy winner as playoff MVP in 2020 — was limited to 33 games in the regular season, posting one goal and 16 assists after also missing time due to elbow surgery and an undisclosed injury.
Cooper previously said Hedman would travel with the Lightning to Montreal for Games 3 and 4, whether he plays or not.
In other lineup updates, Tampa Bay defenceman Declan Carlile drew in for Charle-Edouard D’Astous, who exited Game 1 following a hit from Josh Anderson.
Carlile was set for his playoff debut after contributing one goal and two assists in 42 games during the regular season.
The 25-year-old rookie was not drafted to the NHL and has spent the bulk of his past few seasons with the American Hockey League’s Syracuse Crunch after signing with the Lightning as a college free agent in 2022.
“He’s the classic case of a kid that, unheralded, not too many people knew about, and he just worked and worked and worked,” Cooper said. “I’ve watched draft picks and people come in, and guys get deflated, and maybe the call-up doesn’t come, or they don’t like the league they’re in.
“But then there are some kids that come in and say, screw it, I’m just going to do whatever it takes, and I’m going to work my tail off until somebody notices me, and if my career ends and nobody notices me, I know I can look in the mirror and say I did my best. That’s what this kid’s done, and he’s been noticed.”
No lineup changes were expected from the Canadiens. Head coach Martin St. Louis, who has kept roster decisions close to his vest as part of the “cat-and-mouse” game of the playoffs, said his team needed to spend more time in the offensive zone in Game 2.
Montreal only generated nine shots at five-on-five in Game 1’s 4-3 overtime win, with Juraj Slafkovsky scoring three goals on the power play.
“There are ways to get that started. It’s about giving ourselves more chances to get it started,” St. Louis said. “You only get to the deeper game if the five guys are connected and you’re working together. You got to play at the same pace, you have to have balance on the ice. There are so many things that allow you (to establish it), but you got to collectively do it.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 21, 2026.
Daniel Rainbird, The Canadian Press
