Victor Hedman issued a statement on Tuesday that partially addressed why he took personal leave in the latter part of the NHL season.
Hedman skated as a regular during Tampa Bay’s morning practice on Friday during the first-round series with the Montréal Canadiens, but last played March 19.
The 35-year-old Swede — a Conn Smythe Trophy winner as playoff MVP in 2020 — took a temporary leave for personal reasons on March 25, rejoining the team early in the first-round series.
Hedman also said in his statement that “this is something that exists in our game more than people see,” without elaborating. He did not provide a timeline for a return, concluding his statement saying he was looking “forward to what’s next.”
Hedman 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.
Lightning coach Jon Cooper said before Game 6 that Hedman was “going to be the option really soon.”
The Lightning, who finished with a 50-26-6 record, were eliminated by the Canadiens in seven games.
