Lightning captain Victor Hedman opens up about mental health absence after first-round playoff exit

Tampa Bay Lightning skipper Victor Hedman’s lack successful the last agelong of the regular play and during the archetypal circular of the Stanley Cup Playoffs was to code his intelligence health, helium revealed successful a connection Tuesday.

Hedman, who besides missed a important magnitude of clip this play owed to injury, addressed the concern successful a connection shared by the team. 

Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman celebrates with the seat aft scoring against the Buffalo Sabres during the 3rd play of an NHL crippled successful Tampa, Fla., connected Feb. 28, 2026. (Chris O'Meara/AP)

"I’ve spent astir of my beingness successful this game, and astir each of my vocation with this organization. Wearing this jersey – and serving arsenic skipper – is the top work of my nonrecreational life," his connection began. 

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"That work doesn’t lone use connected the ice. Over the past mates of months, I made the determination to measurement distant and absorption connected my intelligence health. It was not an casual decision, but it was the close one.

"I’ve ever believed that being a person means doing what’s champion for the team. In this case, it besides meant doing what was indispensable to instrumentality attraction of myself, truthful I tin beryllium the champion player, teammate, hubby and begetter I expect to be." 

Hedman expanded connected his connection during his exit interrogation with the media connected Tuesday, adding that helium feels "way better" and that it was the "right decision" for him. 

Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman skates connected the crystal during warmups earlier a crippled against the Boston Bruins successful the 2026 Stadium Series astatine Raymond James Stadium successful Tampa, Fla., connected Feb. 1, 2026. (Kim Klement Neitzel/Imagn Images)

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"This is thing that exists successful our crippled much than radical see. If this infinitesimal helps marque it easier for others to instrumentality attraction of themselves erstwhile they request to, that matters," helium said Tuesday. "I’m arrogant of this team, and I look guardant to what’s ahead."

Hedman, who spent his full 17-year NHL vocation with the Lightning, missed a bulk of the play with an elbow wounded that required country successful December. He returned successful clip for the Olympic break, wherever helium played for Sweden, earlier being sidelined again earlier the quarterfinal crippled against Team USA.

After playing successful conscionable 33 games this season, Hedman said helium was looking guardant to returning adjacent year. 

Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman handles the puck during the 2nd play against the Detroit Red Wings astatine Little Caesars Arena successful Detroit, Mich., connected Oct. 17, 2025. (Brian Bradshaw Sevald/Imagn Images)

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Tampa Bay was eliminated from the playoffs aft suffering a 2-1 nonaccomplishment to the Montreal Canadiens successful Game 7 connected Sunday. The nonaccomplishment marked the organization's 4th consecutive first-round exit.

 The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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