Tampa Bay Lightning captain Victor Hedman has revealed he stepped away from the team in the final weeks of the season to address his mental health.
In a statement released through the Lightning’s social media channels, Hedman did not provide specifics about what he has been dealing with behind the scenes.
The Swedish defenseman, 35, was mysteriously absent for Tampa Bay’s final 22 games of the season, which included seven NHL playoff matchups in a first-round series loss to the Montreal Canadiens.
He had been around the team in recent weeks, even taking part in some skates, but his last appearance on the ice came back in mid-March.
‘Over the past couple of months, I made the decision to step away and focus on my mental health,’ Hedman said in the statement. ‘It was not an easy decision, but it was the right one.
‘I’ve always believed that being a leader means doing what’s best for the team. In this case, it also meant doing what was necessary to take care of myself, so I can be the best player, teammate, husband and father I expect to be.’
Tampa Bay Lightning captain Victor Hedman has revealed he stepped away from the team to address his mental health
Hedman, pictured with his wife and two sons, was absent for Tampa Bay’s final 22 games
Hedman, who shares two sons with wife Sanna Grundberg, missed significant time earlier in the season with an elbow injury that required surgery in December.
He eventually returned before the Winter Olympics and played for Sweden until tweaking something in pregame warmups before the quarterfinal against the US, which kept him from participating.
He told reporters at Tampa Bay’s exit-interview day that he leaned on best friend and former Lightning captain Steven Stamkos, as well as Ottawa goaltender Linus Ullmark, who also spent time away from the Senators to address his mental health.
Hedman – the No 2 pick in the 2009 draft – has been with the Lightning for all 17 of his NHL seasons, helping the franchise win back-to-back Stanley Cup titles in 2020 and 2021. He won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in the 2020 pandemic ‘bubble.’
The hockey veteran played in only 33 games this season, by far the fewest of his 20-year career, because of the injury and this subsequent absence.
Hedman thanked his teammates, the Lightning organization, his family and his therapist for their support and said he’s ‘in a much better place today.’
‘This is something that exists in our game more than people see,’ he added. ‘If this moment helps make it easier for others to take care of themselves when they need to, that matters.’
