Tampa Bay Lightning captain Victor Hedman will be taking a temporary leave of absence for personal reasons, the team announced on Wednesday.
The Lightning added that they will not add further details and requests his privacy be respected.
The Tampa Bay Lightning announced today that defenseman Victor Hedman will be taking a temporary leave of absence from the team for personal reasons.
— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) March 25, 2026
No further details will be shared, and the team asks that his privacy be respected at this time.
Hedman, 35, last appeared during March 19’s 6-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks but exited after only 4:44 of ice time with a reported illness.
The 6-foot-7 blueliner also missed last three games with ailment.
Hedman has only appeared in 33 games this season after missing 12 games with an undisclosed injury in November and then another 22 games after undergoing elbow surgery in December.
He also represented Sweden at Milano Cortina 2026, recording a goal and two points in five games in a seventh-place finish.
Hedman has a goal and 17 points with a minus-1 ranking while averaging 18:52 of ice time.
The Ornskoldsvik, Sweden native was drafted second overall by the Lightning in 2009 and has 172 goals and 811 points in 1,164 career games.
He helped lead the Lightning to back-to-back Stanley Cup victories in 2020 and 2021, winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in 2020.
Hedman also won the Norris Trophy as the league’s top defenceman in 2018, after recording 17 goals and 63 points in 77 games with a plus-32 rating and averaging 25:51 of ice time.
The Lightning sit second in the Atlantic Division with a 44-21-5 record and are two points behind the Buffalo Sabres for top spot.
Tampa Bay has 12 games remaining in their regular season with 10 games against teams currently in the playoff picture, including a key matchup against the Sabres on April 6.
