Lightning's Hedman to undergo surgery, aiming for Olympic redemption - ESPN
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Associated Press
Dec 12, 2025, 03:14 PM ET
NEWARK, N.J. -- The Tampa Bay Lightning's captain, Victor Hedman, is set to undergo elbow surgery on Monday, which will sideline him until February. However, this setback paves the way for the towering defenseman to represent Sweden at the upcoming Olympics in Milan. The team announced Hedman's prognosis and timeline on Friday, following Jon Cooper's confirmation on Thursday that the Swede had re-aggravated an injury, causing him to miss 12 games recently.
Cooper, who is also Canada's Olympic coach, assured Sweden that Hedman's availability for the Olympics is not a cause for panic. Hedman had already been named to the national team's roster and was expected to play a pivotal role for a gold-medal contender. With three Lightning games scheduled in February before the NHL season pauses, Hedman might even get to play before the tournament begins in Italy on February 11.
Hedman, 34, is a cornerstone of the Lightning franchise, averaging over 21 minutes per game, second on the team. He has been a key player for more than a decade, including winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in 2020 during the team's first back-to-back title runs. His absence will be felt, but Cooper believes it's better to address the injury now rather than in April.
Hedman joins fellow injured players Andrei Vasilevskiy, Erik Cernak, and Ryan McDonagh on the injured reserve list. Despite the constant injuries to top players, Tampa Bay has managed to win 18 of its first 31 games this season. Cooper praised the team's performance, noting that they have won one game out of their last five but remains focused on maintaining their game strategy and not letting frustration set in due to the lack of scoring.
The Lightning's recent performance improved significantly, scoring eight goals to rout the Devils just hours after Cooper's comments. The team eagerly awaits Hedman's return, recognizing his significant role as a captain and a player who plays massive minutes for them. Despite his absence, Hedman has been a great captain even when he's not on the bench.
